The boyfriend of a Utah woman who has been missing for nearly two weeks said he has “nothing to do with” her disappearance — but acknowledged that he’s an “obvious” target for investigators.
Danielle Staley, 35, vanished from the Rio Del Mar State Beach in Central California and was reported missing on Nov. 7 by her longtime on-off boyfriend Alx Nunez, who this week vowed that he’s “going to find her.”
Nunez, 62, said he “absolutely” was not involved in Staley’s disappearance, which he said “everybody” has been asking him.
“Absolutely not. Absolutely not. One hundred percent. God as my witness, I have nothing to do with it,” the boyfriend told KSBW.
“Everybody’s asking that question,” he continued. “It’s pretty obvious — the boyfriend, the husband, we’re the number one suspect all the time. And all I want to do is help try to find her.”
Staley is believed to be the victim of “foul play” and “at risk,” according to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office.
Nunez — who has been cooperating with investigators — said he’s been repeatedly interviewed by detectives, who recently searched his van for evidence. He said he’s even offered to take a polygraph test.
“I offered to take one. I have no problem with it. It’s up to them. Whatever they want to do, they can do it,” he said.
“I just want to help to try to find her,” Nunez said.
Nunez believes Staley may have relapsed into her drug addiction and been with other users before she disappeared after attending a bonfire with a group of unidentified people on the night of Nov. 6.
Her personal belongings were found on the beach and nobody has been able to contact her since, police said.
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Nunez, who suffers from asthma, said he did not go to the bonfire and woke up in the camper van they were traveling in to find her gone.
“She wasn’t there, so I’m saying there’s cameras there, there’s a whole private subdivision that isn’t nothing but cameras, and there has to be some video surveillance of cars going in and out between about 11 o’clock and six in the morning,” Nunez said.
Nunez said he decided to speak out because he’s being attacked on social media over the couple’s history of domestic violence.
He said he wants police and the public to take their attention off him and focus on finding Staley.
“I want to do more than just sitting in some hotel room. I’m asking if anybody has any information, any information whatsoever, to please come forward,” he said.
