Yvonne Baldelli Missing: FBI looking for California woman who vanished in Panama
(CBS) - Officials in Panama say they have a person of interest in the case of missing California woman Yvonne Baldelli, who vanished five months ago, "CBS This Morning" reports.
Pictures: Calif. woman vanishes in Panama
On Tuesday, a Panamanian official said the FBI is investigating Baldelli's boyfriend, Brian Brimager, in connection to the disappearance.
Baldelli, 41, who was recently divorced and had been laid off from her job at Proctor and Gamble, reportedly moved to Panama in September with Brimager in search of a fresh start.
She hasn't been seen or heard from since last November. Everything had appeared fine, until Baldelli abruptly stopped contacting her family. Phone calls went unanswered and she missed a family reunion.
James Faust, Baldelli's father, told CBS News, "What we want is to bring Yvonne home and show that she's loved and cared about."
Although Brimager claimed Baldelli went to Costa Rica with another man, Baldelli's passport shows she never left Panama. Within weeks of her disappearance, Brimager returned to the U.S., got engaged, and married another woman.
Since Baldelli's disappearance, her family has been searching the island where she lived for any traces of her. They have found nothing so far.
The family has set up a Facebook page to solicit volunteers for their search efforts. Police now say they believe Baldelli and Brimager had a violent relationship, and won't rule out a crime of passion. The FBI is reportedly sending divers to search the waters around the island on Wednesday.
"CBS This Morning" correspondent Terrell Brown contributed this report.