( CNN ) -- A mystery surrounding the disappearance of a Washington girl intensified on Thursday as police searched a local park as part of an investigation centered on a man who may be with her and is now wanted for his wife 's murder . `` We 're not making any assumptions , but I think it 'd be prudent for us at this time to make sure we 've searched - and this is a very large area - searched this area very well , '' said D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier . `` We can not ignore the possibility that he may have killed her . '' The search of the aquatic gardens area of Kenilworth Park was prompted by evidence the man , identified as Kahlil Malik Tatum , 51 , spent time there after the last credible sighting of Relisha Tenau Rudd , 8 , on March 1 . `` On March 2 , we know that Mr. Tatum purchased , among other items , a carton of black , 42 gallon , self-tie contractor trash bags within the District of Columbia , '' Lanier said at a news conference near the search area . `` Not long after that purchase , Mr. Tatum was in the area of the aquatic gardens for a period of time . '' Lanier said after the last sighting of Rudd , Tatum continued to go to work and was seen around D.C. several times between March 2 and March 20 . Lanier said Rudd was not with Tatum in any of those sightings . Tatum , who was reportedly a janitor at the shelter where Rudd and her family had been staying , appears to have had permission to be with Rudd . The FBI says law enforcement believes Rudd could be with Tatum . The FBI has released surveillance footage of the two together from February 26 . The video purportedly shows them walking down a hallway of the Holiday Inn Express located in Washington . The FBI has also released multiple photos of Tatum and Rudd . Rudd 's disappearance took on new urgency when police discovered the body of Tatum 's wife , Andrea Denise Tatum , 51 , at a suburban Maryland motel last week . He has not been seen since March 20 . Police in Prince George 's County have since issued a warrant for Tatum 's arrest in his wife 's slaying and Washington authorities issued an Amber Alert for Rudd . Rudd is described as an African-American female , 4 feet tall , weighing approximately 70 to 80 pounds , with black hair and brown eyes . An FBI reward in the case was increased from $ 25,000 to $ 70,000 . According to the FBI , Tatum is 5-foort-7 and weighs around 170 pounds . He 's an African American with a `` distinctive tattoo on his left upper arm . '' `` While this current operation in the aquatic gardens would be best described as a recovery operation , we have not given up on hope , given up hope that we will still find Relisha alive , '' Lanier said .
Police search park where man at center of probe was seen . 8-year-old Relisha Tenau Rudd disappeared last week from a homeless shelter . An arrest warrant was issued for Kahlil Malik Tatum , who is wanted in wife 's murder .