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CNN Live Today
Remains Found Could Be of Second Missing Oregon Teenager
Aired August 26, 2002 - 11:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Lets get to our first report this morning on CNN. A tragedy unfolding in Oregon. An autopsy scheduled today on remains that could be those of the second of two missing girls.
Friends Ashley Pond and Miranda Gaddis vanished within two months of each other. Miranda's remains were identified yesterday. They were found on the property of a man authorities are now calling the suspect. Our James Hattori joins us now from Oregon City, Oregon. Hes got the very latest. Good morning, James.
JAMES HATTORI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Leon.
Months of uncertainty, painful uncertainty, have come to an end. The pain certainly won't go away any time soon for the families of the two girls that were kidnapped earlier this year. Investigators are expected here back on the scene of Ward Weaver's home later this morning to continue searching the property. They don't expect to find any more human remains, but they going to be completing that job.
Essentially, at this point, they consider this case -- kidnapping case resolved. Now, yesterday, of course, they recovered the second set of human remains, which was contained in a barrel buried beneath a concrete slab in Weaver's back yard. They haven't identified those remains yet, but they expect them, when the coroner gets around to looking them and doing his analysis, that it will be those of Ashley Pond. Also yesterday, announced that the first set of remains was positively IDed.
They were found in a shed Saturday on Weaver's property, identified to be those of Miranda Gaddis. Now the two 13-year-old girls were kidnapped in separate incidents in January and March of this year. Weaver is an acquaintance of both girls. Theyre friends with his daughter. They both spent time at his house. Weaver, at one point, was accused of sexually molesting Ashley Pond, although no charges were ever filed. He is already in custody on an unrelated rape charge, accused of raping his son's girlfriend. Of course, charges in connection with these two girls will come later on after the investigation is completed and the evidence all processed.
This case has had a tremendous impact on the community. Just take a look at this security fence which was erected by police to protect the property as they search. It has become a chain-linked memorial, with teddy bears, candles, pictures of Ashley and Miranda and personal messages of compassion and condolences, a sign of the emotions that have been stirred up by this shocking crime. Leon, if yesterday was any indication, today there will, again, be crowds of people who are gathering, who will come to gather and look at this fence and reflect for a moment and try to take in the shock that this crime has created through this community -- Leon.
HARRIS: James, I know, I heard earlier, the investigators were saying that they got back in this property, and they have done this digging up there as quickly as they could legally, but it has taken six months or so for all that to happen. Have they explained exactly whats been happening for the last six months and why they couldn't get in earlier?
HATTORI: Well, they -- they are not terribly forthcoming in terms of the specific things they have done over the timetable. We know theyve brought out dogs on this property before. Unless we go back and figure out exactly what day it was, you know, was there a possibility the body was there before? Did the dogs miss the bodies in the shed, you know?
They haven't come forward and explained some of these apparent discrepancies, although, some members of the community are saying they could have directed more attention to Mr. Weaver earlier, especially one of his ex-wives, who says that shes been threatened personally and raised those suspicions to the FBI five months ago. So there are some questions to be answered still.
HARRIS: Very quickly, one last one here. I understand, his son, Weavers son, was the one who made the 911 call here and actually told the police that the girls were killed and buried in the yard out there. Any questions at all out there about much and how long the son has known about all of this?
HATTORI: Well, again, he has not been available. He has gone underground, basically. No one has been able to get in contact with them, at least none of us in the media, and no reports that Ive seen. The police say that he did not make incriminating statements to him. He was quoted in a newspaper saying that -- in this 911 call -- that he did say his father said that he killed these two girls. A lot of facts still to come out. The case -- charges haven't even been filed. That is one of the reasons why authorities are not being terribly forthcoming.
HARRIS: Got you. James Hattori in Oregon City, Oregon, thank you very much.
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