New video shows Germantown abduction person of interest in supermarket
GERMANTOWN, PHILADELPHIA (KABC) -- Philadelphia police have released the latest in a series of surveillance videos showing a "person-of-interest" in the abduction of a woman in Germantown.
The video, provided by the FBI, was released Wednesday morning. It shows the person-of-interest walking into a Philadelphia supermarket. The date stamped on the video is Nov. 2, the same day as the abduction.
In the video, the man is wearing a dark-colored knit cap, dark pants, multi-colored tennis shoes (possibly black and red) and possible chain for a wallet hanging from the right pants pocket.
Police want the public to take notice of the person-of-interest's gait. They believe the way he walks in the video may lead to someone recognizing the man.
Authorities are hoping this surveillance, as well as the previously released videos and photos, will lead to the arrest of a suspect and the location of the victim, 22-year-old Carlesha Freeland-Gaither.
The FBI is also posting messages on billboards to help with the search.
Anyone with information should contact Philadelphia FBI Violent Crimes Task Force at (215) 418-4000. A $47,000 reward is being offered in connection to this case.
The abduction took place around 9:40 p.m. Sunday. Surveillance video shows the first moments when Carlesha Freeland-Gaither came in contact with the large man who took her.
The man is seen reaching his hand out to her on the 5400 block of Greene Street and Freeland-Gaither slowly backing away.
She tries to get around the man again, and that's when he lunges and grabs her. The two then disappear from view.
Surveillance video from another camera shows Freeland-Gaither being dragged down the 100 block of West Coulter Street then shoved into a car, believed to be a 2000-2002 dark gray metallic 4-door Ford Taurus with Maryland tags.
VIDEO: See the video released by Philadelphia Police
That car is just one of a handful of Maryland connections in this case. Police released surveillance images from a Maryland ATM where the victim's ATM card was used.
The images were taken at an ATM at a PNC Bank just off Interstate 95 in Aberdeen at 6:01 a.m. Monday morning. Police are currently seeking to identify the man in the photos.
See photos of the person-of-interest
Another surveillance video shows the person of interest inside an Aberdeen, Maryland, gas station mini-mart.
View Surveillance Video
The time stamp on the video reads 6:04 a.m. on Nov. 3, which would be minutes after the ATM card was used at the bank.
Freeland-Gaither was raised in Maryland and returned to Philadelphia two years ago. The family says a former boyfriend from Maryland was obsessed with her and tracked her down.
"It scared her so she backed off from him, but he found her. When she came up here he found her," said Carlesha's mother, Keisha Gaither.
Keisha Gaither says the ex-boyfriend wanted Freeland-Gaither to send him naked photos, but she would not.
"He was very aggressive with her. He would ask her for pictures. She didn't want to send pictures. He would harass her. He wanted naked pictures. She would not send it. She's a young lady. She would not degrade herself and send naked pictures. He was pressuring her all the time for pictures," Keisha Gaither said.
Police found the victim's glasses and mobile phone lying on the road where the abduction occurred. Authorities also picked up a glove at the scene as possible evidence.
Police say she kicked out both rear windows just before the car sped away.
Carlesha's family says she worked as a nurse and had spent the evening visiting with her godson before heading home.
They say she had just gotten of a bus and was just blocks from her home when she was abducted.
