Police Search for Missing Florida Police Cadet Kelly Rothwell

March 17, 2011 — -- Police are searching for a Florida police cadet who disappeared after telling a friend she and her boyfriend were having "domestic issues."

Kelly Rothwell, 35, was last seen Saturday when she left a restaurant after meeting her friend, Donna Scharett. That same weekend, her live-in boyfriend, David Perry, abruptly left for New York. Perry, 46, is a retired corrections officer.

"He's elected not to discuss anything to do with this case or provide us any background," Pinellas County Detective Michael Bailey told ABC Affiliate WFTS.

Scharett met Rothwell at a Chili's restaurant Saturday afternoon. Rothwell, 35, was gushing about training at the Pinellas Police Academy in St. Petersburg, Fla. She'd recently decided to switch careers from working in human resources with Hilton Hotels to becoming a police officer.

"She was looking forward to big changes in her life…really looking forward to starting her career with the Pinellas County Sheriff's office," Scharett said. "She'd found her voice and that's one of the things she told me over lunch."

The two women also discussed Rothwell's boyfriend, Perry.

"They had their problems," Scharett, 46, said. "He was a very controlling person, very domineering and Kelly [Rothwell], up until joining the academy, she was very shy and introverted, very timid."

Rothwell and Perry met two and a half years ago when he was on vacation in Florida, Rothwell's sister said. Two months later, he'd moved from Elmira, New York to Rothwell's condo near Clearwater, Fla.

"We've only met him a handful of times. We've all had our suspicions about him, he seemed to be controlling," Lauren Rothwell said. "I'm pretty confident that he has everything to do with this. People just don' t leave when their girlfriend is missing."

Lauren Rothwell last spoke to her sister last Wednesday.Over the last few months, Lauren Rothwell said that her sister had become increasingly private.

Neighbors of Rothwell also describe her boyfriend, Perry, as domineering.

"When he was around, she would hardly say anything to anybody," Ken Williamson, a neighbor, said. "Dave had a personality where he'd be really nice and then turn on you in an instant and come at you like a tiger."