Jasmine Fiore, 28, a former swimsuit model beauty, was found dead on Saturday, August 15, 2009 in Los Angeles. Her body was found strangled left in a suitcase in Buena Park, CA. Later that day, her husband Ryan Alexander Jenkins, 32, reported her missing and subsequently, Mr. Jenkins has gone missing as well. Jenkins was a former contestant on VH1's dating reality show "Megan wants a Millionaire."
Police said that Fiore was last seen alive on Friday night at her Los Angeles home. She and Jenkins were planning on attending a poker party in San Diego that evening. Police have stated that Jenkins is a "person of interest" in the investigation. Moreover, Police believe the Canadian citizen may be headed north to Canada in Fiore's 2007 Mercedes CL S550. Border authorities have been notified.
New Jersey Criminal Lawyer Blog's Take: When someone is called a "person of interest," it means the Police want to talk with this person and obtain a formal statement. Depending on the results of the statement, a person such as Jenkins in this case could be charged with the crime. The reason he is not a suspect at this time is probably because police are still investigating the crime.
There is a report from TMZ.com that says Jenkins publicist said that "Ryan is currently speaking to his attorney and will fully cooperate with the police in this matter. He is planning on meeting with them in the near future." This would be the logically step if Ryan has sought legal representation. However, the fact that he cannot be located does make one wonder if something else is going on in this matter.
It can be common for people to assume that someone is "hiding" something if one seeks an attorney at this stage. Actually, hiring legal counsel is the prudent move. The attorney should let the police department know that the person has hired legal counsel. Therefore, any communication between the "person of interest" and the police will be handled through the attorney's law office. The attorney will then let the police gather their facts and then determine whether his client is going to give a formal statement. If the client rushed to give a formal statement it could allow the police to confuse the person and get answers the police want rather than objectively conducting an investigation.
In this instance, the issue is the fact that Jenkins has disappeared altogether. Besides, the poor impression it makes it could create a bigger problem when he is eventually caught. If the TMZ.com report is accurate and he has retained a lawyer, the first thing his attorney should advise him is that he should return to the area. Although, they may hold off on a formal statement at this time; nonetheless, the police know where Jenkins is located when the time comes to question him about Fiore's death.
Reality Show finalist sought in Swimsuit model's murder - Fox News 8/19/09
