After Sunday’s massive attack in Las Vegas, in which 64-year-old Stephen Paddock killed 59 people and injured hundreds more after firing on the Route 91 Harvest country music festival from a hotel overlooking the site, police immediately began looking into Paddock’s girlfriend, Marilou Danley.
At the time of the attack, Danley was at home in the Philippines, but returned to the U.S. to speak with investigators. Good Morning America reports that Danley was questioned Wednesday inside the FBI headquarters in Los Angeles, after which her lawyer, Matthew Lombard, read a statement from her.
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In the statement, Danley said she had no knowledge of Paddock’s plans and knew him as a “kind, caring, quiet man.”
“I loved him and hoped for a quiet future together with him,” the statement continued, according to the Washington Post. “He never said anything to me or took any action that I was aware of that I understood in any way to be a warning that something horrible like this was going to happen.”
Danley said that a few weeks before the attack, Paddock suggested she go and visit her family in the Philippines. Once there, he wired her thousands of dollars to buy a house for her family.
“I was grateful, but honestly, I was worried, that first, the unexpected trip home, and then the money, was a way of breaking up with me,” she said. “It never occurred to me in any way whatsoever that he was planning violence against anyone.”
Authorities have described Danley as a person of interest in the case, although they have not suggested that she was involved. They are attempting to discover Paddock’s motive in the shooting, as well as whether Danley knew of the impending attack and did not alert authorities.
Two women identified as Danlely’s sisters told Seven Network Australia that they believe Paddock sent Danley away so that she would not interfere with his plans.
“He sent her away so that he can plan what he is planning without interruptions,” one of the women said. “In that sense I thank him for sparing my sister’s life. But that won’t compensate the [dead] people’s lives.”
Photo Credit: Facebook / Marilou Danley
