BANGOR, Maine — Police have found and interviewed the couple they believe were the last people to have contact with a missing Florida firefighter but are releasing no details about what the Mainers told them.

“As a result of the assistance provided by the public following yesterday’s press release, we have located Daniel Porter and Cheyanne Nowak and have been able to interview them regarding the Jerry Perdomo missing persons investigation,” Bangor police Deputy Chief Peter Arno said in a statement Friday. “This investigation is continuing and we have no further information to provide at this time.”





Arno thanked the public for its assistance in locating the couple. He declined to answer questions about where Porter and Nowak were located, and whether they contacted police.

Nowak posted a sympathetic message on her Facebook page early Friday.

“I don’t know what else to do,” Nowak’s message said. “I’m sorry for your loss. I’m sorry your friend is missing. It is a terrible thing. I am so sorry about this. But I can do nothing further.”

Authorities were looking for Nowak, 23, and her boyfriend Porter, 24, in connection with the disappearance of Jerry Perdomo, 31, of Orange City, Fla., whose Florida rental car was found abandoned on Friday, Feb. 17, at the Walmart off Stillwater Avenue. He was last seen the day before.

A manager for Lee Credit Now in Oakland, Rod Pelkey, said the couple bought a car sight-unseen from one of its Bangor offices and then drove to Oakland to pick it up, according to the Morning Sentinel. They then left their white 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer at the dealership.

Police were originally searching for Nowak and Porter’s Mitsubishi, but issued a release on Thursday stating they were seeking a 2005 Hyundai Elantra.

Efforts to contact Pelkey were unsuccessful Friday night.

“It is believed that one or both of these individuals may have had contact with Mr. Perdomo shortly before his disappearance on the evening of Feb. 16,” Bangor police Lt. Tim Reid said at a press conference Thursday afternoon that was attended by reporters from Florida.

He asked for the public’s help in finding the couple.

Perdomo is a firefighter and emergency medical technician for the Seminole County Fire Department and didn’t show up for work as scheduled on Sunday. He was in Bangor visiting friends and was scheduled to leave the state on the day he went missing, his fellow Florida firefighters have said.

“Since the report of Mr. Perdomo’s disappearance, the Bangor Police Department has assigned a number of detectives to work full-time on this investigation,” Reid said. “Recently, we have asked for the assistance from the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit. Both agencies have been working closely, pursuing investigative leads and following up on information that has been developed over the past few days.”

Perdomo, a former Marine, is described as a 200-pound Puerto Rican male, 5 feet 11 inches tall with black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a black zip-up hooded sweatshirt, fatigue shorts and black sneakers.

He is married and has two children. His wife arrived in Maine on Monday, Bangor police Sgt. Paul Edwards said Thursday. Police have asked Perdomo’s wife not to speak to the news media, the sergeant said.

Firefighters from Florida are scheduled to arrive in Maine on Friday to assist in any way possible, Seminole County fire Lt. Dave Williams said in a telephone interview Thursday.

Messages left for Nowak and Porter on their Facebook pages by the Bangor Daily News have not been returned.

Those with information about the whereabouts of Perdomo are asked to call the Bangor Police Department at 947-7382. The department’s anonymous tip line can be reached by pressing ext. 6.