Return to Transcripts main page
Nancy Grace
Mystery Text in Missing Hailey Dunn Case
Aired January 18, 2011 - 20:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
NANCY GRACE, HOST: Breaking news tonight, Live, Texas. A 13-year-old cheerleader, broad daylight, leaves home by foot to head down the street to a little friend`s house for a sleepover. She`s never seen again. Bloodhounds scan the neighborhood and a local motel, police combing that motel`s surveillance video. No sign of Hailey. Just after we go live with the story, Colorado police, who dismissed Hailey as just a runaway, upgrade her case to a missing person.
Did Mommy and the boyfriend actually throw a New Year`s Eve party just 72 hours after Hailey goes missing? Mommy says no. Oddly, in police interviews, the boyfriend starts out saying, quote, what a "good girl" Hailey is, but then does a 180, claiming the 13-year-old girl is, quote, "promiscuous." A horrific scenario emerges. Hailey`s grandmother fears Mommy`s live-in molests 13-year-old Hailey, then murders her when she threatens to tell.
Eerie, threatening slasher videos emerge, Mommy`s live-in wearing a black hood, a black S&M type mask topping off a black ninja outfit, Adkins acting out slice-and-dice scenarios on camera, chainsaws, machetes, knives, aprons for catching blood spatter straight out of Freddie Krueger or Jason in "Friday the 13th." Oh, and apparently, he`s smoking pot on video! We have the video.
Police converge at a local dump, combing through tons of debris, bringing cadaver dogs, who make a hit. The live-in speaks out, declaring he`s innocent, lamenting the toll it`s taking on him, and says he prays for Hailey`s return. But still at this hour, no one can confirm he`s at church on his knees this past Sunday.
Bombshell tonight. As we go to air, we learn cops seized Hailey`s bed sheets, and at this hour performing forensic tests on those sheets to determine if a molestation and/or a murder occurred there. Cops investigating whether the live-in, Shawn Adkins, had access to sulfuric acid at his job. Could it destroy a child`s body?
Police say they`re convinced text messages deleted off Hailey`s cell, as a mystery text being investigated. Now to top it all off, boyfriend Shawn Adkins goes on line, posting photos of himself with Hailey, talking about how much he misses and loves her. In the last hours, we go to boyfriend Shawn Adkins`s home to ask some questions. A relative comes to the door to claim he`s not there. But hey, his truck parked right out front the whole time. Was he hiding? Tonight, where is 13-year-old cheerleader Hailey Dunn?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILLIE DUNN, MOTHER: I saw her Sunday night probably around 10:00.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Still no sign of Hailey Dunn.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Shawn Adkins has been named a suspect.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Monday, December 27th, the day in question.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Shawn says Hailey told him she was going to her father`s house.
CLINT DUNN, FATHER: I didn`t see her at all that day.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Then to a friend`s house down the road.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He arrives at work at 6:00 o`clock in the morning. He leaves at 6:10.
BILLIE DUNN: He told me that he went straight to his mom`s house in Big Spring.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But police say, no, his cell phone is pinging in Colorado City.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A text message was sent from her phone, sent at 2:00 o`clock in the afternoon to the friend where she was supposedly going.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We don`t know if Hailey made that text message, sent it, because it fits the suspect`s timeline to a T.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There was no response to that text.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: Good evening. I`m Nancy Grace. I want to thank you for being with us. Bombshell tonight. As we go to air, we learn cops seize Hailey`s bed sheets, at this hour performing forensic tests to determine if a molestation and/or murder occurred there. Cops also investigating whether the live-in boyfriend, Shawn Adkins, has access to sulfuric acid at his job. Could that acid destroy a child`s body?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: A 13-year-old cheerleader.
BILLIE DUNN: I don`t know where my daughter is.
GRACE: Never seen again.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have several people of interest.
GRACE: What do we know?
BILLIE DUNN: (INAUDIBLE) the polygraph. They told me he failed it. I lost it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you know the whereabouts of Hailey Dunn? It showed deception was indicated in his answer.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It really doesn`t bother me because, you know, my main focus is Hailey.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He said she could probably be found in Scurry County, directly, I believe, north a bit of Colorado City.
BILLIE DUNN: Shawn getting the cell phone pings, coming back to Colorado City that morning.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We`re finding out from Billie Dunn that perhaps there was a text message. The phone that Hailey would use -- she used her mother`s phone -- the text said just, What are you doing, to the friend.
BILLIE DUNN: I want to know who she talked to on the phone. It`s very important to me if she was on that phone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: We are taking your calls live. I want to go straight out to Rupa Mikkilineni, standing there live in the field at Hailey`s home. Rupa, what do you know?
RUPA MIKKILINENI, NANCY GRACE PRODUCER: Nancy, we know that tonight, as we speak, there are forensic tests being done on evidence being -- that has been gathered both in the vehicles and the home. We also know that, for example, one of those tests is, in fact, Hailey`s bed sheets from her bedroom. A test, for example, would be done on what types of body fluids or fluids or DNA that could be found, potentially even linking possible sexual molestation occurring in the home maybe, even, Nancy. Now, police are not saying that that is what`s happened, but they are saying that these are the kinds of tests that are being conducted tonight as we speak.
GRACE: Rupa Mikkilineni, you also mentioned items being taken out of the car that are being tested right now. What items, do you know?
MIKKILINENI: Well, we know that there was debris found in the trunk of a car, which is being tested. We also know that -- you know, police have gone a little bit further in just speaking about the kinds of tests that they would be doing. Now, they are not saying that they have, in fact, found evidence. But one such theory that they`ve discussed, Nancy, is the possibility of acid maybe being used.
In this community, in this area -- this is an oil field area, and in fact, Shawn Adkins worked for a pipeline company. So he`s familiar with oil fields and knows people that would have access to particular types of acid, sulfuric acid, HCL, hydrochloric acid. And these types of acids can be known to be used in the disposal of a body, Nancy.
GRACE: We are taking your calls live. But first to Jean Casarez. Jean, what can you tell me about these developments?
JEAN CASAREZ, "IN SESSION": You know something interesting, Billie Dunn said last night that there had been a call made on that Monday, December 27th, to Hailey`s little friend about 2:00 in the afternoon. Well, now we have confirmation that a call was made from Billie Dunn`s cell phone to this little girl. We still don`t know who made it, but it corroborates what Billie Dunn said last night.
GRACE: Well, wait a minute. Now, Jean, what about this mystery text they`re saying they`re investigating, a text that says -- it was in slang - - What are you doing? Like, "WYD," what are you doing. Do we believe that Hailey actually sent that to Mary Beth (ph), the little friend, or are police wondering could somebody else have sent that? And what time was that text?
CASAREZ: They have to be wondering that, 2:o`clock 00 in the afternoon. And what are you doing? If you`re going to go spend the night there, wouldn`t you say, I`ll see you soon? I`m almost there? And there was never a response from the little girlfriend.
GRACE: Now, how do we know for sure that that call you were talking about was made, Jean Casarez?
CASAREZ: We know because it was on the cell phone. There were search warrants executed on that cell phone. Law enforcement have that phone, and they found it.
GRACE: Also joining us tonight, Alexis Weed. Alexis, what more do you know?
ALEXIS WEED, NANCY GRACE PRODUCER: Billie Dunn is telling us that she saw herself that text, that she saw it before police seized her phone, which they still have. Her phone has not been returned. So she`s saying that she saw it with her own eyes, that "WRUD," what are you doing, to the friend.
GRACE: Do you know, Alexis, what time of the day that text was sent?
WEED: Billie Dunn said it was just after 2:00 o`clock in the afternoon.
GRACE: At 2:00 PM. Now, let me get something straight. Rupa Mikkilineni, what time does the live-in say he came home that day from his mother`s?
MIKKILINENI: He says he came home at about 3:15, that he was on his way into the house, and he said Hailey was on her way out, saying, Hey, I`m going to go see a friend, then go over to my dad`s and spend the night at a friend`s house.
GRACE: And back to you, Alexis Weed. The pings off the boyfriend`s cell phone -- and everybody, I`m just asking questions about this live-in boyfriend. He`s now moved out. Billie Dunn told him to leave. He has apparently cut off contact to her. I`m not saying he`s the only person that should be looked at, but I`ve got a lot of questions about his behavior.
Alexis Weed, I want to talk very quickly -- let me see the map, Liz, of the pings. Do the pings tell us where he was at 2:00 PM that day?
WEED: They tell us that between the hours of 9:38 in the morning and 2:40 in the afternoon, that Shawn Adkins was pinging around the Big Spring, Texas, area. That`s where his grandmother lives. But before that, Nancy, between the hours of 6:35 and 6:56 in the morning, that`s when he was pinging around Colorado City where Hailey`s -- Hailey`s home is located.
GRACE: So at 2:40 PM, I`ve still got him at his mother`s house, right?
WEED: Right.
GRACE: Now, question. Back to you, Jean Casarez. Let`s talk about this 2:00 PM text from Hailey`s phone. Where did it ping? Where did it ping?
CASAREZ: That`s very interesting. Where did it ping from? We don`t know.
GRACE: Because, listen, you see where I`m going, Jean.
CASAREZ: Yes, I do.
GRACE: If the boyfriend had Hailey`s phone and he was faking that text, this innocuous, generic text, What are you doing, to a little friend of hers, he could have gotten that friend`s name out of the phone directory, if she had it in the -- it was a disposable phone. How do I know he didn`t send that? And if he did, where was he? If he was at his mom`s until 2:40, did that cell ping, that text ping from where his mother lived? Because if it did, he`s in a lot of trouble, Jean.
CASAREZ: That`s right. And otherwise, if it didn`t, if it pinged from the home in Colorado City, then maybe little Hailey Dunn was alive at that point.
GRACE: We are taking your calls. Out to Terry in Pennsylvania. Hi, Terry.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, Nancy. It`s always great to talk to you.
GRACE: Likewise.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My question is -- I know that the cell phone pings show that Shawn was pinging in Colorado City until almost 7:00 AM, and then in Big Springs from about 9:00-something after. Where was he between 7:00 and 9:00, is my question? Does anyone know?
GRACE: Excellent question. What do we know, Jean Casarez?
CASAREZ: I don`t think that`s been determined there. No phone calls made. I guess that`s one thing that could be determined from that.
GRACE: Out to Billie Dunn. This is Hailey`s mother. Billie, thank you for being with us tonight. Did he tell you where he was...
BILLIE DUNN: Thank you.
GRACE: ... in between 7:00 and 9:00 AM?
BILLIE DUNN: No, I haven`t had a chance to ask him. No.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Still no sign of Hailey.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think this is going to be a horrible outcome.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Have you guys reached the realization, the reality that something could have happened to Hailey?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, that`s obviously an aspect that we have to look at, yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Each time Billie walks into her daughter`s room, one thought runs through her mind...
BILLIE DUNN: Every time I come in, I hope she`s sitting here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And still no sign of 13-year-old Hailey Dunn. As the criminal investigation intensifies, the Dunns say they worry if Hailey will be found alive. But authorities say the missing person`s case is still active.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We will not quit until we find Hailey.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And as more people turn their attention to Shawn Adkins, the only named suspect in the case, authorities want to remind people Billie`s former live-in boyfriend is not the only suspect.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are still persons of interest beyond Mr. Adkins.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I love her with all my heart, and I believe she loves me with all her heart.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Billie says regardless of who did it, she just wants her daughter home.
BILLIE DUNN: Hope is all I have.
CLINT DUNN: I went to Odessa. I had a tip somebody may have seen Hailey, and I went to Odessa on Midland (ph) Street and Wall (ph) Street. And I interviewed a lot of people and walked up and down the streets, passing out fliers, talking to everybody. And it turned out to be a girl - - I never found her, but everybody said that she looked much older than 13.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: We are taking your calls. You just saw Clint Dunn speaking out, Hailey`s father. I want to tell you that he has actually gotten out and looked, gone door to door begging people for information about his missing girl, Hailey.
You`re taking a look at video of her room, her little bed with princess over it, stars on the wall. There`s her little cheerleading outfit. That was one of the joys of her life. She loved being a cheerleader. Everywhere, she`s got stars and butterflies. You are seeing her things laid out in her room. And there`s her bed -- no, that`s her dresser. What was striking me as I saw her bed is that the cops took the sheets off that bed, and at this hour, forensic tests being run on those sheets.
For those of you just joining us, they pursue a theory that she may have been molested and murdered. On the other hand, her mother believes and hopes desperately that her girl is still alive.
Out to Marc Klaas, president and founder of Klaas Kids Foundation. It is not beyond the realm of belief that this child is still alive.
MARC KLAAS, KLAAS KIDS FOUNDATION: I think that`s absolutely correct. I think it`s way too soon to be writing this child off. I think it`s very good that law enforcement is looking at other suspects besides Shawn Adkins, that they don`t have blinders on. And there are plenty of scenarios that exist that could bring this girl back home. We must never forget Elizabeth Smart or Shawn Hornbeck. They`re great examples of kids who were written off but -- or even Jaycee Dugard. Miraculously, they appeared years later and are able to put their lives back together.
GRACE: Marc, you had the opportunity tonight to speak to Billie Dunn. And as a matter of fact, everyone, Marc Klaas has actually sent an elite group of searchers that are going to be searching for Hailey. What is your advice to Billie about what to do now, Marc?
KLAAS: Well, Billie`s staying involved and that`s really important. Both Billie and Clint have found ways, a comfort level, I guess you could say in this nightmarish scenario, to stay involved in the search for their daughter and they`re moving it forward. They continue to do that. They continue to hold onto hope.
Here`s what they have to do, Nancy. They have to take care of their own needs. They have to try to get some sleep every night and try to get some nourishment every day because, you know what? These things can go on for a long, long time, as I just mentioned. We all know that. And I guess what you need to do ultimately is put a playbook together on how you`re going to move it forward into the future.
GRACE: We are taking your calls. Out to Maria in Massachusetts. Hi, Maria.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, Nancy.
GRACE: Hi, dear. What`s your question?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You have beautiful children.
GRACE: Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My question is for Billie. I`m not blaming the mother at all, I`m just curious if she knew about the mask and all that he had on MySpace.
GRACE: OK. Let`s ask. What about it, Billie? Did you know? And there is video of him apparently smoking pot on video, which he -- you know, he must be a complete idiot to be doing that on video for the world to see.
BILLIE DUNN: Yes.
GRACE: You answered this question last night, but please answer it again for Maria.
BILLIE DUNN: OK. I did know about the mask. He had masks that he bought, he traded, he sold. I didn`t know about the videos or the pot smoking. But I did see last night on your show the videos. I do believe it`s before we got together, but I don`t think he was at least smoking pot while we were together. But I did know about the mask.
GRACE: We are taking your calls, but I want to give you the tip line again, 325-728-5294. There is a $15,000 reward for help.
And to tonight`s "Case Alert." Outrage! A Georgia baby-sitter convicted of killing a 4-month-old baby, Jaci Rogers, released from prison because of a clerical error. Ordered to serve at least two years behind bars, which is too light to start with, Amy Jones walks from prison one year early. There she is in all her glory and splendor. Why? Dodge County sheriffs file paperwork with the Georgia Department of Corrections with the wrong year written in the forms. That mistake allows Jo`s release on probation.
But we just spoke to Okonee (ph) judicial circuit district attorney Tim Vaughn (ph). He`s planning to file a new motion within days to send Jones back to prison where she belongs. We want justice for baby Jaci!
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We haven`t given up on finding her.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The search for Hailey Dunn.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Looking for any sign of Hailey.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shawn Adkins is a suspect in this case.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is Shawn Adkins at the top of your list right now?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He`s the only one being named, so I guess you could say that.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Now he`s just not being cooperative and not talking to them.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What was happening during the last few minutes when you saw her?
SHAWN ADKINS, MOTHER`S BOYFRIEND: She just told me, you know, Shawn, I`m going to go by my dad`s and then I`m going to stay the night with my friend, Mary Beth. Please tell my mom.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kids, don`t try this at home. We`re trying (INAUDIBLE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: That was the video we were telling you about. I`m going to show it to you in full in just a moment.
But back to the lines. Out to Linda in Florida. Hi, Linda.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, Nancy. How are you, hon?
GRACE: I`m good, dear. What`s your question?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, I have a couple.
GRACE: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But first I want to say congratulations on the twins. You are definitely God`s angel. And honestly, you were put here on this earth for a reason, and you are doing it.
GRACE: Linda, thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I watch you all the time, honey, and I don`t know how you hold up to it. I really don`t.
GRACE: I have to tell you when I think about this little Hailey -- and I want you to look at Billie Dunn. Could you show Billie, please, Liz? You know, I can see in her night by night, hour by hour she looks frailer, tireder, more exhausted. See, I can see her when you don`t see her. I can see her crying and holding Kleenex up to her eyes. She has come on this show every night to try to get the word out about her daughter. She has had people call in and accuse her attack her about all kind of things, and you know, she`s still here.
So Linda, what`s your question, my love?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don`t accuse her of anything. My condolence to her. But you know, this might could very well be a lesson to other young mothers that if they have a daughter, they`re going to come straight -- the boyfriend is going to go to the daughter and not to the mother.
GRACE: You know what, Linda? That has been played out over and over. Everyone, stay with us. Linda in Florida, don`t move. We`ll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The search continues for missing Hailey Dunn.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We want answers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just hope she makes it home safe and sound.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The only named suspect in the case.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I started being told he`s just a hurdle we can`t get around.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are begging him, just tell us where to find her.
DUNN: Shawn, if you have nothing to hide, I really wish you would talk to the investigators.
ADKINS: I`m clueless.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The boyfriend saying what a huge toll this is taking on him. But guess what?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Adkins watches them search day after day from the front porch of the house.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, it makes you just want to walk up there and, you know, slap him.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shawn Adkins is a suspect in this case.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: Where is 13-year-old cheerleader Hailey Dunn? We are taking your calls live. I want to go back to Rupa Mikkilineni for those of you just joining us. Rupa, a lot has happened in the last 24 hours. What are police telling you?
RUPA MIKKILINENI, NANCY GRACE PRODUCER: Well, police are saying this is absolutely a criminal investigation. They suspect foul play. Their number one suspect is Shawn Adkins. However, they have said that they do have other serious suspects. They absolutely refuse to name those suspects and the reason they gave is because they are trying to protect their investigation, Nancy. They don`t want to alert those other suspects that, in fact, those people are suspects so they end up covering their tracks.
GRACE: Rupa, you are there in Hailey`s home. Tell me what police searched while they were there and what you see in Hailey`s room.
MIKKILINENI: Right. Nancy, the police searched this home several times, and most recently they searched a crevice, an area underneath the home. They searched Hailey`s bedroom. They`ve searched all the bedrooms. They`ve taken whatever evidence they could possibly gather. They are processing this evidence and today I was told an example of such a process would be, in fact, Hailey`s bed sheets were removed and police -- forensics tests are being conducted on her bed sheets. This is an example that they gave. They`re not saying that they actually believe for sure or for certain that Hailey was sexually molested but this is a possibility.
They are searching for motive here, Nancy. And so, the bottom line is that they are looking for any possible evidence that could suggest any type of abuse, any type of a reason to hurt this child, anything. And the police have also said that they are not close to making an arrest right now. But they do have some strong reasons to believe certain individuals are involved in Hailey`s disappearance and, at this point, they are looking for any bodily fluids, evidence, anything that would suggest that Hailey has been injured. They don`t have that evidence at this point. Forensic evidence suggesting that she is dead or that she has been injured. This is what they need.
GRACE: To Billie Dunn. This is Hailey`s mother joining us live there in her home. Billie, what did cops tell you about taking Hailey`s bed sheets?
DUNN: I just know when they came in and searched the house, they took a few things, which they`re more than welcome to take any and everything they need. I didn`t notice the sheet was missing for a couple of days. I did tell them to take it for the hounds, but, yes, they kept it and they can keep it, get anything they need.
GRACE: Billie, what are they telling you about the investigation?
DUNN: Not a whole lot. More than everybody else. They do tell me -- I don`t want them to be too focused on Shawn. I want them to look everywhere, which they reassure me they are. They have different people looking at different areas. I just -- as long as I can believe that Hailey`s alive, I`m going to choose to believe that. But they do tell me they`re looking everywhere.
GRACE: Back to Jean Casarez, legal correspondent "In Session." Jean, sulfuric acid has taken center stage in the police search today. What do you know?
CASAREZ: Well, isn`t it interesting that when you look at a community that they may know the ways -- what someone may use in a homicide. This is west Texas. This is oil well country. He worked on the rigs. And sulfuric acid is something that`s used to dig the holes and they believe that that can be, in a sense, a murder weapon, something that can be used during the commission of a homicide.
GRACE: Let`s go back to Linda in Florida. We had to go to our commercial break. Linda, back to your question, dear. What were you saying?
LINDA, FLORIDA: I have a couple of comments and I mean no disrespect to the mother. God bless them. But it is my own personal thinking since Shawn is going around with this mask and the apron and the machete knife and really showing it off and bragging, I wonder if police have not thought that he could have used exactly that and killed her.
I think there may be another case like the little -- your little girl with the amputee leg. I think she may very well be passed. She may have lost all of her limbs, and I think this apron and mask and knife has a lot to do with it and I believe the car -- his car will have a lot to do with it.
GRACE: Speaking of his car, out to Rupa Mikkilineni, did you go and try to ask Shawn Adkins, the former live-in boyfriend, questions today? What happened?
MIKKILINENI: Right, Nancy. I went over to the place where he is staying. I believe he`s staying with his grandmother right now. And I was told when I knocked on the door, I spoke with a relative. His aunt answered the phone. Very kind. Spoke with me and said, look, he`s not here. And she said that she believes him to be innocent and that he is being portrayed badly in a negative light by the police. And it`s incorrect.
She absolutely professed his innocence. Said that he`s having a very tough time dealing with all this. She said he was not home and was not able to comment.
Now later I went to the police department and spoke with law enforcement and I asked them, is he under 24-hour surveillance? They said, he absolutely is and he never leaves that house. He was more than likely at home when I did knock on that door is what they believe.
GRACE: Well, Rupa, wasn`t his black -- shiny, black truck parked right outside the house where you could see it?
MIKKILINENI: Well, I believe that is a shiny, black pickup truck outside the house. This is his uncle`s car apparently. And he does use that. And yes, the car was parked right in front, Nancy.
GRACE: So, I mean, if he`s going to go somewhere, he`s got to use that vehicle and there it is parked right out front. And they told you he wasn`t home.
MIKKILINENI: Right. They told me he was not home. But police say that he`s almost always at home.
GRACE: I want to go back to Billie Dunn. Back to the question the caller presented earlier. Between 7:00 and 9:00 a.m.. Why? Why? Let`s see that ping record again, Liz. The map. Why would he go into work, Billie, take a look at his boss, 6:00 a.m., take a sip of soda and walk out? Then tell you he got fired or quit or some such story as that when the boss said that`s not what happened at all. He just turned around and walked out. Then his pings placed him back around your home between 6:30 and 7:00 a.m. Then between 7:00 and 9:00, nothing. Then the pings put him at his mother`s house around 9:00 up until 2:40 p.m.
What do you see in that scenario, Billie Dunn? What`s he doing back around your home?
DUNN: I don`t know. That`s all stuff I need a lot of answers to, that we all need a lot of answers to.
GRACE: Well, have you tried to ask him?
DUNN: No.
GRACE: Why?
DUNN: I haven`t spoke with him. He`ll send a text every now and then. But I haven`t asked him, why did you come back to the house? He never let me know that. I didn`t know that until the affidavits came out and showed his pings. That he had come back here first, then to Big Spring.
GRACE: Well, why haven`t you asked him?
DUNN: I haven`t spoke with him.
GRACE: Yes, I know that. My question is, why? I would want to know why. What were you doing back around my house?
DUNN: I want to know too.
GRACE: Well then why haven`t you asked him? Oh, because did the cops tell you not to talk to him?
DUNN: I`m not allowed -- no. When I call over there, they don`t let me talk to him. They won`t put him on the phone.
GRACE: What about a cell phone?
DUNN: He doesn`t have a cell phone.
GRACE: So when you call over there, what do they say?
(CROSSTALK)
GRACE: Well, text him.
DUNN: That Shawn -- Shawn can`t talk to you.
GRACE: He can`t talk to you or he won`t talk to you. Because obviously he can still speak.
DUNN: Per his lawyer, he can`t talk to me.
GRACE: So his lawyer -- man, that was like pulling a tooth. His lawyer has told him not to talk to you?
DUNN: (INAUDIBLE).
GRACE: It`s OK. His lawyer has told him not to talk to you?
DUNN: Right.
GRACE: Why?
DUNN: I don`t know. There`s a lot of questions I have and I guess that`s why. Also, I have gone over there with Texas Rangers to try to get him to come talk. Shawn, you need to talk. It`ll just be two guys. There`s a lot of answers you can provide. And that`s probably why they`re not wanting me to talk to him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ADKINS: No, this is not like her at all.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Any reason that you think as to why she might have run away?
ADKINS: I`m clueless.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE).
ADKINS: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Still no sign of Hailey Dunn.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We haven`t given up on finding her.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Authorities are still actively following leads.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All the agencies are engaged. Nobody`s lost any traction.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The search party meets every day in Dunn (ph) right down the street from Shawn Adkins` home. The only suspect in the investigation so far.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You were the last person who saw her alive. What did you see that day when you walked through the door?
ADKINS: Like I said, she was just in the living room watching TV. Nothing out of the normal.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Where is Hailey Dunn?
DUNN: I`m scared to death that somebody hurt her.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No one needs that answer more than Hailey`s mother.
DUNN: Right now it`s not feeling good to me that I`m going to be able to hold my daughter again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: We are taking your calls live. But right now unleash the lawyers. Joining us tonight out of Atlanta, Darryl Cohen, former prosecutor turned defense attorney. In New York, Alex Sanchez, defense attorney. Darryl, Alex, since when do you defense attorneys tell your client you can`t even speak to your girlfriend? What about you, Darryl?
DARRYL COHEN, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Nancy, my view is if you have nothing to hide, then you hide nothing. I never tell a client if he or she is innocent to keep their mouth shut. Only if I believe that they`re guilty and they have something to hide.
GRACE: Put him up. Put him up because I can think of cases off the top of my head, Darryl Cohen, where your client did not take the stand. I assume that means you knew he was guilty?
COHEN: You`ve got that right. If I think they`re guilty, they`re not going to testify if I have my way. Absolutely.
GRACE: Sanchez, do you know how bad it looks for the former live-in not to even come to the phone?
ALEX SANCHEZ, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Yes, that looks bad but, you know, he apparently is following the advice of his lawyer. And let me tell you something. There`s two reasons why people don`t speak to the police or the public. Number one is maybe they are guilty. But the second one is they believe they`re the target of an unfair investigation and I think there`s evidence that`s coming out here that`s casting the Shawn Adkins in such a negative light. He`s probably saying, look, they have it out for me. Why should I speak to the police? And what am I talking about -- number one.
GRACE: Sanchez, I`m not talking about talking to the police. I`m talking about talking to his girlfriend, Billie Dunn.
SANCHEZ: Yes, but you know, his girlfriend is an agent of the police. Let`s face it. The police want the girlfriend to speak to him --
GRACE: Can you see the monitor? Can you see the monitor? Take a look at that. How would you like your 13-year-old girl to get off the school bus and come home to that? What about it, Sanchez?
SANCHEZ: Now, look, you know, this thing about the photographs on the Internet, by the way, on his MySpace showing him in a black mask making him look like he`s some gothic murdering sect member.
GRACE: I didn`t put the mask on his head. He did that.
SANCHEZ: Yes, I know, but is it really fair to conclude as some people have that he`s, you know, chopped her up into pieces because he`s put this stupid mask on?
GRACE: Sanchez, no. That`s ridiculous. No, it is ridiculous. What`s not ridiculous is to just look into the mind of a guy, a grown man - - I assume that you two have Facebook or MySpace pages. I bet you`re not dressed up in solid black and an S&M type horror mask wielding a machete or a knife.
What about it, Dr. Austin? Leslie Austin, what about it?
LESLIE AUSTIN, PH.D., PSYCHOTHERAPIST: Well, Nancy, Shawn Adkins, at the very least, is showing incredible immaturity by doing all that and it does show some interest with the macabre. It does show some interest --
GRACE: Immaturity at his age?
AUSTIN: Yes, that`s a problem. That`s a serious problem.
GRACE: It`s more than immaturity to me and smoking pot.
Liz, (INAUDIBLE) pot smoking. I want to hear him whispering into the camera. OK? Go ahead, Leslie.
AUSTIN: But that kind of really dumb behavior in public indicates somebody who is not very responsible who might very well do something impulsive or stupid.
GRACE: Let`s take a look at Shawn Adkins and what looks to be a big fat doobie.
AUSTIN: This is someone who is completely irresponsible, Nancy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ADKINS: Kids, don`t try this at home. We`re trying this at my home. It`s very dangerous. There are many things that could go wrong. If you get caught, you don`t want to get caught. I`m alive!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: OK. That`s apparently Shawn Adkins smoking pot. It was on the find Hailey Dunn channel on YouTube. Calls to Adkins and his lawyers not returned. Did I just hear him drop the f-bomb? Did I hear that, Liz? Yes, I think I did.
To Michael Sapraicone, former NYPD, President of Squad Security, Inc., joining us out of New York. Weigh in, Michael.
MICHAEL SAPRAICONE, PRESIDENT OF SQUAD SECURITY, INC.: I tell you, there`s no doubt that Shawn`s got a big problem and he`s a good looking suspect at this point. But there`s a lot of questions. I`m sure the police are doing the best they can here. But there`s a lot of people of interest here and a lot of questions of why they`re doing things a little bit later than sooner. And how far are they going with what they`re doing.
I mean, there`s a father and, of course, I`m sure he`s a wonderful person but you need to ask some questions and there`s a lot of questions that aren`t being answered. I understand there`s a brother who is 16 years old. When you have a 13-year-old girl, they have friends. They talk.
GRACE: Well, what about the brother? What`s the deal about the brother? Do you have a question about him?
SAPRAICONE: Well, I have a question about -- he must know something. If you live in the same --
GRACE: He was gone from 9:00 that evening until 4:00 the next afternoon.
SAPRAICONE: But does he talk to his sister? Do they have a relationship? What are the police getting from him? What are the police getting from classmates? You know, where was -- I understand that she was supposed to sleep at the father`s house that evening or a friend`s house but that couldn`t be verified. When did the mother see her last the night before? Where was she? Was she at the father`s house? Who really saw her there? Do we have any indication that Adkins actually was with her on the 27th? So there`s things like that that I would like --
GRACE: To Howard Oliver, Deputy Medical Examiner, Forensic Pathologist, joining us out of L.A. You`ve heard the discussion about the acid that cops believe the boyfriend has access to at his job. What would that do to a body?
HOWARD OLIVER, DEPUTY MEDICAL EXAMINER, FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST: Well, it would take a great deal of acid, enough to submerge the body but it would disintegrate all the tissues off the body including the bones.
GRACE: Out to the lines. Tina, Ohio. Hi, Tina.
TINA, OHIO: Hi, Nancy.
GRACE: Hi, dear. What`s your question?
TINA, OHIO: Well, it kind of already got answered. I was going to ask when was the last time the brother seen his sister.
GRACE: Let`s go back over that with Billie Dunn. Billie, you have a 16-year-old son. What time did he leave the house the night before?
DUNN: I thought he left around -- he says he left around 9:00 and Hailey was in his room playing his Xbox. I thought he left a little earlier.
GRACE: Now, what time did you see her last, the night before?
DUNN: I saw her about 10:00 or 11:00 in her bedroom.
GRACE: Was she still playing games?
DUNN: No. She was watching TV, laying in bed.
GRACE: Now, the next morning, you checked in on her before you left. And you believe you saw her lying in her bed around 6:00 a.m., right?
DUNN: Right.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You know, I`m here for Hailey. That`s the only person that I`m here for is to bring that child home. To get her out of this cold weather.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The criminal side of the investigation looks to be more evident and also by the basis of that we haven`t found Hailey yet. There`s always hope. Hope is a good thing. We need to keep it up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: We are hearing words from our control room in New York that those videos of Shawn Adkins are about four years old. Now, that means, let`s see, Billie, you have known him for, what, two and half years?
DUNN: Yes.
GRACE: So those were taken in the year before you guys hooked up. Out to the lines. Veronica in North Carolina. Hi, Veronica.
VERONICA, NORTH CAROLINA: Hi, Nancy.
GRACE: What`s your question, dear?
VERONICA, NORTH CAROLINA: My question is, when Shawn went to work, could he have went just for an alibi?
GRACE: Yes, he could have. What about it? Out to you, Marc Klaas.
MARC KLAAS, PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER, KLAASKIDS FOUNDATION: I think absolutely he could are gone for an alibi. It makes sense. I mean, he went there, he got a Coke, he turned around and he came right back to Colorado City. It`s not been explained why he did that and, in fact, he`s denied that he did that.
GRACE: Back to the lines. Michelle, Indiana. Hi, Michelle.
MICHELLE, INDIANA: Hi, Nancy. Great show.
GRACE: Thank you.
MICHELLE, INDIANA: I was wondering, did the parents ever get a background check? And did the police do the same? On all the suspects in question?
GRACE: A background check. You mean as far as criminal history? What do we know about criminal history, Jean Casarez?
CASAREZ: Criminal history. What we do know -- are you talking about in regard to Shawn Adkins?
GRACE: Yes.
CASAREZ: It seems as though there were some domestic issues in the past but nothing of violent crime.
GRACE: Nothing, nothing at all.
CASAREZ: No.
GRACE: Everyone, tip line 325-728-5294. There is a $15,000 reward.
Let`s stop and remember Army Private First Class Tyler MacKenzie, 20, Evans, Colorado, killed in Iraq. Awarded bronze star, purple heart from a line of military vets. Stood tall at 6`7". His niece, Paige, has his beautiful eyes. Loved drawing, paint ball. Leaves behind parents Julie and David, an Army vet, sister Nicole (ph). Tyler MacKenzie. American hero.
Thanks to our guests but especially to you. And a special good night from California and New Jersey friends, winners of the Fashion Funds the Cure auction. Ieksa (ph) and Juliet (ph). Aren`t they beautiful? And congratulations to Amaya (ph) and Jermaine. They are welcoming their new tiny crime fighter, Jermaine Dontae. Born January 17. Seven pounds, one ounce, 20 inches. What a star.
Everybody, I`ll see you tomorrow night, 8:000 sharp Eastern. And until then, good night, friend.
END
