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Has search for missing Altria worker stalled?

Posted at 12:00 AM, Nov 02, 2012
and last updated 2012-11-02 11:03:30-04

MIDLOTHIAN, Va. (WTVR) - On a clear November day, the home of Leyla Namiranian remains empty.

For neighbors, it’s almost eerie that Namiranian vanished without a trace.

“There`s a yard crew that works on her yard, and I often wonder what`s going on with the case,” says neighbor, Melissa Gilmore.

And the answer from Chesterfield County Police: nothing new to report.

CBS 6 spoke to Namiranian's ex-husband, Babak Namiranian, from Seattle. He says after the divorce, the two remained friends.

He says he cannot understand why there has been no real development in her case.

"I cannot find anything meaningful or helpful related to her case within the last few months," said Namiranian. "We are relying solely on the authorities to come up with real development and updates which we hope will happen soon."

The 41-year-old Altria executive was reported missing on April 4 when she didn’t show up for work.

Police later found her car parked outside her Midlothian home, but no sign of Namiranian. 

An extensive search began. And, in June two persons of interests were identified. But, it’s been seven months since she disappeared, and no one’s been arrested. The search warrants are sealed.

“I remember them searching the woods right beside my house, yes I do,” said neighbor, Lynda Fitzmaurice.

She befriended Namiranian’s father when he came over from Italy after learning about his daughter’s disappearance.

“I spent time with her Dad before he left, and he seemed frustrated so he went back to Italy…. sometimes he’d be sitting near the pillar out at the driveway, the most pitiful thing you could ever seen…I worry for the family,” she said.

Like the weather, she feels the case has gone cold.

“I don’t know. It’s going to be one of those cases that’s never going to be solved,” she said.

The last time we heard from police about the case was back in August. That’s when they told us some of the evidence from the scene was inconclusive.

Wednesday,  police declined an interview, but we did ask whether the two persons of interest in the case had been cleared.

Chesterfield Detective Randy Horowitz declined to comment.