Brittney Kustes Missing: Police Say Ky. Woman is Likely with Sex Offender
SHEPHERDSVILLE, Ky. (CBS/WLKY) Police in Kentucky are searching for Brittney Kustes, a young woman who has been missing for nearly a week.
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The 19-year-old was last seen at her grandmother's home in Brooks, Ky., south of Louisville, on Saturday night. Her mother reported her missing two days later.
Investigators say she is likely with Roy Vernon Elwell, a registered sex offender who was charged with kidnapping her about a year ago.
"He's a pretty bad dude," Bullitt County Sheriff's Department Det. Scotty McGaha told ABC News. "He's a person of interest. We want to talk to him. We haven't been able to find him."
The 34-year-old sex offender has a long criminal rap sheet, including a history of kidnapping, domestic violence, assault, robbery, stalking and drug offenses, according to CBS affiliate WLKY.
"There's some concern that she could be with someone that she shouldn't be with. Whether that's by force or not, we have not been able to determine that yet, but there is some concern for her safety at this point," McGaha told WLKY.
Police said they have checked locations throughout the Louisville metro area, to no avail. That has her mother pleading for her daughter's safe return.
"I just want my daughter back, and I want her safe, and nothing better be wrong with her," Brittney's mother Lori Kustes said in a press conference. "Brittney, if you're watching this or you can hear this, I love you, and we're going to find you and get you home."
The Kustes family is offering a $1,000 reward to anyone with information leading to their daughter's whereabouts.
Anyone with information is urged to call the Bullitt County Sheriff's Department at 502-955-7480.
