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CNN Sunday Morning

Police Find Humans Remains in Case of Two Missing Girls

Aired August 25, 2002 - 10:01   ET

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

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: In Portland, Oregon, a possible break in the case of those missing 13-year-old girls. Human remains were found in the search of Ward Weaver's property. He lived near the girls and says he's a suspect. That search is resuming this morning. CNN's James Hattori is there. Good morning, James.
JAMES HATTORI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Anderson.

Nearly eight months after the first of two kidnappings of two teenage girls at an apartment complex across the street here in Oregon City, authorities may have finally found some answers for the families of the two missing girls.

A fence has been erected around the home of Ward Weaver, who lives right next door to the apartment complex. A makeshift memorial with teddy bears and candles and pictures of the two missing girls, Ashley Pond and Miranda Gaddis, has sprung up.

Yesterday afternoon, investigators found one set of human remains in a shed in Weaver's backyard. Now, no identification has been made of those remains yet. They'll continue searching this morning, focusing on a concrete slab that Weaver erected in his back yard.

Weaver consented to the search yesterday. His attorney telling the local paper, "The Oregonian," that Weaver wanted to give the families of the missing girls some, quote, "closure." Now, some of the girls' family members say they voiced suspicions about Weaver to the police early on, months ago. Weaver, who is acquainted with both of the missing girls, has publicly said police were looking at him as a suspect. He previously denied involvement in the kidnappings.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WARD WEAVER: I am not saying that I'm the prime suspect. I've not come out and said this, you know. I didn't come out 12 days ago and say here I am, you know, look at me, I'm being questioned. You know, I live here, right in the top of this mess. You know, I'm going to get questioned and looked at like everybody else is. You know, no more, no less.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: After Miranda came up missing, which is the second girl, he had a hole dug in his backyard, and cemented it to pour for a hot tub, and they dug and cemented in the middle of winter, and in the rain. And we had a hard time believing why he would do that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HATTORI: Now, Weaver, as we've reported, is already in custody. He was arrested two weeks ago, accused of raping his son's girlfriend. At that same time, his son called authorities and said that his father had told him, admitted to him that he had killed Miranda Gaddis and the other young girl, Ashley Pond, and Miranda Gaddis.

So hopefully, Anderson, some of these answers will be coming together. As we say, investigators will be out again this morning, searching more of this house -- Anderson.

COOPER: All right. James, thanks very much. Obviously, CNN will bring you any developing breaks in that case as the day progresses. Thanks, James.

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