Richard Heene

The mystery man in the balloon boy "publicity stunt" scandal, Robert Thomas, who claims to be a colleague of Richard Heene, appears this morning on NBC's "Today" show, where he calls Richard Heene "hyperactive." He added that Heene is "very creative" and that when he saw the silver flying-saucer-like balloon on television last week, he thought: "Who could possibly do something like this? It has to be Richard Heene." It had to be a publicity stunt, in other words.

Thomas is wanted for questioning by authorities following an essay he was paid to write for Gawker: "I helped Richard Heene Plan a Balloon Hoax." Meanwhile, it may take up to a week for Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden to file charges in the case. Alderden has said the Heene parents could face a range of charges, including felony conspiracy.

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