TUCSON, Ariz. - Officials with the Pima County Sheriff's Department announced on Sept. 4 that a 42-year-old man has been arrested, following his father's disappearance late in August.
What we know:
In their statement, officials identified the person they arrested as Vamsi Potiny.
"Vamsi Potiny is the son of 72-year-old Sitharamanjaneyulu Potiny, who was reported missing on August 29, 2025," read a portion of their statement. "After several days of searching for the missing subject and investigating the circumstances surrounding his disappearance, detectives established probable cause to arrest Vamsi Potiny."
The backstory:
Per the Arizona Department of Public Safety's website, there is an active Silver Alert for Sitharamanjaneyulu. He was last seen leaving his home on foot near the intersection of Candlepine Drive and Yedra Road, southwest of Downtown Tucson.
Sitharamanjaneyulu Potiny (Courtesy: Pima County Sheriff's Department)
"He suffers from a medical condition which may cause him to become confused and easily lost," read a portion of DPS's website.
Officials describe Sitharamanjaneyulu as a man who is 5'3" tall, weighing 160lbs, and was last seen wearing a blue shirt and blue pants.
"At this stage of the investigation, Sitharamanjaneyulu Potiny is still considered a missing vulnerable adult," read a portion of PCSD's statement. "New information suggests that Mr. Potiny may have been near the Mt. Lemmon Trailhead area."
As for Vamsi, officials with PCSD say he is accused of vulnerable adult abuse and endangerment.
What you can do:
Anyone with information on the case should contact PCSD.