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Person Of Interest In Missing Men Case Released On $1 Million Bail

BUCKS COUNTY, Pa. (CBS) -- A person of interest is out on bail as authorities continue to search for the four young men who went missing last week in Bucks County.

Investigators, who believe there was foul play, are focusing on a property in Solebury Township. Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub said during a Tuesday morning press conference that the property, which is owned by the DiNardo family, is the main search site.

Police did arrest the son of the property owner, 20-year-old Cosmo DiNardo, on an unrelated gun charge.

DiNardo was released Tuesday night on 10% of $1 million bail.

Weintraub says DiNardo is a person of interest in the case.

"Sometimes the chasm between being a person of interest and being a person that's actually accused or arrested or convicted of a crime is so wide that we even cross it," said Weintraub.

Authorities have DiNardo for a gun possession charge that dates back to February.

'He Was Normal Up Until Last Year': Friend Of Person Of Interest In Case Of 4 Missing Men

According to police, DiNardo has a history of mental illness. Police sources tell CBS3 that DiNardo has exhibited violent tendencies.

Weintraub wouldn't say why DiNardo is being honed in on.

"There are some very obvious links. I have to let you draw your own conclusions," said Weintraub. "You know that his parents own the property. There's information that I am privy to that I can' share with you."

A friend of DiNardo's who spoke on condition of anonymity claimed that he was never known to be violent.

"I'll tell you that he was normal up until last year. He was in a quad accident and hit his head and was stranded for a day or so with a brain bleed. He had frontal lobe damage," the friend said.

There is an all-hands on deck approach to this investigation, including help from the FBI.

Sources: Man Arrested Could Be Involved In Disappearance Of 4 Bucks County Men 

As authorities continue to investigate this property, Solebury Township Police say there will be delays on Route 202 between Street and Aquetong Roads.

 

They also searched a property in Bensalem that the Dinardo family owns.

Authorities say they're following up on great leads as they search for 19-year-old Jimi Patrick from Newtown, 21-year-old Tom Meo from Plumstead, 19-year-old Dean Finnochiaro from Middletown, and 22-year-old Mark Sturgis from Pennsburg.

Eyewitness News spoke with a relative of 22-year old Mark Sturgis.

She called the situation a nightmare that the family can't wake up from. She also said Sturgis was a hard worker who worked doing landscaping alongside, 21-year-old Tom Meo.

"It doesn't feel real it feels like a dream or a movie you know?" said Cody Eckert, who knew Finocchiaro.

4 missing bucks county men
(credit: CBS3)

Several police departments throughout Bucks County have focused on the property in Solebury Township for at least two day now.

Fifty cadets were brought in to help with the search. There has also been around-the-clock forensic units at the sit.

Search-and-rescue dogs have been seen scouring the property as authorities focus on digging, especially near a large mound of concrete on the property.

Weintraub says they are going over the 90-acre property with a fine-toothed comb.

"This is slow and steady, this is a marathon not a sprint," said Weintraub.

This search and investigation is now the biggest the county has ever seen.

"Take the biggest one you've ever seen and multiply that by a million and that's what we're dealing with here," said Weintraub. "It's not just a single property, we have people combing the entire county trying to work on this case."

Weintraub added during an afternoon press conference that cadaver dogs are on the property.

Officials have been adamant that no remains have been found.

Beyond that, authorities have been tight-lipped about why there has been such a focus here in the search for the men who disappeared last week.

If you have any information on the case, you are asked to call 215-297-8201.

CBS3's Alicia Nieves, Greg Argos, Alex Hoff and KYW Newsradio's Tim Jimenez and Jim Melwert contributed to this report.

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