Atlanta police on Thursday named a St. Louis man a "person of interest" in the case of a missing Buckhead woman but stopped short of saying foul play was involved in Stacey Nicole English's disappearance.
"He's extremely important to this investigation," said APD Maj. Keith Meadows, head of the department's major crimes unit. "As far as we know, he's the last person to see her."
Charlie Garnett-Benson, a friend of English's, identified the St. Louis man as Robert Kirk. He was supposed to be staying with English, 36, the night she disappeared, according to Garnett-Benson.
He spent time with the English family during the holidays, Anthony English, Stacey's father, told Channel 2 Action News.
"He was at my mother's house breaking bread with us," Anthony English said.
Kirk told the missing woman's parents that he had fought with Stacey English on the evening of Dec. 26, compelling her to kick him out of her Lenox Road condominium, Garnett-Benson said.
Meadows said a security guard told police that Kirk had approached him that night, looking to hail a cab.
The next day, English's 2006 Volvo S60 was found abandoned, its engine running, near Lakewood Amphitheatre.
"This is a missing persons investigation," said Meadows, though he acknowledged "circumstances that rise to a suspicious nature."
For one, English, an instructional designer with SunTrust Bank, left her cellphone, keys and purse in her condo.
"Our daughter is not the type of person who would go this length of time without communicating," said English's stepfather, Kevin Jamison. "This is totally out of the ordinary."
Friends of the Fayette County High School graduate said she met Kirk though a mutual acquaintance.
Though Kirk lives in Missouri, he has several friends in the Atlanta area, Garnett-Benson said.
English had only good things to say about Kirk, say those who knew her.
A $5,000 reward has been offered for any information that helps locate English. People can call Atlanta Crime Stoppers, 404-577-8477.
Atlanta police, meanwhile, say they've enlisted the help of the FBI for any out-of-town interviews that may be necessary.
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