Missing Ga. Teen Drives Home in Stolen Car, Authorities Not Ruling Out Hoax
SMYRNA, Ga. (CBS/WGCL) Georgia teen Marco Gonzalez had been missing for three days when he suddenly drove home Monday in the same car it was claimed two men abducted him in Friday night.
On Monday police identified a man named Gabriel as a person of interest an in Gonzalez's kidnapping and considered the man armed and dangerous. But speculation arose after the boy's return that the abduction may have been a hoax, and authorities are not eliminating that possibility just yet, reports CBS affiliate WGCL.
"He was kidnapped, you know, he was," contested Jesus Silva, the teen's stepfather, when asked if he thought his son faked the abduction. "I'm sure everything's going to come out, but right now we can't say much about this."
Gonzalez was held at Smyrna police headquarters for more than six hours of questioning, but did not answer any questions, according to WGCL. He left the police department with his stepfather shortly after 10 p.m. Monday.
Smyrna Police previously said that 15-year-old Marco Gonzalez was listening to music in a 2002 gray Mercedes-Benz S500 with his cousin when two men jumped in and stole the car; the cousin managed to escape, but Marco did not."They came up to us real close and knocked at the window, and I just ran," said Yuliana Nicolas, the cousin.
Smyrna police said they still don't have a motive in the abduction of Gonzalez; however, they were investigating the possibility that the kidnapping could be related to another crime, reports WGCL. Police reports indicate that the teen was taken the same day Gonzalez's stepfather was scheduled to testify in a home invasion case that involved an attempt to break into the Silva's family home back in November.
Another incident occurred just a week before the kidnapping when three gunmen apparently jumped the teen's mom in the family's driveway, according to police reports. She escaped, but Silva told police he thought the men were just trying to scare him out of testifying.
Lt. Robert Harvey with the Smyrna Police claimed authorities have not ruled out whether Silva's testimony could be related to his son's abduction. The investigation is ongoing.
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September 20, 2010 - Marco Gonzalez Missing: Abducted Georgia Teen in Danger, Say Police