Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Man Accused of Kidnapping, Murdering Samantha Runnion Faces Arraignment Today

Aired July 22, 2002 - 11:09   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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: News of another court appearance, this one in the Samantha Runnion case. The man accused of kidnapping and murdering that 5-year-old girl faces arraignment today, even as prosecutors are debating whether or not they will seek the death penalty against him.

Rusty Dornin has been covering that case. She joins us with more from Santa Ana, California this morning.

Hello, Rusty.

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Leon, the district attorney is said to be reviewing the case and talking to the family before making the decision on whether they will seek the death penalty. Of course, in California, there are special circumstances under which the death penalty can be requested.

Now Alejandro Avila will face charges of kidnapping, sexually assaulted and strangling 5-year-old Samantha Runnion, who was kidnapped from her front yard one week ago today.

Now Sheriff Mike Carona has told CNN that DNA evidence is part of this case. However, they will not talk about exactly what that DNA evidence is. Orange County does have its own DNA lab, so investigators were able to get preliminary test back very quickly.

Now in the meantime, in the apartment complex where Samantha Runnion lived, there's been a memorial going on. People have been taking flowers and stuffed animals, and that sort of thing, and sympathy cards.

Her Mother had remained in seclusion for the entire week, but did emerge over the weekend to show gratitude for all the support.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I want you all to know each other. Watch out for babies and each other babies. Take care of one another, OK.

Thank you, again.

(END VIDEO CLIP) DORNIN: Apparently, over 1,000 people visited that complex, bearing gifts for Samantha to show their support and their grief over what happened. Funeral services are expected to be announced sometime this week -- Leon.

HARRIS: Rusty, I want to ask you quickly about one thing you said just moments ago in your report. They have got their own DNA lab there in Orange County. That's pretty unusual, isn't it?

DORNIN: It is. But apparently, there was a case in the '80s where a man had been accused of sexually assaulting -- kidnapping and sexually assaulting a young girl. The DNA evidence didn't get back in time. The man released, and apparently it happened again, and a young girl was murdered in that case.

So the county -- there was a big drive to come up and have their own DNA lab. So they're able to get test back quickly than if you're in county where they have to have come back from the state.

So it looks like this something that really helped out in this case. But as you know, for DNA results to really have bearing on a case, you have to have suspect. They got several tips earlier in the week pointing to Alejandro Avila, and then it was the DNA evidence that helped link him and made the sheriff, Mike Carona, so dead sure that he says he's 100 percent certain that this is there man.

HARRIS: That's certainly in a very short period of time when you consider how these investigations usually go. Thanks, Rusty.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com