Orange County deputies said they were looking for a man who barricaded himself inside a home with a woman and a gun, causing a day-long standoff on Sunday.

Several units at the Green Gables apartment complex had to be evacuated around 11 a.m. Sunday.

The sheriff's helicopter spotted Eugene Govan, 28, outside his apartment, arguing with his 31-year-old girlfriend, Lawanda Dixon.

Investigators believed he went inside the apartment with a gun, and for the next 10 hours, dozens of deputies, SWAT members and firefighters surrounded the area.

However, Govan's neighbor told the authorities that Govan and Dixon went out the front door before authorities arrived.

"We told them straight up that we saw him leave this morning with a duffle bag," said witness Adrian Emanuelson.

Regardless, deputies said they spotted holes in Govan's ceiling, so they thought he was hiding in the attic.

Deputies said they got a search warrant and entered the apartment, but there was no one inside.

"Not sure how they got away.  We know that we saw him from the air going into the residence," said Jeff Williamson of the Orange County Sheriff's Office.

Investigators said they were concerned for Dixon's safety.

But Emanuelson said she believes Dixon would have been safe if deputies had listened to him.

"I know there is a job to do, but all this is really uncalled-for if we knew that he left.  We saw him with our eyes," said Emanuelson.

WFTV found out that Govan was charged with more than 30 crimes in the past.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crimeline at 800 423-TIPS.