Dennis RomeroA 19-year-old British tourist has been missing for nearly two weeks and her boyfriend, who vanished after reporting her case to authorities, was spotted in Venice and arrested on suspicion of weapons violations, Santa Monica police say.
Leona Dawn Perryman came stateside with 45-year-old boyfriend Paul Alfred Atkinson in October and the pair had reportedly been staying at low-end motels in Santa Monica, Venice and West Hollywood. Atkinson told police he last saw her shortly before midnight on Dec. 18 when he says she told him she was going to an internet cafe. He told authorities it wasn't unusual for her to drift off for days at a time, but then Atkinson vanished too.
Leona Dawn Perryman.; Credit: SMPD
''We don't have information of foul play,” said Santa Monica police Sgt. Jay Trisler.
A tipster phoned authorities late Wednesday to tell them Atkinson was at Bondi BBQ at 46 Windward Avenue in Venice. Officers arrested him.
The pair had planned to return to the U.K. Jan. 7, police said. Perryman is 5 feet, 7 inches tall with blond hair and blue eyes. Anyone with who might have spotted Perryman was asked to call police at (310) 458-8449.
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