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American Morning

Nationwide Search Underway for 14-Year-Old Girl

Aired March 06, 2003 - 08:25   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: A nationwide search is underway for a 14-year-old girl who disappeared from her Michigan home last weekend. Authorities think Lindsey Ryan is with a convicted killer she met at church and with whom she had an e-mail relationship.
Let's join Jeff Flock, who's standing by in Michigan with the very latest on the story -- good morning, Jeff.

JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Paula, good morning to you. A cold one here in Cassopolis, Michigan this morning.

No new leads, no new confirmed sightings, but we just talked to the Cass County, Michigan sheriff, who says they're working on some, haven't confirmed it yet, something out west.

We want to show you that picture of 14-year-old Lindsey Diane Ryan, still in braces. She doesn't look like this now, though. Authorities believe she has dyed her hair black. We've got a picture of that they've put out, as well. This is the way she looked when she was last sighted. Because of that, California officials have refused to issue an amber alert for her. They say if she's not being held against her will, it doesn't qualify for an amber alert. Is she in danger, though? I think there's evidence to that.

We want to show you the picture of 56-year-old Terry Drake, the man that is believed to have lured her from her home here over the weekend, convicted murderer. And I talked yesterday to the husband of the woman that Drake was believed to or was convicted of murdering in 1977. He says he knew that Drake would strike again.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL KEARSCHNER, VICTIM'S HUSBAND: He'll do it again and again and again as long as there's a breath of air in his lungs. I think this is a repetitive con on his part, like he emphasized with me, when he moves into a community, the easiest avenue of acceptance and finding a female companion is I'm born again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FLOCK: In fact, Lindsey's mother says that's what he told her and told their family. And as we reported, of course, they met at church. Some striking similarities with the 1977 murder. Kearschner's wife was also, also met Drake at church. She was abducted from her home. He also took a gun in that abduction. It was a gun, Paula, eventually used to murder her. And I asked Kearschner about that. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FLOCK: What was your first thought when you saw that?

KEARSCHNER: It was just overwhelming the hurt. And then the second thought, not having all the details was this poor girl's dead.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FLOCK: Chilling to hear that, Paula. The parents, Carol and Patrick Ryan, Lindsey's parents here at the courthouse behind me. They are hanging on every news that comes out of the west part of the country, hoping that somehow she turns up -- back to you.

ZAHN: Yes, it was heartbreaking when you in your report yesterday shared some of what the parents had to say with us.

We're going to put that picture back up now of Lindsey with how she is believed to look now. When you say she dyed her hair, she looked like this prior to her disappearance?

FLOCK: She had blonde hair prior to the disappearance. Authorities believe she dyed her hair or, perhaps, Drake dyed her hair black, because the last sighting, she had dark hair. Everything else checked out, but she had dark hair. So that's what they believe.

ZAHN: Well, hopefully getting the picture out there will help in the investigation.

Jeff Flock, thanks for the update.

And we wish them tremendous luck.

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






Aired March 6, 2003 - 08:25   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: A nationwide search is underway for a 14-year-old girl who disappeared from her Michigan home last weekend. Authorities think Lindsey Ryan is with a convicted killer she met at church and with whom she had an e-mail relationship.
Let's join Jeff Flock, who's standing by in Michigan with the very latest on the story -- good morning, Jeff.

JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Paula, good morning to you. A cold one here in Cassopolis, Michigan this morning.

No new leads, no new confirmed sightings, but we just talked to the Cass County, Michigan sheriff, who says they're working on some, haven't confirmed it yet, something out west.

We want to show you that picture of 14-year-old Lindsey Diane Ryan, still in braces. She doesn't look like this now, though. Authorities believe she has dyed her hair black. We've got a picture of that they've put out, as well. This is the way she looked when she was last sighted. Because of that, California officials have refused to issue an amber alert for her. They say if she's not being held against her will, it doesn't qualify for an amber alert. Is she in danger, though? I think there's evidence to that.

We want to show you the picture of 56-year-old Terry Drake, the man that is believed to have lured her from her home here over the weekend, convicted murderer. And I talked yesterday to the husband of the woman that Drake was believed to or was convicted of murdering in 1977. He says he knew that Drake would strike again.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL KEARSCHNER, VICTIM'S HUSBAND: He'll do it again and again and again as long as there's a breath of air in his lungs. I think this is a repetitive con on his part, like he emphasized with me, when he moves into a community, the easiest avenue of acceptance and finding a female companion is I'm born again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FLOCK: In fact, Lindsey's mother says that's what he told her and told their family. And as we reported, of course, they met at church. Some striking similarities with the 1977 murder. Kearschner's wife was also, also met Drake at church. She was abducted from her home. He also took a gun in that abduction. It was a gun, Paula, eventually used to murder her. And I asked Kearschner about that. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FLOCK: What was your first thought when you saw that?

KEARSCHNER: It was just overwhelming the hurt. And then the second thought, not having all the details was this poor girl's dead.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FLOCK: Chilling to hear that, Paula. The parents, Carol and Patrick Ryan, Lindsey's parents here at the courthouse behind me. They are hanging on every news that comes out of the west part of the country, hoping that somehow she turns up -- back to you.

ZAHN: Yes, it was heartbreaking when you in your report yesterday shared some of what the parents had to say with us.

We're going to put that picture back up now of Lindsey with how she is believed to look now. When you say she dyed her hair, she looked like this prior to her disappearance?

FLOCK: She had blonde hair prior to the disappearance. Authorities believe she dyed her hair or, perhaps, Drake dyed her hair black, because the last sighting, she had dark hair. Everything else checked out, but she had dark hair. So that's what they believe.

ZAHN: Well, hopefully getting the picture out there will help in the investigation.

Jeff Flock, thanks for the update.

And we wish them tremendous luck.

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