A Teacher Bailed a Man Out of Jail. Then She Vanished

Search is still on for Arizona kindergarten teacher Cathryn Gorospe
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 12, 2017 9:20 AM CDT
A Teacher Bailed a Man Out of Jail. Then She Vanished
Cathryn Gorospe   (Arizona Republic)

The search continues in Arizona for a missing kindergarten teacher who vanished after bailing a man out of jail last week. The Arizona Republic reports that there's still no sign of 44-year-old Cathryn Gorospe of Glendale, who headed over to Flagstaff's Coconino County Jail on Friday night to arrange for the release of 27-year-old Charlie Malzahn, whose relationship to Gorospe is still unclear. Malzahn was taken into custody Monday and charged with using Gorospe's credit and debit cards in Tucson; police say he was found in Gorospe's SUV, with bloodstains in the vehicle's interior. Investigators note Malzahn has refused to offer any information on Gorospe.

Police say Malzahn—who'd been in jail for theft and gun possession, among other charges—tried to escape after being taken into custody, assaulting two officers and even trying to wrap his handcuffs around one officer's neck, the AP reports. He's also suspected in a carjacking Sunday in Tempe. Adding another twist to the case: Malzahn is the stepson of the police chief in the town of Williams, which is where he was arrested Aug. 20 and hit with some of the charges that landed him behind bars. He apparently was known to law enforcement there for incidents including underage drinking and fighting. A Flagstaff police rep says that, at this point, they believe Gorospe may have been harmed. Still, Gorospe's loved ones are keeping the faith in their search. "Hope's all you got. You hold onto it," her brother tells the Republic. (The key to a 1989 disappearance could be in a concrete slab.)

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