Investigators want deeper probe on man with birthmark

The FBI and the Department of Public Safety investigators remain interested in the man with the distinctive birthmark on his right cheek in connection with their investigation into the mysterious disappearance of sisters Faloma and Maleina Luhk.

DPS Commissioner Ramon Mafnas said Friday that they have interviewed several people with birthmarks on their faces, but none of them was identified by an As Teo resident as the same person seen near the entrance to the Santa Lourdes Shrine a few weeks before the girls’ disappearance.

“We are very much interested in that particular report because of the fact that there was a claim that the individual was asking for a certain person,” Mafnas said.

When asked whether that person is related to the Luhk sisters, the commissioner replied, “I believe so.”

FBI special agent Tom Simon, in a June 15 briefing, had emphasized that the person is not a suspect or a person of interest in the investigation, but may help on a potential lead in the girls’ disappearance.

Simon said the man, described as about 30 years old and with short clean cut hair, was seen in the area on May 6 at 10:30pm aboard a white four-door car with some body damage on the front passenger side.

Ten-year-old Faloma and 9-year-old Maleina were reportedly last seen near a bus stop pavilion in As Teo on May 25. Santa Lourdes Shrine is a stone’s throw from the bus stop pavilion.

Simon said one of the neighbors had walked up to the car and talked to the driver, who said he was looking for someone and eventually drove off.

In a media briefing on Friday, Mafnas said they are still looking into that particular report and this was one of the subjects in his recent discussions with Simon.

Mafnas said they want to go back to that report just to ensure that they don’t miss anything.

He said those that they identified as having birthmarks on their faces have been interviewed.

“I don’t blame some of them taking offense. But in the name of justice and if the community wants to help us, then this is part of their duty as citizens. Regardless of what we feel we just need to ensure that we are doing everything correctly and respecting due process,” Mafnas said.

He said the neighbor who claimed to have seen the man with the birthmark passed the lie detector test.

“The report from the FBI on that polygraph examination shows that he was telling the truth,” he said.

Mafnas said they don’t want to change the neighbor’s statement, but that they want to go back and ask more questions.

He said they don’t want to overreact to that man with the birthmark because it may cause them to be distracted from significant evidence or incident.

“So we need to strike a balance in maintaining our composure in performing this kind of process,” he said. “I don’t even know that particular incident is associated with the activity or crime. We don’t know that.”

Mafnas said he has been hearing inconsistencies about the man with the birthmark so they discussed that with the FBI.

He said some persons may be providing misleading information or trying to point fingers.

“We have so many people who are pointing fingers. He did it, she did it. The law does not work that way. We need to follow the process,” Mafnas said.