Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Coffin Family Reacts to Confession of Daughter's Murderer

Aired July 09, 2003 - 10:12   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Now we have a chance to talk with those who have lived through this tragedy for the last 16 years and the public torment since that horrible morning when Heather's body was found.
Randall Coffin is her father, Brenda Coffin her mother and her sisters Danielle and Kim Coffin, the entire Coffin family joining us from Philadelphia this morning, along with Philadelphia homicide detective Captain Charles Bloom.

Captain, we'll get to you in just a moment. First I want to get to the Coffin family and, Randall, to you first. If there's any way to express the news, the reaction to the news that somebody has finally confessed to the murder and rape of your daughter?

RANDALL COFFIN, FATHER OF HEATHER: Speak now?

KAGAN: Yes.

R. COFFIN: I am very glad to have finally brought the person in that killed Heather. I thank the press. I thank the homicide. I'm thanking the FBI for help solve this case.

And, Ray, they'll never let you out, but I still, the way I feel, only have to years in prison, hard time, man. And then give you to death row. I don't know what else to say. You're an animal. I hope they never, ever let you free, because so many years I've lived in fear thinking the person would come back, take my other children. You put us through hell. You've torn my life all to hell.

KAGAN: Mr. Coffin, I'm going to let you to take a breath here. I know this is so emotional and I do appreciate you talking with us on this day.

Brenda, let me bring you in. What your family has been through, it would be enough to be through -- to go through the tragic loss of your daughter, of your oldest daughter, and the terrible way in which she died. But the 16 years that have passed, it literally has, as Randall was saying, it literally has ripped your family apart, has it not?

BRENDA COFFIN, MOTHER OF HEATHER: Yes, it has. It's ripped our family apart terribly. My children, my husband and I aren't together no more. And I do believe that this guy should get what he deserves.

KAGAN: Randall, let me bring you back...

B. COFFIN: Not even to give him a chance.

KAGAN: I'm sorry.

R. COFFIN: Could I speak again?

KAGAN: Yes, I just want to talk a couple of things that people may not realize. First of all, this was somebody that the family knew. This was an associate of yours. Is this somebody that you've suspected all these years?

R. COFFIN: Yes, yes, and it was coming harder and harder on me, because it had been about 17, 18 years since I have seen him. And I started looking around, because he was my last one to expect, that it had to be him.

Now, one more thing, while you are broadcasting me and my family all over the world, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) homicide (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and let them show the animal that took my daughter. Please, show him. So that if there's any other parent out there, he's touched or molested or killed, talk to your children.

This is an animal we're talking about that brought in -- if you would do that -- I know you work so hard into the investigation. We've had our up and downs. We apologized to each other, one and other.

And, parents, when you go to bed every night, check your (UNINTELLIGIBLE). If you hear something, God forbid, get up. Please check your children and call. We need help. Let's get this animal on TV, please. I'm asking the public.

KAGAN: Let me go ahead and bring Captain Bloom in. That's a good idea.

Captain Bloom, first of all, the break in this case, the DNA technology that exists now did not exist 16 years ago, and that is what led to the break in the case?

CAPT. CHARLES BLOOM, PHILADELPHIA POLICE: That's correct. We've been sending a DNA evidence to our lab and to the FBI since the case actually occurred. And originally, the type of tests were done, they would exclude people. They would exclude somebody. This person obviously didn't do it. The DNA doesn't match.

But it wouldn't include anybody. And the technology has changed over the years.

KAGAN: Mr. Coffin brings up a good point. Is it possible that this man is responsible for other crimes, having done such a terrible thing to other children out there?

BLOOM: Well, that's one of the things that we're looking at. Like the investigation is over in the sense that we made the arrest but the investigation isn't complete yet. We're still going to prosecute this in court. And also we're going to find out where he was living at in the last 16 years, what towns or cities or was it all in Philadelphia. We're going to look at other crimes that were committed that were similar to this one and see if there is any connection.

KAGAN: We also heard Mr. Coffin talk about -- he said that it's been kind of a long and bumpy road the last 16 years. For much of the last 16 years, Mr. Coffin, the father of this daughter, was a suspect. Was he not?

BLOOM: No, he wasn't a suspect. It was we believed from the very beginning though that whoever committed this crime was somebody that was familiar with the family. Somebody who knew the family.

And we had no suspects in this. We had people that we were very interested in. And we believed it was somebody that knew the family, again. And Mr. Coffin probably knew who it was and maybe had information, didn't even realize that he was telling us. And that's one of the reasons we kept on talking to him.

KAGAN: All right, Mr. Coffin, let's bring you back in. Police might not be calling you a suspect, but certainly neighbors and people in your life looked at you. So not only had your family had to go through the tragedy of losing your daughter, but also the eyes of suspicion of so many people in your life looking at you like you were responsible for this.

R. COFFIN: Yes, I lived it all those years. But now I can hold my head up. If anybody thinks it was me now, I don't know no more than I can say or do for you, only, parents, look out after your kids.

I love mine and I miss (UNINTELLIGIBLE) my heart and my oldest child I had in my life is gone. All I have is her picture and a grave to go and talk to her with no answers.

I hope you do, Ray, you rot in hell, you son of a bitch.

I'm done. I can't say no more.

KAGAN: OK. I appreciate that. I appreciate that. This is such an emotional time. And 16 years, obviously, still grieving for the loss of your daughter, Heather, and we offer our condolences all these years later. Thank you so much for sharing your feelings on this day that is still so difficult.

To the Coffin family we say thank you, appreciate your time. Thank you.

R. COFFIN: Thank you.

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 July 9, 2003 - 10:12   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Now we have a chance to talk with those who have lived through this tragedy for the last 16 years and the public torment since that horrible morning when Heather's body was found.
Randall Coffin is her father, Brenda Coffin her mother and her sisters Danielle and Kim Coffin, the entire Coffin family joining us from Philadelphia this morning, along with Philadelphia homicide detective Captain Charles Bloom.

Captain, we'll get to you in just a moment. First I want to get to the Coffin family and, Randall, to you first. If there's any way to express the news, the reaction to the news that somebody has finally confessed to the murder and rape of your daughter?

RANDALL COFFIN, FATHER OF HEATHER: Speak now?

KAGAN: Yes.

R. COFFIN: I am very glad to have finally brought the person in that killed Heather. I thank the press. I thank the homicide. I'm thanking the FBI for help solve this case.

And, Ray, they'll never let you out, but I still, the way I feel, only have to years in prison, hard time, man. And then give you to death row. I don't know what else to say. You're an animal. I hope they never, ever let you free, because so many years I've lived in fear thinking the person would come back, take my other children. You put us through hell. You've torn my life all to hell.

KAGAN: Mr. Coffin, I'm going to let you to take a breath here. I know this is so emotional and I do appreciate you talking with us on this day.

Brenda, let me bring you in. What your family has been through, it would be enough to be through -- to go through the tragic loss of your daughter, of your oldest daughter, and the terrible way in which she died. But the 16 years that have passed, it literally has, as Randall was saying, it literally has ripped your family apart, has it not?

BRENDA COFFIN, MOTHER OF HEATHER: Yes, it has. It's ripped our family apart terribly. My children, my husband and I aren't together no more. And I do believe that this guy should get what he deserves.

KAGAN: Randall, let me bring you back...

B. COFFIN: Not even to give him a chance.

KAGAN: I'm sorry.

R. COFFIN: Could I speak again?

KAGAN: Yes, I just want to talk a couple of things that people may not realize. First of all, this was somebody that the family knew. This was an associate of yours. Is this somebody that you've suspected all these years?

R. COFFIN: Yes, yes, and it was coming harder and harder on me, because it had been about 17, 18 years since I have seen him. And I started looking around, because he was my last one to expect, that it had to be him.

Now, one more thing, while you are broadcasting me and my family all over the world, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) homicide (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and let them show the animal that took my daughter. Please, show him. So that if there's any other parent out there, he's touched or molested or killed, talk to your children.

This is an animal we're talking about that brought in -- if you would do that -- I know you work so hard into the investigation. We've had our up and downs. We apologized to each other, one and other.

And, parents, when you go to bed every night, check your (UNINTELLIGIBLE). If you hear something, God forbid, get up. Please check your children and call. We need help. Let's get this animal on TV, please. I'm asking the public.

KAGAN: Let me go ahead and bring Captain Bloom in. That's a good idea.

Captain Bloom, first of all, the break in this case, the DNA technology that exists now did not exist 16 years ago, and that is what led to the break in the case?

CAPT. CHARLES BLOOM, PHILADELPHIA POLICE: That's correct. We've been sending a DNA evidence to our lab and to the FBI since the case actually occurred. And originally, the type of tests were done, they would exclude people. They would exclude somebody. This person obviously didn't do it. The DNA doesn't match.

But it wouldn't include anybody. And the technology has changed over the years.

KAGAN: Mr. Coffin brings up a good point. Is it possible that this man is responsible for other crimes, having done such a terrible thing to other children out there?

BLOOM: Well, that's one of the things that we're looking at. Like the investigation is over in the sense that we made the arrest but the investigation isn't complete yet. We're still going to prosecute this in court. And also we're going to find out where he was living at in the last 16 years, what towns or cities or was it all in Philadelphia. We're going to look at other crimes that were committed that were similar to this one and see if there is any connection.

KAGAN: We also heard Mr. Coffin talk about -- he said that it's been kind of a long and bumpy road the last 16 years. For much of the last 16 years, Mr. Coffin, the father of this daughter, was a suspect. Was he not?

BLOOM: No, he wasn't a suspect. It was we believed from the very beginning though that whoever committed this crime was somebody that was familiar with the family. Somebody who knew the family.

And we had no suspects in this. We had people that we were very interested in. And we believed it was somebody that knew the family, again. And Mr. Coffin probably knew who it was and maybe had information, didn't even realize that he was telling us. And that's one of the reasons we kept on talking to him.

KAGAN: All right, Mr. Coffin, let's bring you back in. Police might not be calling you a suspect, but certainly neighbors and people in your life looked at you. So not only had your family had to go through the tragedy of losing your daughter, but also the eyes of suspicion of so many people in your life looking at you like you were responsible for this.

R. COFFIN: Yes, I lived it all those years. But now I can hold my head up. If anybody thinks it was me now, I don't know no more than I can say or do for you, only, parents, look out after your kids.

I love mine and I miss (UNINTELLIGIBLE) my heart and my oldest child I had in my life is gone. All I have is her picture and a grave to go and talk to her with no answers.

I hope you do, Ray, you rot in hell, you son of a bitch.

I'm done. I can't say no more.

KAGAN: OK. I appreciate that. I appreciate that. This is such an emotional time. And 16 years, obviously, still grieving for the loss of your daughter, Heather, and we offer our condolences all these years later. Thank you so much for sharing your feelings on this day that is still so difficult.

To the Coffin family we say thank you, appreciate your time. Thank you.

R. COFFIN: Thank you.

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