Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

Suspected Serial Killer Arrested

Aired May 28, 2003 - 06:33   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.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Back here in the United States in Atlanta, an alleged serial rapist and killer has been tracked down. Derrick Todd Lee, the man suspected of a string of murders in Louisiana, is now in Atlanta's Fulton County jail.
We take you there live now, where we find Martin Savidge.

Good morning -- Martin.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning again, Carol.

Yes, Derrick Lee is in custody here in Atlanta, but he may not remain here much longer. It's expected that soon, he could be on his way back to the Baton Rouge area and Louisiana, where he is facing murder charges in connection with the deaths of five women over a two- year period.

He has an extradition hearing that is scheduled for about two- and-a-half hours from now, and that could begin the road back for him.

Let's talk about how he was arrested last night. It occurred at 8:30 p.m. in Atlanta after a tip came in from the public. Yesterday, there was a massive media campaign on the part of authorities getting his picture out on the streets of Atlanta, after it was realized that he was in the Atlanta area. Authorities from the fugitive squad of the Atlanta Police Department moved in and arrested him, apparently without incident.

He has now been charged with first-degree murder and also with aggravated rape. And he is expected to be fully charged once he gets back into the Baton Rouge area.

For the victims' families, well, a sense of relief, but certainly their ordeal is not over. Here is what they are saying:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Of course, the initial reaction is: Is it for real? You know, do they have the real guy? But apparently it looks like it is for real, so we're just ecstatic about that; that this part of the nightmare is over.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAVIDGE: So, how did it all come about that Derrick Lee became the prime suspect in these five murders? Well, apparently back on May 5, again, thanks to a tip from the public, he was brought in for questioning by Louisiana authorities, and he was asked to give a DNA sample, which he did voluntarily. But shortly after he gave that sample, authorities say he became nervous and fled the area, went to Chicago and then eventually came here to Atlanta.

In the meantime, they took that DNA sample and matched it up against DNA that was collected from the five murder scenes, and they found they had a definite match. That's when they realized that Derrick Lee was probably their prime suspect in the case.

Again, he's in custody in the Fulton County jail, not expected to be in Atlanta too much longer -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, Martin Savidge live from Atlanta this morning.

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 May 28, 2003 - 06:33   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Back here in the United States in Atlanta, an alleged serial rapist and killer has been tracked down. Derrick Todd Lee, the man suspected of a string of murders in Louisiana, is now in Atlanta's Fulton County jail.
We take you there live now, where we find Martin Savidge.

Good morning -- Martin.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning again, Carol.

Yes, Derrick Lee is in custody here in Atlanta, but he may not remain here much longer. It's expected that soon, he could be on his way back to the Baton Rouge area and Louisiana, where he is facing murder charges in connection with the deaths of five women over a two- year period.

He has an extradition hearing that is scheduled for about two- and-a-half hours from now, and that could begin the road back for him.

Let's talk about how he was arrested last night. It occurred at 8:30 p.m. in Atlanta after a tip came in from the public. Yesterday, there was a massive media campaign on the part of authorities getting his picture out on the streets of Atlanta, after it was realized that he was in the Atlanta area. Authorities from the fugitive squad of the Atlanta Police Department moved in and arrested him, apparently without incident.

He has now been charged with first-degree murder and also with aggravated rape. And he is expected to be fully charged once he gets back into the Baton Rouge area.

For the victims' families, well, a sense of relief, but certainly their ordeal is not over. Here is what they are saying:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Of course, the initial reaction is: Is it for real? You know, do they have the real guy? But apparently it looks like it is for real, so we're just ecstatic about that; that this part of the nightmare is over.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAVIDGE: So, how did it all come about that Derrick Lee became the prime suspect in these five murders? Well, apparently back on May 5, again, thanks to a tip from the public, he was brought in for questioning by Louisiana authorities, and he was asked to give a DNA sample, which he did voluntarily. But shortly after he gave that sample, authorities say he became nervous and fled the area, went to Chicago and then eventually came here to Atlanta.

In the meantime, they took that DNA sample and matched it up against DNA that was collected from the five murder scenes, and they found they had a definite match. That's when they realized that Derrick Lee was probably their prime suspect in the case.

Again, he's in custody in the Fulton County jail, not expected to be in Atlanta too much longer -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, Martin Savidge live from Atlanta this morning.

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