person of interest
Definition
A suspect or individual who is under investigation in a criminal case but has not yet been formally charged or arrested.
In a broader or informal context, someone who arouses curiosity, suspicion, or particular attention due to their potential involvement or relevance in a situation.
Examples
The barista became the person of interest when surveillance footage showed her spilling the boss's latte right before the big meeting meltdown.
In the neighborhood watch group, the guy who mows his lawn at 3 a.m. is forever the person of interest for every minor mystery.
My phone's autocorrect is the person of interest in why my texts to Grandma now read like spy novels.
At the family reunion, Uncle Bob's sudden wealth made him the person of interest in whispers about crypto scams or buried treasure.