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American Morning

Interview with Clint Van Zandt

Aired July 18, 2002 - 07:08   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Back to the manhunt for the killer of 5- year-old Samantha Runnion. Police say her abductor fits the profile of a serial rapist, perhaps even a serial killer, and could strike again soon.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL CARONA, ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF: We need the public's continued involvement in this. We believe the individual or individuals who committed this crime are probably watching. You have to understand, don't sleep, don't eat, because we're coming after you. We will take every resource that's available to us to bring you to justice.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZAHN: So what makes police and the FBI think the killer will strike again? Joining us now from Boston is former FBI profiler, Clint Van Zandt -- welcome -- good to see you again, Clint.

CLINT VAN ZANDT, FORMER FBI PROFILER: Hi, Paula -- good to be with you.

ZAHN: Clint, I wanted to start off this morning by replaying something else that Sheriff Carona said about the FBI and some of its concerns -- let's listen.

VAN ZANDT: Sure.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARONA: Within the next 24 hours, we believe that this individual, based upon the behavioral profile that we've been able to get from the FBI, that this person would react again within the next 24 hours, and so we're asking the public to be very, very cautious.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZAHN: The sheriff, Clint, later retracted the 24-hour timeframe. But I was struck by the detailed information that he was sharing with us of the FBI. What does that tell us?

VAN ZANDT: Well, I was struck, too, Paula. You know, having done profiling for years, the idea to suggest that the killer could do it again in 24 hours, that means the FBI is identifying this person not only as a serial killer, who you know is someone who will murder and then there is an emotional cooling-off period between crimes.

But then we have like, if you recall, Andrew Cunanan, who, in his four-person crime wave, also killed Gianni Versace in Miami before he killed himself. He was a spree killer. He would kill without an emotional cooling-off period, and kill again and kill again.

Evidently, the FBI believes because of -- in reality, Paula, I think it's going to be because of the way the little girl's body was laid out. We call that positioning or staging. The gruesome fact, not only of the kidnapping, that he kept her for a few hours and that he murdered her, but the way the body would have been laid alongside a road.

This is an affront to you and I as parents. It's an affront to the world. And as the kidnapper and killer is saying, I have done it, there is nothing you can do about it, and it's almost saying, catch me if you can.

So this is a race right now. The FBI profilers, the authorities believe this guy didn't just fall off a turnip truck. He has probably been a peeper. He has probably assaulted women. He has probably been a rapist, and he may have murdered in the past. I mean, this -- to have this grizzly of an offense and to lay the body out like that as opposed to just trying to hide it so that he could avoid apprehension, this is someone who is challenging society by his actions.

ZAHN: Oh, this is so sick, and the FBI is using the phraseology that this animal left her body out there like a calling card. Are they able to extract most of this information you are telling us right now just from the location of the body? Or are there other clues that you think they picked up at the scene?

VAN ZANDT: Well, it's going to be a combination of both, Paula. You are going to be looking for their forensic evidence that's left at the scene. You know, the unfortunate thing, or for law enforcement the good thing, is that a person like this brings something to a crime scene. He leaves it or he takes it away. So there's going to be forensic evidence.

This individual has a tremendously rich fantasy life. That fantasy life, unfortunately, evolves around children. And this guy will have a history of either at least sharing with others his special, personal and sexual interest in children. He may have a history of this. That's why the authorities will be looking at anyone who has been released from jail recently, who has a history of sexual assaults or crimes against children. They will be looking at known pedophiles in the area. If he is, as the little -- as Samantha's playmate described, somewhere between 25 and 40, this behavior has not just begun. There is other assaultive criminal behavior that's going to be in his background.

And you couldn't have said it better, Paula. This person is sick. I mean, this is -- to do this to a child, this is a mad dog. I mean, you know, I have spent years looking at people who do things like this, and as parents, we still walk away shaking our heads and just crying at the inhumanity that we see in an incident like this.

ZAHN: But, Clint, if this mad dog is taunting law authorities and the rest of us, help us get inside his head. What is he thinking right now? Is he thinking about his next victim?

VAN ZANDT: Well, this is someone who is angry. To commit an offense like this, he is just -- he's in our face, Paula. He is saying there is nothing you can do about it.

What we have to do right now -- and of course, one of the reasons law enforcement has a quarter of a million dollar reward is that we've got a good description. We've got a description of his vehicle, of him personally.

And we know what post-offense behavior is. When someone commits a crime like this, Paula, they are going to try to change their physical appearance, like myself with a mustache. I would shave the mustache. They would cut their hair long or short. They might dye it. They would get rid of the clothes that they had. If they had a car, this Honda or other vehicle that's being described, he would either get rid of it, hide it, run it through a car wash, vacuum it. If he worked the day that she was kidnapped, he would not been -- he would not have been at work. He might have left the area very quickly and told people that he knew he had to go visit a relative.

So there's going to be a tremendous amount of post-offense behavior that's related to a person like this, and these are the things that law enforcement is going to be looking for. But, Paula, this is a time to hold our kids close. This has been a tough summer for children, and it's not over yet.

ZAHN: Unfortunately, you're right. Clint Van Zandt, as always, thanks for your insights, and we hope that besides the information you have given out this morning, the $250,000 reward might lead to authorities finding this animal.

VAN ZANDT: Thanks, Paula.

ZAHN: Again, thanks for your time this morning.

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