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Altria exec. hires attorney in missing Chesterfield woman case

Posted at 12:09 AM, Jun 12, 2012
and last updated 2012-06-12 00:19:38-04

CHESTERFIELD, Va. (WTVR)--Police continue to search for Leyla Namiranian, and say they have some questions for a former executive where she worked. They released new information about the investigation of the missing Chesterfield woman.

It’s a missing person’s mystery, with crucial information within reach, that’s how Chesterfield police describe the case--information from two guys police say she knew well.

Chesterfield police have released the name of an Altria executive that may have crucial information to the disappearance of Namaranian, who was the director of marketing and consumer research at Altria.

CBS 6 will not use his name because he has not been charged with a crime relating to her case.

“They had some sort of social relationship,” said Captain David Pritchard. “He called us shortly after she went missing and notified us that he had been at her house.”

“He is as near as we can tell the last person who saw her before she went missing…he's a very important key witness to us. He has a lot of information that we can use."

The Altria executive retained attorney Steven Benjamin, who did not want to comment on the case.

He’s not the only person police have spoken to in regards to the disappearance of Namaranian. They also seized a car from this Fern Tree Apartment complex belonging to a man Namaranian had over at her Chesterfield house on many occasions according to neighbors

“He has been cooperative –he’s done what we've asked him to do," said Pritchard.

That's not the case when it comes to the Altria executive; police said he's asked for written questions that he can answer.

“It’s not a valid law enforcement interview and no one would respect that from us...and not the least of which is…a lot of what we do has to do with watching people’s physical and facial reactions  to the question’s we ask them,” said Pritchard.

“Being able to ask questions, as we go through things, based on their reaction--it has to be done in person. It cannot be done in writing,” he added.

Chesterfield police have stayed in contact with Namaranian’s father through the Italian consulate and believe he is in town waiting to hear word about his daughter’s case.