A Maryland Woman Disappeared Nearly 13 Years Ago in Aruba; The Only Suspect, a Maryland Man, Was Never Charged

In 2011, 35-year-old Robyn Gardner of Frederick, MD traveled to Aruba with 50-year-old Gary Giordano of Gaithersburg, MD. Two days into their stay, Giordano claims that Gardner vanished while the two were snorkeling- she hasn’t been seen since and is presumed dead by Aruban police.

Robyn lived in Maryland with her boyfriend of 2.5 years, Richard Forester. According to reports, she told him she was taking a trip to Florida to visit family- but instead she traveled to Aruba with Gary, whom she met online a year or so prior on the dating website Match.com. Robyn and Richard were going through a rough patch, but lived together most nights of the week in North Bethesda and planned for a future together that included buying a home.

An ABC interview with one of Robyn’s friends from home, Christina Jones, claimed that the relationship between Robyn and Gary was platonic, but People Magazine reported that graphic/sexual images of Robyn were found on his phone, so it’s unclear what the exact nature of the relationship was between the two. Christina and Richard have stated that they do not believe Robyn would be involved sexually with Gary.

Gary asked Robyn to go on several vacations with him in the past, but this time things were different because Robyn recently lost her job as a patient coordinator at a Bethesda dental office and wanted to clear her head, Christina said. Per Christina, Gary sent angry texts to Robyn when she previously declined his invitations and Christina shared concerns with Robyn about going on the trip with Gary.

Within 48 hours of arriving in Aruba for their planned five-day trip, Gary claimed that Robyn went missing while the two were snorkeling at a place called “Baby Beach” that’s known for its shallow waters. Photos were taken of Robyn and Gary leaving a restaurant, the Rum Reef Bar & Grill, shortly after 4pm on August 2nd, 2011. Observers noted Robyn appearing woozy or possibly intoxicated while she was at Rum Reed. Surveillance video shows Gary back at the restaurant less than two hours later, shortly after 6pm, asking employees to call the police because Robyn went missing while the two were snorkeling.

Upon police arrival, they observed Gary sweating profusely with a scratch on his neck. Gary claimed they had gone snorkeling, and when currents intensified, he signaled Robyn to swim back. However, he lost sight of her before reaching the shore. Gary went to the restaurant for help but, did not re-enter the water to search for Robyn when questioned by the police. He later stated that Robyn had taken sleeping pills and drank two glasses of vodka prior to the two attending the restaurant earlier in the day.

At 3pm, on the day of her disappearance, Robyn sent a Facebook message to Richard that said “”Don’t worry. I care about you, I love you, we’ll talk and sort things out when I get back.” It was the last communication anyone back home had with Robyn. Gary accompanied the police in a helicopter to search for Robyn, indicating the area where he last saw her. Despite an extensive search involving over 60 officials, FBI agents, Aruba riot cops, and volunteers along the coastline, no trace of Robyn Gardner was ever found.

Gary Giordano was arrested on August 5th, three days after reporting Robyn missing, when he was attempting to leave Aruba on the planned date of his return home. It was revealed in August that shortly before their Aruba trip, Gary had taken out a $1.5 million insurance policy that covered accidental death, with himself listed as the beneficiary. A week following his arrest, the FBI raided Gary’s Gaithersburg home after Aruban authorities asked for assistance in the investigation.

Gary remained in prison in Aruba for four months for suspicion of murder, manslaughter, kidnapping and fraud, but was never charged. Gary returned to the United States when a judge ordered his release due to insufficient evidence. Three years after Robyn’s disappearance, Gary wrote a self-published book hoping to clear his name. Giordano has also appeared on television shows like Dr. Phil (seen below). He did not receive any of the insurance money, following a lawsuit by American Express to not have to pay out.

Robyn Gardner is presumed dead, as no trace of her has been found since her disappearance. Her boyfriend at the time, Richard Forester, has shared that he believes her disappearance could involve human trafficking. In an appearance on Good Morning America, “Human trafficking, yeah absolutely, that’s something I’ve been thinking about the entire time, since day one. I think it’s very possible and I wonder what (Giordano’s) involvement was. There’s a whole underworld down there. I don’t know what he knows about Aruba.”

Sources: CBS News, ABC News, People Magazine, and Chilling Crimes