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CNN Live Today

Family Killed

Aired August 18, 2003 - 10:49   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.


LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: We turn our attention now to another major case, the-year-old murder of a Virginia family, the Short family, it is still an unsolved mystery. A year ago last Friday, authorities found the bodies of a couple in their Virginia home, and their daughter, 9-year-old Jennifer, was missing. About a month later, authorities found and identified the girl's body 30 miles away from the family's home. Investigators have chased down many leads and still have no suspects in this case, according to the latest reports that we have seen.
Joining us now to talk some more about this investigation is Rockingham County, North Carolina sheriff, Sam Page.

Sam, thank you for talking with us today. Do you have any reason to be at least somewhat more optimistic that you can solve this case sometime fairly soon?

SHERIFF SAM PAGE, ROCKINGHAM CO., NORTH CAROLINA: Well, we've been in touch with the investigators from Henry County, and also with our local FBI in Virginia, and again, we're processing forensic evidence at the state lab and we are hoping that evidence will be in shortly.

HARRIS: Well, has there been anything at all that's come in in the past year? I know the story's been out of the headlines. I know it couldn't have been out of the range of your investigative radar. So has there been anything at all that's coming in to help you out in this case.

PAGE: Well, it might not say a whole lot in the headlines, but I do that personally, I have investigators that have been dedicated to this case, working in conjunction with the Virginia authorities pretty regular over the past year, along with our FBI agents.

HARRIS: But it seemed like at one point, though, looking back about a year or, so almost a full year, there was at least a trickle of some sort of information that was coming in. There was reports of a guy, I believe his name was Garrison Bowman, who had a trailer that was of particular interest to authorities. Whatever happened with him?

PAGE: Well, again, a lot of the evidence was collected from his residence and also in Canada from his van. That evidence is still being processed in the state labs in Virginia, and we were given a time line of roughly six months to two years, and we're hopefully trying to get a little bit of a rush on that so we could determine what that would reveal. HARRIS: You say it would take two years to process that...

PAGE: I was originally told six months to two years to process, because the state Virginia labs, they have a lot of evidence also backed up on other cases, but we were hoping we could get some priority on this. We've got our fingers crossed. We hope that forensic evidence will come in sooner than later. And investigators from my agency and also from Virginia have been working on and off regular on any leads that have come about in this case.

HARRIS: That's got to be a bit troubling. If I'm a family member, to think it may take two years to process the evidence in one particular spot, because of backlogs there?

PAGE: Well, that's what we were told originally, and it is a tragedy. And I feel for the family, because I'm a parent, and you know, I live in my county and listen to people's concerns, and I feel for the family in this case, and again, you know, with prayers and some support and again with hopefully some luck that this evidence and forensics information hopefully will come in, as I said, sooner than later, because I believe it's going to play a key part.

HARRIS: You've got a lot of folks hoping the same thing.

Let me ask you something else finally. What can you tell us about the family? How have they been for the past year or so? I know there's no way they can possibly get over something like this, but what can you tell us about how they are right now.

PAGE: Well, I have talked with some of the family members, but primarily, Sheriff Castle in Henry County has made the efforts to stay in regular contact with the family. Also Captain Kimmie Nester (ph). They've been more in touch with the family since they did reside in the Virginia area. I have talked with at least one of the family members recently about a memorial setting at the bridge to remember Jennifer Short and her family, because of where her remains were found, and we've signed off on that, because we think it's the right thing to do.

But as far as staying in touch with the family regular, I think Sheriff Castle has done a great job about doing that.

HARRIS: Sheriff Page, you've got the airwaves right now for the next couple of seconds -- is there anything you'd like to say to the folks who may be watching right now that could actually help you in this case?

PAGE: Well, I'd say like I'd say on any unsolved case, that if you know any information that may be beneficial to this investigation, please contact your local authorities either in Henry County or Rockingham County. We'll be happy to follow-up on any information available. I'd appreciate any assistance in this matter.

HARRIS: Sheriff Sam Page, we sure do wish you luck on this, and here's hoping you and I do not have to talk again a year from now, talk to you about a second year anniversary in this case. PAGE: Absolutely. We'd like to see this resolved. We'd like to see closure for the family, because, again, we feel for them and what they've gone through.

HARRIS: Good luck.

PAGE: Yes, sir.

HARRIS: Take care.

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 August 18, 2003 - 10:49   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: We turn our attention now to another major case, the-year-old murder of a Virginia family, the Short family, it is still an unsolved mystery. A year ago last Friday, authorities found the bodies of a couple in their Virginia home, and their daughter, 9-year-old Jennifer, was missing. About a month later, authorities found and identified the girl's body 30 miles away from the family's home. Investigators have chased down many leads and still have no suspects in this case, according to the latest reports that we have seen.
Joining us now to talk some more about this investigation is Rockingham County, North Carolina sheriff, Sam Page.

Sam, thank you for talking with us today. Do you have any reason to be at least somewhat more optimistic that you can solve this case sometime fairly soon?

SHERIFF SAM PAGE, ROCKINGHAM CO., NORTH CAROLINA: Well, we've been in touch with the investigators from Henry County, and also with our local FBI in Virginia, and again, we're processing forensic evidence at the state lab and we are hoping that evidence will be in shortly.

HARRIS: Well, has there been anything at all that's come in in the past year? I know the story's been out of the headlines. I know it couldn't have been out of the range of your investigative radar. So has there been anything at all that's coming in to help you out in this case.

PAGE: Well, it might not say a whole lot in the headlines, but I do that personally, I have investigators that have been dedicated to this case, working in conjunction with the Virginia authorities pretty regular over the past year, along with our FBI agents.

HARRIS: But it seemed like at one point, though, looking back about a year or, so almost a full year, there was at least a trickle of some sort of information that was coming in. There was reports of a guy, I believe his name was Garrison Bowman, who had a trailer that was of particular interest to authorities. Whatever happened with him?

PAGE: Well, again, a lot of the evidence was collected from his residence and also in Canada from his van. That evidence is still being processed in the state labs in Virginia, and we were given a time line of roughly six months to two years, and we're hopefully trying to get a little bit of a rush on that so we could determine what that would reveal. HARRIS: You say it would take two years to process that...

PAGE: I was originally told six months to two years to process, because the state Virginia labs, they have a lot of evidence also backed up on other cases, but we were hoping we could get some priority on this. We've got our fingers crossed. We hope that forensic evidence will come in sooner than later. And investigators from my agency and also from Virginia have been working on and off regular on any leads that have come about in this case.

HARRIS: That's got to be a bit troubling. If I'm a family member, to think it may take two years to process the evidence in one particular spot, because of backlogs there?

PAGE: Well, that's what we were told originally, and it is a tragedy. And I feel for the family, because I'm a parent, and you know, I live in my county and listen to people's concerns, and I feel for the family in this case, and again, you know, with prayers and some support and again with hopefully some luck that this evidence and forensics information hopefully will come in, as I said, sooner than later, because I believe it's going to play a key part.

HARRIS: You've got a lot of folks hoping the same thing.

Let me ask you something else finally. What can you tell us about the family? How have they been for the past year or so? I know there's no way they can possibly get over something like this, but what can you tell us about how they are right now.

PAGE: Well, I have talked with some of the family members, but primarily, Sheriff Castle in Henry County has made the efforts to stay in regular contact with the family. Also Captain Kimmie Nester (ph). They've been more in touch with the family since they did reside in the Virginia area. I have talked with at least one of the family members recently about a memorial setting at the bridge to remember Jennifer Short and her family, because of where her remains were found, and we've signed off on that, because we think it's the right thing to do.

But as far as staying in touch with the family regular, I think Sheriff Castle has done a great job about doing that.

HARRIS: Sheriff Page, you've got the airwaves right now for the next couple of seconds -- is there anything you'd like to say to the folks who may be watching right now that could actually help you in this case?

PAGE: Well, I'd say like I'd say on any unsolved case, that if you know any information that may be beneficial to this investigation, please contact your local authorities either in Henry County or Rockingham County. We'll be happy to follow-up on any information available. I'd appreciate any assistance in this matter.

HARRIS: Sheriff Sam Page, we sure do wish you luck on this, and here's hoping you and I do not have to talk again a year from now, talk to you about a second year anniversary in this case. PAGE: Absolutely. We'd like to see this resolved. We'd like to see closure for the family, because, again, we feel for them and what they've gone through.

HARRIS: Good luck.

PAGE: Yes, sir.

HARRIS: Take care.

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