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CNN Sunday Morning
Arrest Made in Connection With Natalee Holloway's Disappearance; 10-Year-Old Murdered
Aired April 16, 2006 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Ah, the sights and sounds. It is the first Easter Sunday for the world's new pope. It's also the 79th birthday for Pope Benedict XVI. Tens of thousands filled St. Peter's Square, where millions worldwide will watch his broadcast live.
And, take a look at this. Right here in Atlanta, about 40,000 people are expected to fill the Georgia Dome in one of the largest Easter services in the country. It's not set to start until, what, 10:00 Eastern, Tony?
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: 10:00, yes. Yes.
NGUYEN: But they're already in there getting those seats warm.
Good morning, everybody.
From the CNN Center right here in Atlanta, I'm Betty Nguyen on this Easter Sunday.
HARRIS: Happy Easter.
NGUYEN: Happy Easter to you.
HARRIS: Yes.
NGUYEN: You're looking sharp on this Easter.
HARRIS: Well, I'm trying to keep it together. I'm trying to do the best I can.
April 16th.
Happy Easter, everyone.
More on the Easter celebrations coming up.
We will take you live to Iraq to show you how U.S. troops are honoring the occasion.
First, a quick look at some of the other stories making headlines now in the news.
In Aruba, a 19-year-old reportedly is in custody in the case of missing Alabama teen Natalie Holloway, who vanished on vacation there nearly a year ago. The Associated Press says no details have been released on the person's identity or why they were arrested. Aruba law allows long detentions without formal charges.
We will speak with Holloway's father in just a few minutes.
In Oklahoma, horrific new details in the death of 10-year-old Jamie Rose Bolin. According to police, the girl was the victim of an elaborate cannibalism plot connected by a neighbor.
A full report is just ahead.
NGUYEN: Goodness.
Well, tragic accident, not foul play -- that is what Wisconsin police are saying about the deaths of two Milwaukee boys who disappeared almost a month ago. The bodies of the 11- and 12-year- olds were pulled from a pond in a Milwaukee park. Autopsies show the boys drowned.
And in Amarillo, Texas, take a look at this. A fast moving wildfire has destroyed at least two homes and forced the evacuation of about 100 others. About 75 acres burned before the fire was brought under control. And so far, more than 60,000 acres have burned in the Texas Panhandle this month.
HARRIS: Easter Sunday -- for Christians, the holiest day of the year, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. Tens of thousands crowded into St. Peter's Square at the Vatican today. It was the first Easter mass led by Pope Benedict. He called for peaceful solutions to conflicts around the world. Christians gathered at holy sites in Jerusalem to celebrate Easter. A mass was held at a church on the site where it is believed Jesus was crucified.
Iraqi Christians defied danger to celebrate Easter today, despite the ongoing violence. Some walked to churches in Baghdad to attend services. One church held a special prayer for peace and normalcy in Iraq.
Some in Washington spent Easter at the Lincoln Memorial. The morning service has been a tradition in the nation's capital for 28 years.
What's billed as one of the largest Easter celebrates in the country is taking place right here in Atlanta. Forty thousand people are expected to attend the service, that begins next hour at the Georgia Dome. The crowd is already gathering.
Earlier on CNN SUNDAY MORNING, I talked with the pastor of the church sponsoring the service and with singer Patti LaBelle, who will perform.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BISHOP EDDIE LONG, PASTOR, NEW BIRTH: Because it's the largest service in our country, it's -- it's just an honor, and just an honor to reach out and touch the community and for us to come together. It's not just a new birth event, but it's our whole community. PATTI LABELLE, SINGER: I am so happy to be invited today. And I'm going to perform. And I'm going to -- I'm going to listen to his sermon and just have fun and watch all of the people come in. And nobody's asked to wear a black tie. You can come in jeans, you can come in whatever you have, whatever god has given you. So it's a wonderful thing today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: And thousands of U.S. troops are spending Easter in Iraq. We'll talk with two members of the 101st Airborne about morale this Easter. That's coming up live from Kirkuk at the half hour.
Easter songs and services, Easter bonnets and Easter bunnies. What is your fondest Easter memory?
We've had some fun with that this morning, no?
NGUYEN: Oh, the memories. Yes.
HARRIS: It's our e-mail know of the day. And we will continue reading some of your responses throughout the morning. Send them to weekends@cnn.com.
NGUYEN: Well, if you're just tuning in this morning, there has been an arrest in the Natalie Holloway case. As you might recall, the Alabama teenager vanished while on vacation in Aruba last May. Authorities in Aruba reportedly have arrested a 19-year-old person, but won't say who that is or why that person was arrested.
Now, CNN is checking its own sources on this story, which is being reported this morning by the Associated Press.
An arrest in Aruba is different from one right here in the U.S. Aruban law allows a person to be held for a long time without being charged.
So let's get a little bit more on what has happened in this case.
Natalie Holloway's father, Dave Holloway, joins us now by phone with his reaction to the news.
Good morning, Dave.
DAVE HOLLOWAY, NATALIE HOLLOWAY'S FATHER: Good morning.
NGUYEN: First of all, we're just getting this news in today.
What have you heard about the arrest?
HOLLOWAY: Well, I heard late last night that an individual was arrested. He's a Dutch person on the island, approximately 19-years- old. He was brought into custody. They didn't say whether or not it was related to this case, but I think it is. So, you know, we're hopeful that something will come out of it. NGUYEN: Here's what we know. The public prosecutor's office says, as you mentioned, the person is 19. But also been told that the person's initials are GVC.
Do those initials mean anything to you?
HOLLOWAY: I had the name earlier and I can't remember what it is now. But it's one of those hard names to pronounce. And I had it written down, but I cannot seem to find it this...
NGUYEN: That's OK.
Is it someone that you were aware of during the investigation back when all of this started last May?
HOLLOWAY: No, it's not. It's someone new that's never -- the name has never been mentioned before.
NGUYEN: OK.
Have Aruban authorities contacted you specifically, or Natalie's mother, about this arrest?
HOLLOWAY: No. No. We get our information, unfortunately, through the news media, just...
NGUYEN: Well, you have a book out, just released last week, which talks about your daughter's case. It also talks about how you feel that Aruban investigators were either corrupt, incompetent or just really didn't care about getting to the bottom of this case.
Do you still feel that same way?
HOLLOWAY: Well, I felt like it up until now. The new police chief in charge, I pointed out a lot of red flags throughout this investigation. It only takes one or two police officers to derail an investigation and hopefully they've taken one of those off and maybe we'll get back on the right track.
NGUYEN: What do you think...
HOLLOWAY: We'll wait. We'll see.
NGUYEN: Do you think, in any way, that these red flags that you brought up have maybe led to what has developed with this arrest?
HOLLOWAY: Maybe so. I know they were very, very concerned back in November or December about this book. They made some inquiries about what I was getting ready to put out. And, you know, then they came up with this "America's Most Wanted" equivalent of what we have here, coincidentally, on April the 11th, when my book came out.
So maybe those two issues coming together, maybe they'll get on the stick and find out what happened.
NGUYEN: It will be a year in May since your daughter disappeared.
What -- what do you think happened to her?
HOLLOWAY: You know, I outline, in my book, a number of theories. I still think that these three original suspects still know more than what they've told us. And it could be others. You know, they just made this arrest. We'll just have to wait and see what happens.
I know he'll probably be detained for at least two days. And if there's sufficient evidence, I think it goes on to another eight days after that. And then they have a number of days, depending on how much evidence is complied throughout their investigation.
NGUYEN: Exactly, according to Aruban law.
Dave Holloway, thank you for spending some time with us and talking about the case and what you have learned so far today. I know it's difficult.
Thank you so much.
HOLLOWAY: Yes.
Thank you very much.
HARRIS: Now to Purcell, Oklahoma and the horrible end of a little girl's life. If you're just hearing this for the first time, I should warn you that the details police have released are extremely graphic.
CNN's Carol Lin has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
TIM KUYKENDALL, MCCLAIN COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: We believe that he purchased items months in advance in preparation of kidnapping and killing someone.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Police descriptions of the death of little Jamie Rose Bolin are almost too shocking to believe. The 10-year-old's body was discovered in an apartment in the same complex where her family lives. Police say her remains were found inside the unit of a neighbor, 26-year-old Kevin Ray Underwood. They believe Underwood's goal was to rape, torture and kill.
Evidence at the scene also leads police to conclude the suspect planned to engage in cannibalism.
At a news conference Saturday night, police described some of the items found in Underwood's apartment, including a dagger, a hacksaw and duct tape.
KUYKENDALL: It appears that this was a well thought out, premeditated act involving months of planning and preparation.
LIN: Before the most disturbing details were released, family members said they are shocked they were living so close to someone accused of doing something so horrendous.
LINDA CHILES, VICTIM'S AUNT: It just makes you feel dirty to know that you were that close to somebody who could do something like that.
LIN: Police were originally following a number of leads after Bolin didn't return home from the library on Wednesday. They say that while she was acquainted with her accused killer, he could have targeted anyone in the area.
CHIEF DAVID TOMKINS, PURCELL POLICE DEPARTMENT: There were very likely other potential targets or victims, as it could have been either a boy or a girl, an adult or a child.
LIN: While police say the attack appears to have been random, they say they think Bolin was the suspect's only victim.
TOMKINS: He has no criminal history. He has no -- there's no contact with law enforcement. So we have nothing -- there's nothing -- no evidence to believe that there's any other victims.
LIN: Kevin Ray Underwood is due in court on Monday. He'll be charged with first degree murder. It's not clear if he has an attorney. Prosecutors say they'll seek the death penalty.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
HARRIS: One other note. Police say the little girl's dismantled bicycle was also found in Underwood's apartment.
NGUYEN: Oh, that's just hard to stomach.
HARRIS: Yes, it is.
NGUYEN: We're moving on now.
HARRIS: Sorry.
NGUYEN: Gas prices -- they took another $.10 jump last week. Did you notice?
HARRIS: Yes.
NGUYEN: I did when I filled up.
So, do you think the hybrid car is the answer, huh?
Well, you may want to think again. An auto expert from "Car and Driver" magazine has some information that just may surprise you. That's live later on CNN SUNDAY.
HARRIS: A car and driver involved in this. A tornado rolls right over this vehicle and it is all caught on tape -- Reynolds, good morning.
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning. And part of that same system that produced those -- that rough weather in parts of the Central Plains is now moving toward the Great Lakes. That could bring some rough weather to parts of the Ohio Valley later on today.
Right now, though, things are looking A-OK in Chicago. Here's a wonderful shot that we have for you, a live image looking right on the lake shore, where, from the Navy pier back over to Wrigley Field to the steps of the world famous Chicago Chop House, it is a fantastic Easter morning.
Your complete forecast is coming up in just a few moments.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SPEC. CHRISTOPHER CRAWFORD: My name is Specialist Christopher Crawford (ph). I'm stationed at Camp Liberty, Baghdad, Iraq.
I want to send a shout out to my wife Elizabeth and to all the guys at Northern Maine Community College, Presque. Happy Easter. Hopefully, I'll be home soon.
OPERATIONS SPECIAL CLASS JACKSON FRANCOIS: Hi. I'm Operations Special Class Jackson Francois (ph), currently stationed in Bahrain.
I'd like to say Happy Easter to my wife Janelle (ph) and my two beautiful daughters, Latavia (ph) and Lanaya (ph) in Germantown (ph), Maryland. I love you. I miss you. I'll see you soon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Our top stories this morning, Pope Benedict delivers the traditional Easter message to thousands in St. Peter's Square. It's Benedict's first Easter as pope and also his 79th birthday. Happy birthday.
The Associated Press reports a new arrest in Aruba in the Natalie Holloway case. Few details were given -- no name or word of any charges against the 19-year-old. Holloway disappeared almost a year ago while on vacation in Aruba.
Arraignment is set for tomorrow for the suspect in the killing of Jamie Rose Bolin. Authorities say 26-year-old Kevin Ray Underwood will be charged with first degree murder. They say he plotted to rape, kill, dismember and eat the remains of the 10-year-old girl.
NGUYEN: Oh, goodness.
OK, we've been talking all morning long about what you're about to see. It's really quite amazing. There's some things that -- Reynolds, and you know this, or you should know this.
WOLF: Absolutely.
NGUYEN: Something that you just shouldn't do, folks. Take a look. This is what you shouldn't do. And take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're riding that rain band.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a rain band. We're in a bad spot here. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) off to your right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: OK, what you're looking at, obviously amazing pictures.
NGUYEN: This is in a tornado, or at least near a tornado.
HARRIS: Near. It's -- yes, yes, you're not in it.
WOLF: And storm chaser Randy Hicks got this yesterday.
HARRIS: Right.
WOLF: And you have to wonder, are these guys brave, crazy or a little bit of both?
NGUYEN: I think both.
HARRIS: Yes. I was going to mention it.
WOLF: Absolutely. You know, you see that -- the incredibly large hail...
NGUYEN: Look at that right there.
WOLF: Absolutely, a little bit of a wall cloud. You can see the funnel and just -- did we already pass the funnel footage?
You see the debris, obviously. But you can just see the sun just forming right behind -- you can just barely make out the funnel. There we go.
NGUYEN: Right there.
WOLF: Yes, right there.
HARRIS: Look at that.
WOLF: Yes.
HARRIS: And this is in Beatrice, Nebraska?
WOLF: Nebraska. You are correct. HARRIS: And obviously it looks to be a pretty rural area. What, some -- a poultry...
NGUYEN: See the flying glass right there?
HARRIS: Well, didn't it, at some point, kind of suck the real window out of his truck?
NGUYEN: Yes, I think if you listen closely onto this tape, he talks about the camera is gone, too, on the truck. So this -- these are some fierce winds that ripped through the area yesterday and damaged farm buildings and sheds.
But, again, people put themselves in harm's way to capture video like this, which is amazing for us. But not really the best of ideas.
HARRIS: Look at that.
WOLF: No, no, probably something that a novice should not do. Obviously, Randy knows what he's doing and thank heavens it didn't turn out to be rough for him. But that same storm system right there that produced that rough weather is now going to move into parts of the Great Lakes, the Ohio Valley and we could see another round, probably not as severe, but still some large hail and damaging winds could occur in that part of the world.
Weather-wise today, though, we're going to get things started with people who might be needing some tips on working with their lawn.
HARRIS: Oh, yes.
WOLF: And I'm one of those people.
HARRIS: Same here.
WOLF: I've moved into a great place and the previous owners of our place took great, great care of their lawn and I -- I just don't want to destroy it. You know, you don't want to mess things up when they do a great job.
HARRIS: Mess that up.
WOLF: And if you happen to have crabgrass, here's a little bit of a pointer for u. This is the time to apply pre-emergent to your lawns -- I have no idea what pre-emergent means, by the way -- in order to avoid crab grass. Crab grass is very difficult to control, as you know, and once it becomes established, it is hard, really, really difficult, to get rid of.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WOLF: That is a look at your forecast around the nation.
And, again, with other than the Ohio Valley, conditions should be A-OK for you. It just could be rough there...
HARRIS: Outstanding.
WOLF: ... and we'll keep an eye on it for you.
NGUYEN: So in Texas, forget frying the egg on a sidewalk. You can melt a peep on the sidewalk today.
WOLF: You could.
HARRIS: Melt a peep.
WOLF: Can you melt a peep? I'm sure you can.
NGUYEN: Yes.
WOLF: Today, with 97 degrees.
NGUYEN: They're difficult to destroy, but if you can eat them, I'm sure you can melt them at some point, right?
WOLF: Absolutely. I'm all -- sure. It sounds good to me.
NGUYEN: If you think we're crazy talking about peeps, just you wait. This whole show is going to be focusing on peeps at one point in time and you're going to learn way too much about those little gooey...
HARRIS: Oh, my.
NGUYEN: ... yes, well, these things right here. These little peeps that we've turned into a little CNN sign for you.
WOLF: They're like little Java the Huts with brown eyes. They're pink. They're just, you know...
NGUYEN: Are they chicks? What -- what -- are they birds? What are these things? Don't really know, but we have our investigators on it and we'll get you the latest on that.
Speaking -- you just ate my peep.
WOLF: They've got that great peep flavor. Yes. Good times, yes.
NGUYEN: All right, speaking of peeps and the holy season, the annual White House Easter Egg Hunt on the agenda for tomorrow in Washington. We're headed there live to the White House to find out what the president is up to today, Easter Sunday.
HARRIS: More of CNN SUNDAY MORNING right after this.
NGUYEN: More peeps.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: A little peek at the peeps today.
HARRIS: We've got a lot of peeps.
NGUYEN: Speaking of these little things, they're just little, filled with goo, covered in sugar, but they're quite resilient, these little birds. I guess that's what they are. I've never really figured that out. And I bet you'd be surprised at the many ways people enjoy them.
Our Jeanne Moos took a peek into what makes these peeps so appealing.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Poor marshmallow peeps. Instead of nesting in Easter baskets, they're being shot. And frozen. And hammered. And stabbed. Suffering without making a peep. What is it about these sweet innocent icons that inspires the game "Peep Invaders?"
At a mere 32 calories apiece, what have they done to deserve this?
Peep fans with honorable intentions flock to the official company Web site.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Have a peep casting day.
MOOS: And buy peep clocks or learn about the newest peep incarnation -- the chocolate covered peep. You can even buy your own peep making machine, though the peep you produce no hen would recognize. There's peep dancing and peep karaoke.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Pop them in the microwave and listen to them scream.
MOOS: The microwave? It must be time for peep jousting. Arm two peeps with toothpicks and nuke them.
(on camera): They are expanding. Look at them.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The yellow one is way up high.
MOOS: Look at them. Wow! Holy smoke.
(voice-over): The winning peep is the one who spears his opponent.
(on camera): It's mutually assured destruction.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Of course. Isn't it?
MOOS (voice-over): Though you can also opt for circle suicide.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Eject.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The marshmallow (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
MOOS (on camera): Yes, jeez, that is cool.
(voice-over): Peep souffle. And speaking of rising, a few years back, NASA packed five pink passengers onto a balloon intended to gather meteoroid particles.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There we go!
MOOS: But when the balloon deflated, the peep passengers were never recovered.
Artist David Ottogalli used 5,000 peeps to make a shrine, not to mention finger licking good K.F. peeps. There's even peep porn -- a parody Web site, peeps for every taste.
But the gooey creations have a way of getting revenge.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Chippy, chippy, cheap, cheap. Chippy, chippy, cheap.
MOOS: Squeezed in the jaws of life, placed in a vacuum, researchers finally dissolved a peep in a caustic solvent. But the wax eyes remained. Figures that the toughest part of a peep would be its peepers.
Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
NGUYEN: All right, that shot right there is just all wrong. You do not give little chicks peeps.
HARRIS: No, you don't.
NGUYEN: Just the idea of.
HARRIS: But just, just, just a continuation of the theme you enunciated so accurately this morning.
NGUYEN: Which is?
HARRIS: It's hard out here for a peep.
NGUYEN: For a peep. That was your line. But it was pretty good. You were hustling it quite well.
HARRIS: That was yours. Betty, Betty...
NGUYEN: Hustle and flow on this show. This is what we do on a weekend basis.
HARRIS: All right, marshmallow...
NGUYEN: Enough of the peeps already, OK?
HARRIS: Thank you. Thank you. Can we...
NGUYEN: These have been on the floor and everywhere.
HARRIS: We've got a show to do here.
NGUYEN: Yes, let's go.
HARRIS: It is the holidays when loved ones abroad are missed the most.
NGUYEN: Oh, yes.
HARRIS: Next on CNN SUNDAY MORNING, we talk to our troops live in Iraq on this Easter Sunday.
NGUYEN: Plus, the average gas price is rapidly approaching $3 a gallon. Now, that makes buying a hybrid awfully attractive.
HARRIS: Yes.
NGUYEN: Don't buy, though, until you hear what our expert has to say about that. That's right here live on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Well, good morning, everyone. It is an early Easter feast for President Bush and the family at Camp David. Quite a spread will be laid out before them. White House correspondent Elaine Quijano is not at Camp David tucking a napkin under her chin, but at her usual post outside the White House.
Happy Easter to you, Elaine.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Happy Easter to you, too, Tony. That's right President Bush is spending this holiday weekend with family at the presidential retreat at Camp David. The last time we actually saw him was back on Thursday as he boarded Marine One and left for the weekend.
Now, among those joining him at Camp David are family members, of course, the first lady, his parents also, George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush and his mother-in-law, Jenna Welch.
Now this morning they're attending Easter services at the chapel at Camp David and later they'll be sitting down for an Easter meal. That is going to include on the menu: Two kinds of ham, honey-baked Easter ham with maple mustard sauce, tangerine glazed Easter ham. They'll also some fresh spinach salad with strawberry campaign vinaigrette, and skipping ahead to dessert, they are going to get so choose from fresh fruit and double coconut layer cake or lemon Kurd trifle with fresh berries.
Now, after that, the president returns to the White House here early this afternoon, and the Easter festivities, Tony, actually, continue tomorrow. Of course, the first lady is set to take part in the annual Easter egg roll, but for the president, back to business, he's going to be hitting the road, traveling to northern Virginia to talk taxes and tax cuts -- Tony.
HARRIS: Wow, double coconut layer cake. Man!
NGUYEN: You've lost your train of thought, haven't you?
HARRIS: To heck with the Peeps.
NGUYEN: Give me the cake.
HARRIS: Elaine, thank you. Wow.
NGUYEN: Yum, it sounds good.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi, I'm Sergeant Major Robert Thomas (ph) in Afghanistan. I just want the say hello to my mom and dad and my family back in Boston, Massachusetts, happy Easter, I love you, take care.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm Captain Tony Maclese (ph) from (INAUDIBLE) Air Force base. And I'm in Baghdad working at the U.S. embassy. I want to say hello and happy Easter to my wife, Amber, and our children, Sam and Anna. I miss you dearly. I love you, I'll see you very soon. I also want to say hello to our friends in Great Falls and the folks in the office. There's no place like home, and I'll be home very soon. Take care.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: On this, the holiest day for Christians, U.S. troops attended Easter services in Iraq, like this one in Ramadi and in Baghdad. They're joining an estimated 700,000 Iraqi Christians celebrating Easter, but what's the mood of our troops in Iraq on this very day. Joining us live are Army chaplain Captain Rubin Crespo, and Specialist William McSneed, serving in the 101st Airborne Division.
Happy Easter, thanks for joining us.
Happy Easter to you.
Happy Easter.Thank you.
NGUYEN: Chaplain Crespo, let me start with you, you're about six months into your duty there and what are the biggest challenges that soldiers on the ground are coming to you with?
CAPT. RUBIN CRESPO, U.S. ARMY CHAPLAIN: Oh, that mid-tour, you know, separation from family. Some of the communication issues back home.
NGUYEN: That's got to be especially difficult during the holy season, Easter, when a lot of people do spend this time with their families. What are you telling them today on this Easter?
CRESPO: Well, there again, just reflecting on their faith and just being -- thinking about this land that we're in, the land that so much of the bible was written in, and it's just a neat experience. We actually baptized about 25 soldiers today, and it was just -- it was an awesome experience.
NGUYEN: Oh, my goodness, that is quite an experience. It has to be, not only an honor and a privilege for you, but something that really must stay within your heart on a day like this and to be a part of someone's life and a special part of someone's life when they are dedicating themselves to faith. Talk to me about what that means to you in your part in such a special event?
CRESPO: Definitely. It was a awesome experience, because I was able to share with some -- many of the soldiers prior about their testimonies of their walk and their faith, and just taking this step of obedience, and, again, it was just a really awesome thing for them, being able to do it right here in Iraq.
NGUYEN: And what are you doing besides the baptisms today to honor Easter?
CRESPO: Well, we actually started with a sunrise service, 6:00 a.m. We didn't expect as many as came out. We had probably almost triple the amount show up sunrise, and then we had another 9:00 combined service. It was a great service. And then baptisms at noon, and we have one more service this evening.
NGUYEN: You got a lot going on today. Specialist McSneed, let's talk to you. You have been in Iraq for six months now. How has war changed your faith?
SPEC. WILLIAM MCSNEED, 101ST AIRBORNE: My faith has been strengthened completely because being away from your family and being away from everything you know, you draw closer to god.
NGUYEN: You've been tested, I'm sure.
MCSNEED: Yes.
NGUYEN: Talk to me about your family, because your parents and your brother live just outside of Philadelphia. What's it like being away from them? And how do you take today as a day to not only honor your faith, but as a way to, I guess, being so far away, as to think about those folks that you are not with on such an important day in your faith?
MCSNEED: Well, my family's catholic, and they -- they are going to church in about an hour, I just talked to them about 20 minutes ago and they were saying that they were about to go to church, so they wanted to watch me on TV first, and then they are going to head to church.
NGUYEN: Well, since they are watching, I don't want to make them late to church. What would you like to say to your family?
MCSNEED: I just want to tell them that I love them and I miss them, and hopefully I'll be home soon. NGUYEN: We hope so, too. Now, I understand -- and I've been reading that you pray almost every night. Obviously war has strengthened your faith, as you say. What is it that you pray for? Do you pray for safety? Do you pray to come home, or what are your requests to the man upstairs?
MCSNEED: A little bit of both, a little bit of pray for safety and also a prayer to go home and come home safely.
NGUYEN: Well, we hope those prayers are answered. Captain Crespo, let me talk you to about how faith has played a role in your life there? Obviously it's an important role in your life, but especially there on the battlefield, on the ground. Has this strengthened your faith as well?
CRESPO: Oh, definitely. After incidents, near misses and actually even hits, I spent time with soldiers in the squads, debriefing and a lot of them have questions about their faith, and then really start to seek, you know, we have something called a "Joy Night" on Saturday nights here, and we just talk about having joy in the lord, even in this place here. No matter where we are, we can express that. I'm just praising him wherever we are.
NGUYEN: That's a great message. You've been married for 15 years. On this Easter Sunday, what would you like to say to your family?
CRESPO: Well, I'd like to say, hello to my wife, Cindy, and my boys Jacob and Nicholas back in the Fort Kimball area. Happy Easter and we'll be back in just a few months.
NGUYEN: Well, happy Easter to you both, and we look forward to seeing you back here in just a couple months. Take care.
CRESPO: Thank you.
MCSNEED: Thank you.
CRESPO: God bless -- Tony.
HARRIS: Still ahead, paying taxes and filling up your car, yeah, the same feeling these days.
NGUYEN: Ouch is the feeling. And that's pushing a lot of you closer to a hybrid. You've been thinking about buying one? Well, if you believe what our next guest says, maybe you should pull back from that thought. Hybrid cars, the pros and the cons. That's next on CNN SUNDAY.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi, my name is Specialist AJF Martin (ph). I'm deployed here, Baghdad, Iraq. I'd like to send a holiday greeting back home to St. Charles, Missouri, to my family and friends, my mom and dad and my girlfriend, Amy. I love you baby, be home soon. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi, my name is Major Jeff Jarvis (ph) in Camp Victory, Iraq. I'd just like to say happy Passover to my mom in Randolph, New Jersey. I love you, mom.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm Lieutenant Colonel Gary Paulic (ph), stationed here at Phoenix Base, Baghdad, and I want to wish a happy Easter to my family back in Rochester, New York. Have fun on the Easter egg hunt and I'll see you soon. Brian, you know where to look for the big egg that grandpa hides. See you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: "News Across America, now." Jesse Jackson is stepping up to help the woman who's accused Duke's lacrosse team of rape. Jackson says his Rainbow Push coalition will pay her college tuition, whether or not her story proves to be true. The 27-year-old woman and mother of two attends North Carolina Central University.
Well, the search continues in Tennessee for a killer black bear. That bear attacked an Ohio family that was hiking in the mountains near Chattanooga on Thursday. A 6-year-old child was killed in that attack and injured 2-year-old has been upgraded to fair condition. Now, their mother remains in critical condition.
Look at this. Look at that. Oh, so sweet. Don't worry, no, little Bambi, this little guy right here is A-OK. He's been shot with a tranquilizer to quiet him to allow a rescue team to move in and move him out. Just sleeping a little right there. Where did it happen? Claremont, California, a suburb of L.A. The little deer was set free in a safer area and other than having a few scrapes, he's A-OK.
HARRIS: Good, good, good.
NGUYEN: Now, the sights and sounds...
HARRIS: That's a good one.
NGUYEN: Yeah, nothing like going out with a big bang. Especially when you use 400 pounds of explosives, yeah, it better come down. You are looking at the final moments of the Hotel San Diego. This historic building was purposefully brought down to make way for a brand new 22-story federal court building.
HARRIS: In just one week, gas prices jumped 10 cents a gallon? And forecasters say brace yourself, this is just the beginning.
NGUYEN: Oh.
HARRIS: We could be closing in on a $3 a gallon average.
NGUYEN: Say it isn't so. Oh, man.
HARRIS: The entire nation. All right, take a look at these prices from AAA. On the pacific coast, the average, the average, $2.80 a gallon. All right? Look at the Midwest. $2.62 there. The lowest average is in the mountain west, at almost $2.50. The rest of the nation...
NGUYEN: That's the lowest?
HARRIS: That's the lowest. The rest of the nation hovers around $2.70 a gallon. So here come the hybrid cars to the rescue, right?
With it we get promises more miles-per-gallon of gas, reduced fuel use, and less reliance on oil consumption and perhaps, most importantly, a cleaner environment. Car manufacturers are spending millions of dollars to try to assure you, the consumer, that they can deliver on those promises. Well, guess what? Forget about it.
NGUYEN: No!
HARRIS: It's all a lie.
NGUYEN: No, it's not. Really?
HARRIS: Wishful thinking. That's the response from this morning's guest from "Car and Driver" magazine. Joining us from Farmington Hills, Michigan is "Car and Driver" technical editor, Larry Webster.
Larry, that's an outrage. These people, these engineers are doing great work for Americans, and they're going to deliver on this promise.
LARRY WEBSTER, "CAR AND DRIVER" MAGAZINE: Well, you know, it depends. The hybrids certainly get better fuel economy. The problem is, is they are more expensive than a regular car. And, so let's say, on it a few grand more to get the hybrid version. What you save in gas isn't going to make up for that extra cost that you spend.
HARRIS: Well, wait a minute, wait a minute, Larry. Aren't the surprises supposed to come down on these vehicles?
WEBSTER: On the hybrids?
HARRIS: Yeah. I mean you make more people want them, there's more demand, you make more of the hybrids and the price comes down, isn't that the way it works is?
WEBSTER: It will to some degree. And don't forget, right, a hybrid in addition to having everything that the usual car has, it also has electric motors and it has this battery pack, and plus, it has some sort of way where it can regenerate the energy while you are braking. So you have all the extra components over a regular car, so no matter what you do, they're going to cost more. And, plus, right now the batteries are very expensive. Now, every body says that they may come down as technology improves, but right now that a big if and right now they're pretty pricey.
WEBSTER: Larry, I don't want to spend more on gas. I don't want to spend more on a car that's supposed to help me save on the price of fuel. This doesn't make any sense right now. WEBSTER: Well, you know, I think what you got to think about is that fuel economy's just like another -- it's kind of one of those -- it's like style in a car, like fuel economy...
HARRIS: Yeah.
WEBSTER: ...it's getting something. It's an image and it's a fuel-economy image. That's why the Prius, I think, gets more attention.
HARRIS: So, more image over real substance at this point?
WEBSTER: Yes.
HARRIS: That's more. That's outrageous. OK but, wait, wait, wait a minute, we're talking about fuel rods or something. We're talking about bio fuels.
WEBSTER: Biomass.
HARRIS: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
WEBSTER: Yeah, yeah.
HARRIS: Isn't that going to help us?
WEBSTER: Well, that's another one of these, you know, maybe it can, but right now, it's not really going to. Because a lot of the biomasses take a lot of energy to produce. So you don't get a big percentage of renewable energy in whatever fuel you have. The big thing you hear about now is ethanol, that e-85, and some of these things can be...
HARRIS: Right.
WEBSTER: Here's the problem, e-85 costs the same amount as gasoline, but there's less energy in it, so you burn more of to it go the same distance, so actually you spend more to burn e-85 than you do to burn gasoline so...
HARRIS: Wait a minute here, Larry. I mean, this is -- we're supposed to be -- we're supposed to be saving. We're supposed to be coming up with renewable sources of energy. We're supposed to be...
WEBSTER: Sure.
HARRIS: ...you know, protecting the environment.
WEBSTER: Yeah, I mean, I -- well, you got to -- I think one of the things gout think about is that there's a sort of big push from the whole public to get better fuel economies, is just sort of -- it's a little bit in its infancy.
HARRIS: I see.
WEBSTER: So give it a couple of decades for some of the technologies to really bare the fruit that they're promising right now. But I tell you, the best thing you can do is just buy small a smaller car, a smaller, lighter, car and you'll burn less gas and spend less money to buy it.
HARRIS: Speak of that, these prices are outrageous. Let me ask you something.
WEBSTER: Yeah.
HARRIS: What's the new floor now on gas prices? I mean, come on.
WEBSTER: Oh, that's a loaded question.
HARRIS: Well, wait a minute. Are we past the days of $2 a gallon for gas?
WEBSTER: I think we are. And that's my personal opinion. It is depends who you talk to, but everybody seems to think $50 or 60 bucks a barrel is really the new floor for oil. And the other problem we have in this country, we haven't built any new refineries. So, we're sort of limited by the amount of gasoline that we can supply. So demand keeps going up, the supply is fixed, well, what's going to happen to the price? It's going to go up.
HARRIS: You know what? I really don't like guests like Larry. Larry comes on, he's a great-looking guy, and he's got a great smile, and he comes on and just gives it you to right there.
NGUYEN: He shatters all your hopes.
WEBSTER: A couple of things you have to consider...
HARRIS: Yes.
WEBSTER: That cars, over the years. They've gotten a lot faster, right?
HARRIS: Right.
WEBSTER: They've gotten a lot safer and a lot quieter and more refined and all those things add weight to a vehicle and they actually make it burn more gas, so some of the things that customers want in cars are actually hurting fuel economy.
HARRIS: Gotcha.
WEBSTER: And that's just the way it is.
HARRIS: There you go. All right, Larry.
NGUYEN: Yeah, thanks, Larry.
WEBSTER: Be safe out there everybody.
HARRIS: OK, happy Easter to you, Larry we appreciate it. NGUYEN: Happy Easter to you, too.
WEBSTER: Thank you.
NGUYEN: Now that he just really just shattered all hope. OK, so if you don't know what to do now. If you thought about the hybrid, now you're not thinking about it. You're thinking about just staying in the car you have. You can keep track of who's got the cheapest gas in the area, this could be very important. All you have to do, fire up your computer, punch up this Web site, gasbuddy.com. Now another site for you is gaspricewatch.com. Again gasbuddy.com and gaspricewatch.com. You can find out the cheapest gas in your area. And you know...
HARRIS: You need to.
NGUYEN: I'm going to be on that computer checking that out.
HARRIS: Yes, you will.
NGUYEN: Well, your favorite Easter moments, when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello, I'm Equipment Operator 1st Class, Christopher Pulleyman (ph), serving in Kabul, Afghanistan. I'd like to say hello to my family back home in Asheville, North Carolina, and wish you a happy Easter.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello, I'm Sergeant Reese (ph), stationed in Baghdad, Iraq. This Eastergram goes out to Marie Reese that lives in Toledo, Ohio, I just want the say happy Easter, take care, and god bless.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi, I'm Sergeant 1st Class Louis Gonzales (ph), deployed here in Kabul, Afghanistan, from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. I'd just like to say hi to my family and friends back there and wish them a happy Easter.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Time to check in with Howard Kurtz in Washington to see what's ahead on CNN's "Reliable Sources."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HOWARD KURTZ, "RELIABLE SOURCES": Coming up, a "New York Post" gossip writer is under investigation over secret tapes of his attempt to hit up a billionaire for big bucks. We'll delve into the strange and sometimes seamy world of celebrity reporting.
Plus, what on earth is ESPN doing going into the reality show business with Barry Bonds? We'll also show you the corporate videotapes that end up as news on your local station. And immigrants on the march, did all the coverage mean a less than balanced view of a difficult debate? All that and more, ahead on "Reliable Sources."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: That "Reliable Sources," coming up at 10:00 Eastern, followed by Wolf Blitzer and "Late Edition" at 11:00 and "On the Story" at 1:00 Eastern. Stay tuned to CNN as we go in-depth into the stories of the day.
NGUYEN: Well, when Reynolds Wolf isn't crushing Peeps live on the show...
WOLF: He had it coming. He was there mocking me on the desk.
NGUYEN: ...you are actually doing real work around here, right?
HARRIS: Mocking you?
WOLF: Yes, he saying -- is little Peep mouth was moving and stuff.
HARRIS: Right.
WOLF: But seriously, the thing about the Peep, I mean, they taste like sugar and there's nothing wrong with sugar.
NGUYEN: Right.
WOLF: But if you are a guy -- can you picture Samuel L. Jackson eating one of these?
HARRIS: No. No.
NGUYEN: It's not very masculine is what you're saying?
WOLF: Mr. T, one of my childhood heroes -- Mr. T would not eating Peeps. Do you see where's I'm going with this?
NGUYEN: He would crush that Peep.
HARRIS: Here we go, the Peep parade. There it is. Peep -- welcome everyone to the Peep parade.
NGUYEN: We are obsessed with the Peeps, today.
WOLF: We are, we are in deed. This Peep is coming with me.
HARRIS: There you go.
NGUYEN: Just don't eat it because it's been on the floor. Just, I'm just warning you. That's what I'm here for.
HARRIS: Good times. Good times.
WOLF: Makes it tasty. Hey let's show you what we have out there this morning.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WOLF: That's a look at your Easter forecast. But even if it's raining in your part of the world, it's always good weather to eat chocolate bunnies and Peep.
HARRIS: Sure. Squish a Peep.
WOLF: There you go. Whatever it takes.
HARRIS: Look, all morning long we've been asking about your thoughts on our e-mail question. What is the your fondest Easter memory? Great responses all morning long.
A. Young from California writes, "My most precious Easter memory is reciting my Easter speech in front of the entire church. It seemed the older I got, the longer the speech, and the less cute I looked trying to remember it." That's good.
NGUYEN: Marty from Florida says, "My fondest memory was when my grandchildren were out hunting Easter eggs and a real live bunny hopped out of the shrubbery. Needless to say the bunny didn't hang around for very long."
HARRIS: And Robert from Michigan writes, "My favorite Easter is when my grandma got all of the grandchildren live colored Easter chicks. My sister's chick was blue, mine green. My chick, Sandy, lived to be 12 years old. Of course, dying baby chicks has long been banned."
NGUYEN: Ah, yeah, for good reason.
HARRIS: You can read that a couple of different ways. Couldn't you?
NGUYEN: Interesting.
HARRIS: Thank you for your e-mail responses to the questions this morning. It's been a fun morning, fun morning. Happy Easter, everyone.
NGUYEN: Happy Easter, everyone. "Reliable Sources" is next, followed by "Late Edition" and "On the Story," so don't go away.
HARRIS: And Fredricka Whitfield will be with you all morning with live news updates.
NGUYEN: Have a good day.
WOLF: Enjoy
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