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American Morning
Body Found Near Waco is That of Patrick Dennehy
Aired July 28, 2003 - 07:14 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: To Waco, Texas, right now, where the search for Patrick Dennehy is now over. Medical examiners have confirmed that the Baylor basketball player is dead.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERIFF LARRY LYNCH, MCLENNAN COUNTY POLICE: The sheriff's office was advised by the Southwest Forensics Lab in Dallas that a positive identification had been made on the body that we sent to them on Saturday morning. I'm sad to report that it's the body of Patrick Dennehy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Dennehy disappeared on June 12. His former teammate, Carlton Dotson, has been charged in that murder.
CNN's Mike Brooks with us live this morning in Waco with more on what he is finding out.
I know it's early there, Mike. What do you have? Good morning.
MIKE BROOKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, bill.
Well, they have confirmed that the body found last Friday evening in a gravel pit four miles southeast of the Baylor University campus was, in fact, that of Patrick Dennehy.
Sources tell CNN yesterday, as the search continued, that it was additional evidence that helped lead to that identification.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LYNCH: Yes, with that additional evidence collected today, we were able to make -- or they were able to make a positive identification.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROOKS: Now, Bill, what hasn't been answered here is the cause of death. The results of the autopsy should come either today or sometime tomorrow.
Now, sources tell CNN also yesterday that this additional evidence that came from the scene possibly was the head of Patrick Dennehy. Now, the reason for that, we do not know. But I talked to people that live here, the area where the body was found is frequented by coyotes and other wildlife. That's a possibility. Investigators are waiting, though, for the autopsy to make that definitive point -- Bill.
HEMMER: Mike Brooks live in Waco, thanks.
More on the identification of Patrick Dennehy. Dr. Victor Weedn, a forensic pathologist, is back with us in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to talk about it.
Doctor, thanks for coming back.
DR. VICTOR WEEDN, FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST: Thank you.
HEMMER: A lot of this news really not suited for any time of the day, much less the morning, but what does it say to you? You find the body on Friday. You make a positive I.D. by Saturday.
WEEDN: Well, it suggests to me that they probably used either fingerprints or dental identification. And in both of those cases, you could make a fairly quick positive identification.
HEMMER: We are told, as you heard from Mike Brooks explain, that a human head was found in that vicinity. What does that tell you if it was severed from the body, or was it decomposed to the point where it separates?
WEEDN: Well, first, we heard that the identification quickly ensued after the finding of that head. That suggests to me it was probably a dental identification. The fact that the head was separated from the body is something that we see. It can happen as a consequence of normality composition, and particularly with scavenging dogs. They tend to take ahold of the head and move that. The fact that it was not easily found immediately is also not too surprising. Of course, it could also mean something more nefarious.
HEMMER: If you're an investigator on the scene, what are you looking for? Cause of death, struggle? How do you find it?
WEEDN: Well, you want to look at how the body was positioned in the place. You would also want to look at how the decomposition is taking place, such that if you have accelerated decomposition or an insect infestation that's more heavily in one area than another, it suggests that there was trauma in that area of the body. That's one thing you could see at the scene.
HEMMER: So, you put together this evidence. You start moving toward the possibility of a trial at some point. As a prosecutor, what are you looking for from the scene in Waco, where Mike Brooks is reporting now?
WEEDN: Well, you certainly want to look for the personal effects. You want to look for the -- any movement or disturbance out there. But it's likely that that's not the site of the real violence. So, I would probably focus less on that scene and more on the autopsy findings of the body itself. That's where I think we would really find the most important evidence. HEMMER: And also, if Carlton Dotson is saying anything right now to police?
WEEDN: Well, we know that Mr. Dotson initially talked about a shooting. If so, then the forensic pathologist would look for evidence of a gunshot wound. We know he's recanted that statement, or at least is denying that he made that statement. But certainly, they'll be looking for signs of violence.
HEMMER: Victor Weedn, thanks for coming back here on AMERICAN MORNING. Appreciate it on this Monday 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 July 28, 2003 - 07:14 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: To Waco, Texas, right now, where the search for Patrick Dennehy is now over. Medical examiners have confirmed that the Baylor basketball player is dead.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERIFF LARRY LYNCH, MCLENNAN COUNTY POLICE: The sheriff's office was advised by the Southwest Forensics Lab in Dallas that a positive identification had been made on the body that we sent to them on Saturday morning. I'm sad to report that it's the body of Patrick Dennehy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Dennehy disappeared on June 12. His former teammate, Carlton Dotson, has been charged in that murder.
CNN's Mike Brooks with us live this morning in Waco with more on what he is finding out.
I know it's early there, Mike. What do you have? Good morning.
MIKE BROOKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, bill.
Well, they have confirmed that the body found last Friday evening in a gravel pit four miles southeast of the Baylor University campus was, in fact, that of Patrick Dennehy.
Sources tell CNN yesterday, as the search continued, that it was additional evidence that helped lead to that identification.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LYNCH: Yes, with that additional evidence collected today, we were able to make -- or they were able to make a positive identification.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROOKS: Now, Bill, what hasn't been answered here is the cause of death. The results of the autopsy should come either today or sometime tomorrow.
Now, sources tell CNN also yesterday that this additional evidence that came from the scene possibly was the head of Patrick Dennehy. Now, the reason for that, we do not know. But I talked to people that live here, the area where the body was found is frequented by coyotes and other wildlife. That's a possibility. Investigators are waiting, though, for the autopsy to make that definitive point -- Bill.
HEMMER: Mike Brooks live in Waco, thanks.
More on the identification of Patrick Dennehy. Dr. Victor Weedn, a forensic pathologist, is back with us in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to talk about it.
Doctor, thanks for coming back.
DR. VICTOR WEEDN, FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST: Thank you.
HEMMER: A lot of this news really not suited for any time of the day, much less the morning, but what does it say to you? You find the body on Friday. You make a positive I.D. by Saturday.
WEEDN: Well, it suggests to me that they probably used either fingerprints or dental identification. And in both of those cases, you could make a fairly quick positive identification.
HEMMER: We are told, as you heard from Mike Brooks explain, that a human head was found in that vicinity. What does that tell you if it was severed from the body, or was it decomposed to the point where it separates?
WEEDN: Well, first, we heard that the identification quickly ensued after the finding of that head. That suggests to me it was probably a dental identification. The fact that the head was separated from the body is something that we see. It can happen as a consequence of normality composition, and particularly with scavenging dogs. They tend to take ahold of the head and move that. The fact that it was not easily found immediately is also not too surprising. Of course, it could also mean something more nefarious.
HEMMER: If you're an investigator on the scene, what are you looking for? Cause of death, struggle? How do you find it?
WEEDN: Well, you want to look at how the body was positioned in the place. You would also want to look at how the decomposition is taking place, such that if you have accelerated decomposition or an insect infestation that's more heavily in one area than another, it suggests that there was trauma in that area of the body. That's one thing you could see at the scene.
HEMMER: So, you put together this evidence. You start moving toward the possibility of a trial at some point. As a prosecutor, what are you looking for from the scene in Waco, where Mike Brooks is reporting now?
WEEDN: Well, you certainly want to look for the personal effects. You want to look for the -- any movement or disturbance out there. But it's likely that that's not the site of the real violence. So, I would probably focus less on that scene and more on the autopsy findings of the body itself. That's where I think we would really find the most important evidence. HEMMER: And also, if Carlton Dotson is saying anything right now to police?
WEEDN: Well, we know that Mr. Dotson initially talked about a shooting. If so, then the forensic pathologist would look for evidence of a gunshot wound. We know he's recanted that statement, or at least is denying that he made that statement. But certainly, they'll be looking for signs of violence.
HEMMER: Victor Weedn, thanks for coming back here on AMERICAN MORNING. Appreciate it on this Monday 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.
