Cops Chase Leads in Missing Boy Case

Oct. 18, 2008 -- Nevada officials have called off an Amber Alert for a kidnapped 6 year old, but nonetheless continue to direct searches, seize evidence and name "people of interest" in pursuit of his abductors, police said.

The missing boy, Cole Puffinburger, was kidnapped Wednesday morning from his Las Vegas home.

"The number of tips that have come into the Amber Alert line has slowed considerably," Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Capt. Vince Cannito told reporters, explaining the rationale for discontinuing the Amber Alert.

"We are following up on a number of leads at this time," Cannito added. "Over the past 24 hours, a number of search warrants have been executed."

Cannito said leads were driving authorities to actively search the northeastern Las Vegas valley for an unspecified target, to recover "a large amount of cash through some of these search warrants," to question "people of interest" and to seek another suspect -- identified as Mexican national Jesus Gastelum. Cannito said Gastelum's name had come up repeatedly as authorities pursued different leads.

Puffinburger's grandfather, Clemens Tinnemeyer, 51, was arrested by the FBI on Friday as a "person of interest" in the case. He was taken into custody in Riverside, Calif., and is being held at the San Bernardino County Sheriff's facility in San Bernardino, Calif.

Police believe Tinnemeyer was involved in drug dealing with Mexican nationals.

Tinnemeyer has been talking to authorities about the case, Cannito said, as has a third, unidentified "person of interest."

Wednesday morning, three armed men, who may have posed as police officers, invaded the home where Puffinburger lived with his mother and her boyfriend. The intruders ransacked the home, then left with the boy.

A nationwide Amber Alert was activated Wednesday afternoon.

The boy was last seen wearing blue jeans, Vans sneakers, a black shirt and a black sweatshirt. He is 3 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 48 pounds.

Friends and neighbors have been posting flyers with Cole's pictures. A makeshift memorial has been growing outside his home.