A picture of Dave Perry with his new girlfriend, Melissa Marie Walker. Perry's ex-girlfriend, Kelly Rothwell, has been missing since March.
St. Petersburg, Florida – 10 News has learned that the ex-boyfriend of missing police cadet, Kelly Rothwell, now has a new girlfriend.
David Perry has moved on to a new woman he met off of the Craig’s List website, according to Pinellas detectives. He met his new girlfriend just two weeks after Kelly went missing.
The woman’s name is Melissa Marie Walker from Las Vegas, Nevada. The 35-year-old is reportedly in the military and could be deployed to Hawaii soon.
Detectives say Perry told friends in New York that he now wants to move to Hawaii and begin a new life.
Detectives say they warned Melissa about Perry and his past.
Detective Michael Bailey from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said, “She told us she didn’t care and that they worked everything out. We warned her. She said she could no longer assist us in the investigation and [search for Kelly].”
Kelly went missing nearly three months ago. She was on her way to break up with Perry at their Indian Rocks Beach condo.
So far, Perry has not cooperated with Pinellas detectives. In fact, he took off for upstate New York shortly after Kelly went missing. He was arrested last month for insurance fraud and his car was impounded.
On Monday, when he went to pick up his car in Elmira, New York, Perry was not counting on being face to face with Pinellas detectives. Two investigators from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office traveled to New York to talk with Perry.
They say, he was not willing to speak with them. Detective Michael Bailey told 10 News, “He had a meltdown and began running around the police station. He peeled out in the parking lot and took off.”
Perry drove off and refused to talk. Investigators are continuing to question those close to Perry, including his daughters.
However, Perry’s daughters, Brittany and Brandy, both in their early 20s and each married, refused to cooperate and answer any questions.
Bailey said, “We just wanted to talk with them about Kelly. They would not come in for an interview. Brittany asked for an attorney.”
Perry will not do any police interviews. He has not provided DNA samples. He simply will not talk about his ex-girlfriend at all.
Last month, Perry was arrested on charges of insurance fraud, accused of faking a workman’s comp injury when he was a state corrections officer.
Perry is not considered a suspect in Kelly’s disappearance. At this point, she is considered a missing person. It is not a homicide case.
The search for Kelly continues.
Related Stories:
- Search teams arrive to look for missing police cadet Kelly Rothwell
- “He killed Kelly Rothwell,” says ex-wife of missing police cadet’s boyfriend
- Kelly Rothwell remembered at police graduation
- St. Petersburg area police recruit Kelly Rothwell is missing
- Missing cadet Kelly Rothwell: Did her boyfriend kill her?
- Ex-boyfriend posts bail on unrelated charges
- Detectives interview David Perry
