Aruba Murder Suspect Gary Giordano Heads Back to the U.S.

U.S. businessman Gary Giordano, center, pictured shortly after being freed from police custody, driven away by local lawyer Chris Lejuez, and American lawyer Jose Baez, left, in Oranjestad, Aruba, Nov. 29, 2011. (Pedro Famous Diaz/AP Photo)

After nearly four months in an Aruba jail, Gary Giordano in on his way to America as a free man today, released without being charged in the disappearance of his travel companion Robyn Gardner.

In his first free moments after being released from prison Tuesday night, Giordano was swarmed by reporters and heckled by Aruba citizens, who yelled “murder” at him as he went into a hotel. Giordano, 50, was held as a suspect in Gardner’s disappearance, although no body was ever found or any evidence that he played a role in her disappearance.

A judge ordered Giordano released by Tuesday night at 8 p.m., a day before the Aruba prosecutor’s office could present its appeal to a three-judge panel to keep Giordano on the island. If the prosecutors win their appeal, they have said they will ask for an extradition of Giordano back to Aruba from the U.S.

Giordano’s U.S. attorney Jose Baez said his client will return to Aruba if ordered to by authorities, but for now, will legally leave the island to return home to Maryland.

In his first moments  after being released, Giordano allowed ABC News to witness his first phone calls to his three children, and his gratefulness to his attorneys.

“You know, it was almost a surreal moment for him,” Baez told ABC News. ”He had to keep pinching himself. He had been lied to so many times by the authorities here. The last time at the airport he was told he could leave, and then all of a sudden he was picked up and arrested… It’s hard for him to believe he’s going home.”

Baez said that Giordano will focus in the coming weeks on “reassembling his life.”

“He’s starting to just get his life back together again. I know what he plans on doing is immediately spending time with his kids. That’s most important thing to Gary, and with his family, to thank family for their support,” Baez said.

Giordano will appear on Good Morning America on Thursday morning to address for the first time his four months as a suspect in Gardner’s disappearance.