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House Launches Benghazi Investigation; Elderly Man Decapitated, Wife Missing; Ex-Patients Allege Decades Of Abuse; Jay Leno's Advice For College Grads; CNN's Don Lemon Speaks To College Grads; Third Victim Of Hot Air Balloon Crash Found; Nigerian Girl Who Escaped Boko Haram Interviewed By CNN; Michael Sam Drafted By St. Louis Rams; Exclusive Interview With Michelle Knight

Aired May 11, 2014 - 17:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is from the CNN NEWSROOM team. Happy Mother's Day. This is the hardest working mother in the business. And we want to honor you today.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Jennifer, you are so sweet. Thank you so much.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We love you.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Now you made me all Veklempt (ph). Thank you. OK. NEWSROOM.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Randi Kaye, hi!

RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. And happy mother's day. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Randi Kaye.

We begin this hour with the horror story no one would want to live through. But one girl that made a heroic escape from the terrorist captors was brave enough to tell her story. From the night Boko Haram fighters snatched her and more than 200 other school girls from their bed. It's nearly a month now since 276 girls were abducted from their boarding school in northeastern Nigeria. They were taken into the jungle and possibly split up and sold as child brides.

So in the most doing you assignment any CNN correspondent has had this year, Nima Elbagir and her producer and photographer made the frightening four-day journey from Abuja to Chibok. She is the first international reporter to reach the northeastern Nigerian town where the girls were kidnapped.

Nima joins me live now from Abuja.

So did this young girl decide to share her story firsthand with CNN for a specific reason? Why is she talking? NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, there really is a sense, Randi, in spite of what we're hearing, the pledges for support, the bring back the girls hash tag, that for the people there in Chibok, they feel that they have been forgotten by the world, they feel isolated. It is almost a month and in that time many of them are slowly losing hope.

So, those who can bring themselves to speak, those who can bring themselves to talk a little bit about what they went through do so because they hope to remind the world that the girls are still out there waiting to be found.

Take a listen to what she had to say, Randi.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELBAGIR: By an absolute miracle, some of those girls managed to escape on that horrifying night. But even for them, this nightmare isn't yet over. One of them has agreed to speak to us, but she's asked that we don't identify her in any way, that we don't give away her name, her family house, anything that could bring about what she fears the most, that the kidnappers could come back for her.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He said go and enter this car.

ELBAGIR: What kind of cars?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A big Lorry.

ELBAGIR: Was it one or more?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Seven.

ELBAGIR: Seven Lorries?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

ELBAGIR: And this was at 10:00 at night?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

ELBAGIR: So did that make you feel like they had come to get you, the girls?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

ELBAGIR: That's when you knew that they had come to kidnap you?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They say OK, enter this Lorry, we go. I will drop down.

ELBAGIR: That was really brave of you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, and we would rather die than go.

ELBAGIR: You ran in the bush.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

ELBAGIR: And what happened then?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We ran and ran and we were gone.

ELBAGIR: Can you describe the men that took you? Were they wearing civilian clothing? Military uniforms? What were they wearing?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't understand.

ELBAGIR: What was their dress? What were they wearing?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I feel afraid.

ELBAGIR: Did they look like soldiers?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, we are a little afraid.

ELBAGIR: You're afraid?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

ELBAGIR: You don't want to talk about what they look like. It is OK. I understand. I'm sorry.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ELBAGIR: You could hear the fear still in her voice there, Randi. And other villagers told us in addition to the seven Lorries, that she also saw seven trucks, she was talking about there, that there were also pickup cars, there were motor bikes. This seemed like a trip with a very specific intent to take those girls. While villagers described it as always like a shopping trip, that they had come to get the bounty and then sell it on the open market, Randi.

KAYE: That is just a terrifying story, Nima, that she had to share there.

Thank you for your reporting. We'll hear more from you later on.

Nearly a month into the search now for the girls, question are many an answers are few. And one of the only clues investigators have involves a rambling and repulsive quite frankly hour-long video showing chilling claims from the leader of the terror group Boko Haram.

Joining me here in New York is Paul Ginsberg. He is a forensic audio expert and here to talk about the video.

So Paul, tell me a little bit about this. I mean, when you first heard this -- the audio from this and you watched the video, as well, what were your first impressions?

PAUL GINSBERG, FORENSIC AUDIO EXPERT: Well, it was carefully scripted. The leader was reading from a manifesto or outline or whatever that had been written for him, a script, in fact. Also, I saw that there were a number of modern technical video type of transitions and post processing. So I can tell you that they have --

KAYE: Meaning, they have been well produced?

GINSBERG: Yes, indeed. There were titles. There were super imposed logo. There were dissolves where one scene dissolves into another. It wasn't just have a camera, shoot something and then shoot something else.

KAYE: And cut, cut, cut.

GINSBERG: Correct. No, no.

KAYE: Highly produced.

GINSBERG: This was much higher production value.

KAYE: So, you are saying you though it's high quality, as well?

GINSBERG: It was. It was HD and there is a number of different areas that the NSA and CIA would be looking into when they get their hands on this. And basically, they will have teams. One is going to be analyzing the actual words to see whether there were any hidden messages. Another is going to do --

KAYE: Hidden where? How so?

GINSBERG: Hidden within the text.

KAYE: What he's saying?

GINSBERG: Each fourth or seventh word or fifth letter and seventh word might have another meaning or send another message to people who have been briefed to receive that. It was done with a camera on a tripod with zoom capability and they're going to be looking at the technical production. They're going to be looking at trying to identify uniforms, vehicles.

KAYE: Well, how would they look at -- I mean, what could they learn from studying the uniforms and the vehicles? I guess, it would tell them something about the surroundings maybe? Where they are?

GINSBERG: Yes. They are going to be looking at shadows. They are going to be looking at terrain. Whatever they can glean to give them an idea of where and when this was initially produced.

KAYE: What did you make of his demeanor? I mean, at times, he was sort of giggling and laughing and dancing almost at some points.

GINSBERG: Yes. Almost giddy, correct. It was really horrifying to watch knowing what the meanings were. There were subtitles, as well.

KAYE: And so, the fact that he was reading, does that tell you anything about what his message was? GINSBERG: Well, it was carefully prepared and controlled. And so, this was not just a random, you know, jaunt into the field but he had vehicles lined up. There were weapons. I'm sure that they're doing everything they can to identify each of these pieces of equipment.

KAYE: I'm sure they are. It is going to take some time. No question.

I appreciate your guidance, though. Thank you.

GINSBERG: Thank you.

KAYE: Right now, the world is watching a tense vote count happening in eastern Ukraine. The former soviet republic may be on the verge of splitting apart. Voters in four eastern city have cast ballots on whether to ditch Ukraine's fragile new government and rule themselves independently.

The United States say today's vote is illegitimate and blames Russia for inciting divisions within Ukraine. About one hour ago, the last polling station closed. Pro-Russian separatists are denying allegations of voter fraud.

But CNN's team in Ukraine witness dubious voting with their very owned eyes. I want to show you here this exclusive video, a CNN crew saw people voting twice at one polling station.

Correspondent Atika Shubert is tracking the controversial vote there in eastern Ukraine.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Surely, it looks like democracy in action. IDs are checked and registered and then ultimately people cast their votes into the ballot boxes. But there are still a lot of things wrong with this picture. We've seen at least one man come in around twice to vote. Some people just slipped in multiple ballots. Something we have caught clearly on camera. And since the ballot boxes are transparent, few people have folded up their ballots, you can easily see the yes votes in these boxes.

Now, is this then a verifiable accurate representation of the will of the people here? Probably not. But what we do know is the undeniable amount of people coming out here to vote today. And what comes across talking to voters is not a militant insistence on independence. It is not even an insistence on joining Russia, rather, it is anger and frustration with the government in Kiev being either unwilling or unable to stop the violence.

I'm hoping the level of violence will decrease, this woman tells me. I'm hoping it gives power to the local government to resolve the conflict. That's how I understand it. Right now they can't deal with what's happening because they have no authority.

How could there be more violence, this man tells me It is already so violent. Frankly I wasn't going to vote but taking into account my family and countrymen shot at, I don't see what other choice I have.

Now, the results aren't expected until later tonight. But that hardly seems to matter. It is a foregone conclusion. Most people here say they know the answer to the question on the ballot. But they don't know what happens next.

Atika Shubert, CNN. (INAUDIBLE).

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAYE: Results are expected tomorrow. We'll have the news for you right here, of course, on CNN.

Tonight, at 9:00 eastern, we are taking a closer look at life in Russia with Anthony Bourdain.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTHONY BOURDAIN, CNN HOST, PARTS UNKNOWN: OK. Look. Russian is a great country. Russians, they are sentimental, they have a lot of heart, they love poetry, they love music, they love literature. The problem is the vodka. Every meal there's going to be vodka. Breakfast, vodka. Lunch, vodka. Dinner, lukewarm vodka. Generally, average around here? Two for breakfast, seven to nine for lunch, 14 and 19 for dinner. I can't take it, man. And what do you do? All the toasts are personal.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tony, welcome. Tony, thank you for your open mind to travel with me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That is good reason for a toast. I thought --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A new opportunity?

BOURDAIN: By the time you fall around, shot 17 and it is, you know, to our mothers, what do you do? Your mother? I'm not drinking it. Call Betty Ford. I'm coming.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: That is a lot of vodka. Bourdain's Russian adventure premiers tonight at 9:00 eastern only here on CNN.

Severe weather in the Midwest, it is tearing apart homes this weekend. These people in Missouri, well, they're pretty lucky. They only lost their house but tornadoes are still out there today. We'll show you where.

And these two women are all smiles going up for a ride in a hot air balloon. A terrible accident is about to happen, though. Details next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: Right now, severe weather threatens three million people in the nation's mid-section and Missouri's governor has declared a state of emergency. A small town near Kansas City took a direct hit yesterday. A tornado blew roofs off houses and toppled trees in Orrick. Populations there is 900. Rescue crews helped pull a woman from the rubble of this home. And official said 80 percent of the town was damaged.

CNN meteorologist Jennifer Gray is joining us now.

Jennifer, hello to you. So I guess a lot of tornado warnings are popping up out there. Which area do you think we really need to look out for tonight?

JENNIFER GRAY, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes. We have seen tornado warnings pop up pretty much consistently over three hours or so and it is the same areas, pretty much that we saw of the severe weather yesterday. That Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, those the areas right now.

We have had the tornado warning continuously progress over the past couple of hours. This one in southern Iowa, El Don (ph) and Ottumwa counties, or cities rather, 26,000 people in the path of this one particular cell. And as we move forward, we also have what we call velocity. And that's how we really tell those little tornadic signatures. You look for the reds and greens, really close together and it is heading straight for Ottumwa. And so, be in the safe spot right now as you are in that city. This is a very dangerous cell.

We'll see very, very gusty winds. We have had a confirmed brief touchdown with one of the tornadoes that we have been watching or potential tornadoes in Nebraska. And that's where I'm going to take you now.

This is also a very dangerous storm right around Sutton. And so, if you are in that area, be very, very careful and get to your safe spot, as well. This tornado warning is in effect until 4:30 p.m. central time. Grafton and Sutton, those cities need to be on the lookout. This is part of a larger system where indeed, it is going to continue to plague parts of the plains as we go through tonight until three hours in the morning and even Monday. That severe weather threat will remain for much of this part of the country.

KAYE: Long night ahead for lots of folks there. Jennifer, thank you.

GRAY: Yes.

KAYE: Very sad but not unexpected news out of the rural Virginia this afternoon. We learned a short time ago that search crews finally did find the third person who went down in a fiery hot air balloon accident.

Now, these are some of the last pictures posted to the Instagram accounts of Natalie Lewis and Jenny Doyle, members of the University of Richmond women's basketball program. The two women and the balloon's pilot died Friday night when the balloon hit power lines and caught fire. Witnesses say they saw at least two people either jump or fall from the balloon at a terrifying height. Investigators are still trying to find out exactly what happened there. President Obama sends personal well wishes to one of the players picked in the NFL draft. He's a player with still a long way to go, though, before he hit it is field. Michael Sam's journey to the pros is way bigger than sports. We'll talk about that next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: We have something to tell you. Our Anderson Cooper just sat down with L.A. Clippers' owner Donald Sterling. You can see his exclusive interview on "AC360" tomorrow night at 8:00 p.m. Can't wait until then? Well, don't worry. We have you covered. We'll share a sneak peek tomorrow morning on "NEW DAY." Remember, "NEW DAY" starts right here on CNN at 6:00 a.m. eastern time.

President Obama is adding his voice to those congratulating football player Michael Sam. The NFL St. Louis Rams made Sam the league's first openly gay player when they chose him with the 249th pick of yesterday's draft. Sam was the all-American at the University of Missouri. And now, he'll get to stay in state as a pro.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL SAM, ST. LOUIS RAMS DRAFT PICK: I'm proud to give everything I got for St. Louis. So many people are proud of St. Louis organization for being the one to make history.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Michael Sam revealed his sexuality to his college teammates last fall and he went public with media interviews in February. Shortly after, he was drafted, Sam tweeted this photo featuring with him wearing a new rams cap and he is looking pretty happy right there.

Well, let's talk about Michael Sam with CNN commentators Ben Ferguson and Marc Lamont Hill.

Nice to see you guys.

So, Marc, lots of talk certainly in the last 24 hours about this. Even the president has you saw congratulating him. What kind of reaction will he receive, do you think, once he starts practicing with the team and after that, I guess, assuming he makes it?

MARC LAMONT HILL, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: First of all, I think he'll make the team. I think that he'll get a warm welcome from his teammates. I think that we would be naive if we were to assume there will be no problems, that there will be no locker room issues and no player that's uncomfortable but the league and the coaches and teammates are behind this move and supportive. And I think ultimately this is a good moment for the NFL and a good moment for the nation. But let's not pretend that there won't be some sticky points.

KAYE: Yes. As we look at the video here, Ben, I want to ask you this is him, we are watching him get the call and learn that he is now a St. Louis ram. But certainly, seventh round draft picks don't usually get congratulations from the president of the United States. BEN FERGUSON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: No.

KAYE: I mean, do you think this is going to die down by the time the season starts?

FERGUSON: I hope it does die down for his sake and the team's sake because it really should be about the accomplishments of his abilities on the field. I mean, right now he is drafted. He's done the interviews. Everyone knows he's an openly gay man. Now, it is time to play football and that's what they're paying him to do. They're not paying him for any other thing but to play football.

And I think Coach Fisher showed a lot of integrity drafting him and by saying I thought he was the best fit for our team and he drafted him not because of his sexuality. He drafted him because of football and as long as he goes in there and does and plays football and that's what he is there to do, I think it is going to be fine in really the same way that you saw Manti Te'o with all his destructions going to San Diego and play football and go away. And I think that is going to be the easiest way for him to be accepted in that locker room and the league is just to go do the job like every other guy is asked to do and they paid big bucks to do it.

So for him, congratulations and I hope that happens.

KAYE: Yes. I mean, that's all he's asking to do anyway. It is just to play football and be treated like a football player.

So, Marc, Michael Sam, he gets to play in the state where he played college football in a small media market, I guess, by NFL standards, do you think -- I mean, in terms of Rams, are they a good fit for him?

HILL: I think the Rams are good to him because he will have home team behind him in every sense of the term. He will have networks of support and communities of care that have already been installed that will make his transition much easier.

But again, let's not be naive here. This is not a small market for him. It wouldn't matter if he would be playing in the Alaska, it would become a huge market because he's there. The NFL is as committed to showing that they have, you know, moved into a new era of progressivism and new level of understanding as anybody else so the NFL will be showing this. That media will be chasing him down at least for the first few months.

I just hope that the kid can play. That's the only thing I'm worried about.

KAYE: Well, let's hope so.

FERGUSON: Yes. I mean, the best thing he can do as an ambassador is play the game and play it really well and take this opportunity and run with it. And being in the Mid-level market like St. Louis, I think it's certainly going to take away a little bit of distractions, compared to like an L.A. or New York or major, major market like that. And I think be able to control, some of the media a little better and that only work to his advantage.

KAYE: Go ahead Marc.

HILL: All right. I'm just glad he's not in Dallas. The last thing is to have another good football player.

(LAUGHTER)

KAYE: All right. Listen, guys. Stand by because we are going to talk politics coming up next. Can Congress keep politics out of the Benghazi investigation? Republicans say yes. Democrats, well, they're not so sure. We'll talk about it next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: Let's talk more now with CNN commentators Ben Ferguson and Marc Lamont Hill. A big story in the nation's capital, of course. House Republicans have named a special committee to look into the deadly attack on the U.S. embassy in Benghazi, Libya. Democrats we know haven't decided if they're going to join the committee. So Mark, what do you think? Should Democrats take part in the investigation?

MARC LAMONT HILL, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I mean it's a tough call. On the one hand you don't want to add legitimacy to something that is simply nothing more than a political stunt but you also don't want to have no Democrats on the committee.

Earlier this week the argument was that we would have one Democrat on the committee to see sort of what's going on, to monitor the conversation but to not lean (ph) legitimacy to in the kind of five (ph) to three (ph) or seven (ph) degree ratio that people were suggesting. So ultimately I think Democrats have to have a presence but they cannot pretend that this is still an issue. Every question that they're, you know, determined to get answers to has already answered.

KAYE: So Ben...

BEN FERGUSON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Not true.

KAYE: ...I know you want to respond to that because do you think that...

FEGUSON: Yes.

KAYE: ...this is a political stunt? FERGUSON: No. It's not. Four Americans died and it's sad that Democrats continue to call a hearing about an American ambassador dying on the anniversary of 9/11 a political stunt, especially when the only stunt that came out of this was Democrats putting a fake story out there about it being a spontaneous protest because of a YouTube video. That was the stunt that was pulled by the Democrats.

So, of course, they don't want to be at this hearing. They don't want to have anything to do with Benghazi because they want it to be an old story because it could do some serious harm to Hillary Clinton. But again you have four Americans had died on the anniversary of 9/11 and the stunt was saying it was spontaneous protesters. We know that was a lie. Democrats have still not come clean on it and that's why they're moving forward with this.

KAYE: So, Ben, let me just ask you because I want to stick with you here for a second. Because this certainly is going to be his is a test (ph) for Republicans.

HILL: Sure.

KAYE: Conservative Charles Krauthammer is warning them about grand standing and Peggy Noonan is writing -- she wrote this, "if they act unseriously and cynically, the American people to the extent they're watching will turn off. In the end that will produce a GOP humiliation. More importantly what happened at Benghazi wouldn't be found out. We are about to find out if Republican congressmen can be mature."

So are you at all worried though about the GOP overreach on Benghazi?

FEGUSON: No, I'm not. And the reason why is because I think the people that are actually going to be a part of this committee genuinely care about finding out the truth for those that lost loved ones. I mean this all boils down to four people are died and there was a lie told about why they died. There is -- if anything, I think Democrats should be very careful here that they don't run away from this. If there is nothing to hide as they claim and every answer has already been answered, then why would you not be a part of this hearing? And openly sit there and explain your story if there are no holes in it.

I think that's the real question is why are Democrats so afraid of this if they've already said everything and everything is factual as they claim, it should be a very easy round two for them to retell their story but they know their story's not going to hold up and that's why I think they're not going to be there.

HILL: I completely disagree. First of all, Republicans often beat the four people died drum over and over again. No one is without -

(CROSSTALK)

FERGUSON: Because it matters.

HILL: Let me finish. Please let me finish. I didn't interrupt you. Everyone is upset about those four Americans dying. It was an awful tragedy and more importantly it was a preventable tragedy. Everyone accepts that. But to continue to have political theater and political grand standing does nothing to avenge or honor the lost of those four lives which again we see as an awful tragedy.

People keep saying they want to understand why the security details weren't there, people want to understand why more people weren't traveling with them, there are all these questions that keep being presented by Republicans as if they haven't been answered. If you look at the Benghazi report from the Senate Intelligence Committee answers are there and critiques are there.

Everyone acknowledges that there was a mistake here and that it could have been prevented. But to continue to beat this drum has nothing to do with Benghazi, it has nothing to do with those four lives. It has to do with the fact they see Hillary Clinton as a formidable opponent in the 2016 presidential election and they want to beat her up early to try to knock her out. It's a bad strategy.

FERGUSON: Marc, here's the issue.

(CROSSTALK)

If you look at the actual family members - you look at the family members who lost loved ones, they were told on the tarmac by Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden that their family members died for something that never happened, a spontaneous protest. The family members are still saying, they don't have complete answers from Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton. They want to know why they were lied to. That's still a very serious issue if you had a loved one die. So it matters to them.

KAYE: All right. Guys, listen. We're going to check back with you later on in the hour and we'll talk much more about a number of other things so thank you both.

Turning to a gruesome crime and has stunned a small country club community in Georgia.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

An elderly man is found decapitated and police say his wife may have been kidnapped. Next, the clues investigators are trying to piece together to solve this bizarre crime.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: Welcome back.

It is a startling story. Rattling the nerves of a small country club community east of Atlanta. An 88-year-old man decapitated. His 87- year-old wife now missing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

Russell Dermond's death and Shirley Dermond's disappearance are mysteries that detectives in Eatonton, Georgia, are trying to unravel and fast. They're treating her disappearance as an abduction because her purse, cell phone and her vehicle were all at the million dollar waterfront home where her husband's headless body was found.

CNN's Victor Blackwell has been following the story. Victor?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Randi, officials in Putnam County, Georgia, say the cause of death for 88-year-old Russell Dermond...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

...was cerebral cranial trauma. Essentially whatever killed him happened to his head but they have not yet determined if it was trauma to the head maybe a blow to the head before the decapitation or if the decapitation itself was what killed the senior citizen in Georgia.

His wife, 87-year-old Shirley Dermond, still missing. Officials say that her purse, her cell phone were still there when they were discovered by friends who walked in through an unlocked door early on Tuesday morning this week. Officials believe that whatever happened, this crime happened sometime between Friday and Sunday.

Now, we know that this is a quiet community, gated community, where things like this don't happen. Again, the reason friends were able to walk in through that unlocked door is because people in this Great Waters community near Lake Oconee in Georgia they don't lock the doors. We had an opportunity to speak with the couple's pastor.

REV. DAVID KEY, LAKE OCONEE COMMUNITY CHURCH: We haven't had a homicide here in 10 years. So this an area that's free from the violence and that kind of crime and so the whole area is that way. And then if you had to pick all the residents the Dermonds would certainly be at the bottom of the list (INAUDILBLE) bottom of the list of ones that someone would do some sort of revenge, crime like this.

BLACKWELL: The people in this community understandably shaken. The Putnam County sheriff, Howard Sills, says that there are no if any credible leads here. No suspects which means everyone is under suspicion.

SHERIFF HOWARD SILLS, PUTNAM COUNTY, GEORGIA: If it's an abduction, you would expect some sort of extortion demand. If it was an assassination, you would think both of the people would be there. Both bodies would be there. And then you have totally nothing in their background to indicate anything like this. And then the area where it happened is not indicative to any kind of homicide much less no domestic history.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: And although the autopsy for Mr. Dermond has been completed, the toxicology report has not yet been returned. So when I asked the deputy coroner there if it's possible that he was drugged maybe or there's some chemical involvement, he says they're not ruling anything out. Randi?

KAYE: Victor, thanks very much.

So let's talk more about this bizarre story. Criminal defense attorney Holly Hughes and psychologist Wendy Walsh joining me now. Hello to both of you.

Holly, let me start on you with this one. It is so very strange, the wife is missing, the husband is dead. His body found in the garage decapitated. What does this tell you about this killing?

HOLLY HUGHES, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: That they were absolutely targeted, Randi. This isn't some random thing. It's a gated community and it can also be approached by the water. And the law enforcement is guessing at this point, speculating that perhaps this house was approached by the water. There's no forced entry. So clearly these people knew enough that it would be unlocked. They just walked in and they were targeted.

Unfortunately, what it seems like is that they took the gentleman's head to possibly torture maybe some ATM numbers or some bank information out of the elderly woman. She's 87 years old, Randi. Think about how much time and energy to take an 87-year-old woman and to care for her and keep her if you don't need something immediately from her. This was a targeted offense, unfortunately. And, you know, I really hope they find her but I think she probably served a very limited purpose and unfortunately we may not be looking at a rescue. We may be looking at a recovery right now.

KAYE: Wendy, what are your thoughts on this? I mean why would they kill the husband and then abduct the wife? Do you agree with that they needed her for something and possibly the man's head?

WENDY WALSH, PSYCHOLOGIST: I think Holly's on to something that really this was a search for money, bank account information, et cetera. I haven't read reports that anything was missing from the house itself so maybe they were going after -- it was a large home so these people may have been well off. And it may be bank accounts and that kind of money they were interested in.

But you know, the bigger thing here is besides this tragic loss to this family and the fear for the woman is the community. This is a community who never has this kind of trauma. The fear and terror sweeping across this community almost as a kind of we're not into post traumatic stress disorder they're in the middle of the trauma right now can be debilitating to everyone children, families around.

KAYE: Yes, certainly. Holly, what about investigators? I mean they are planning from what we understand to display Shirley Dermond's image on these digital billboards across the state of Georgia. What do you think that investigators should be focusing on right now?

HUGHES: Well, I think they're doing everything they can to get her photograph out there. I have seen her all over social media. We have seen it on Twitter. We've seen it on Facebook, and that's what they need to do. They need to put her out there so that if, in fact, someone is holding her to get bank account information and they need to bring her into the bank perhaps, Randi, to sign off on something when she walks in that bank, she is going to be visible. Everyone is immediately going to know who she is. Her name is out there. Her photograph is out there.

So they are using their absolute best efforts and their -- back in the day we didn't have all these great available resources for law enforcement. So you kind of passed out flyers and tacked them up on bulletin boards and telephone poles. And now law enforcement has that electronic billboard. They have the ability to every missing case is no longer a local story, Randi. It is global and if she is brought into a bank, everybody's going to know who she is immediately.

KAYE: And Wendy, as you mentioned, I mean, this is a quiet. It's a retirement community. It's a wealthy community. I mean how -- I guess, would you advise them to process something like this? You said it's going to be difficult.

WALSH: It's going to be difficult until the police have answers. Of course, in the short term, you are going to see people locking doors and being weary if there is access from the water to some of these homes. But eventually they can start to work through the grieving process once we have gotten some answers but right now I think people are sitting in an emotional limbo.

KAYE: All right, ladies. Don't go anywhere because coming up next, a Colorado mental health facility whose doors stayed open despite claims of abuse and fraud.

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How an allegedly unlicensed doctor kept the place in business for 30 years.

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KAYE: So how did an unlicensed professional who led people to believe he was a medical doctor, run a facility for mental illness and drug abuse problems for decades despite complaints of abuse?

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That is the question that haunts some of the alleged victims of a Colorado treatment center. A CNN investigation uncovered at least 15 civil suits and some two dozen complaints to state regulators against the adolescent and family institute of Colorado including complaints of verbal and sexual abuse and fraud.

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Let me bring in criminal defense attorney Holly Hughes and psychologist Wendy Walsh once again.

So Holly, the man in charge, Alexander Panio Jr., has refused CNN's request for an interview. What kind of charges do you think this guy could face?

HUGHES: Randi, we have heard horrific stories coming out. And if these allegations are true, you're looking at everything from assault, battery, aggravated assault, sexual assault, rape if it went that far, practicing medicine without a license, fraud, fraud in the inducement if he got people to commit their children and signed contracts and took their money knowing he was not a licensed medical doctor and could not do what needed to be done. And you're also looking at, believe it or not, false imprisonment because some of these patients are alleging that things are happening to them and they kept trying to leave that room.

And even though they voluntarily signed themselves into the facility if they're kept prisoner in a room when they have expressed, I need to leave this room. I need to get out of this room. You need to stop abusing me, that's false imprisonment and kidnapping. So we're looking at a host of charges if the allegations can be proven.

KAYE: It sounds like it. So Wendy, I'm curious about your take on this because Panio was not a licensed psychiatrist or psychologist in the state as we said, but he was allegedly treating these patients. Anyway when you are a psychologist what do you make of this alleged behavior?

WALSH: Well, I should also tell you I'm a teacher and writer and unlicensed (ph) and I would never run a clinic like this. I can tell you though that he may have had licensed therapists working in his practice and they may have been the people administrating. I can tell you the kinds of things he may claim. He may claim that really there were licensed people who were attending to. And one of the claims, by the way, is that he stopped various patients' medications. Well this may be, of course, because he was not licensed to prescribe. But stopping someone's medications can be a dangerous thing and you have to do that with somebody under a medical license.

So he may say that they signed disclosures. But as Holly said, if there are criminal offenses here that's a whole other ball game. I think there's one case in particular about a -- a tragic case of a teenage girl who soon after leaving committed suicide. Now he may argue she had a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, that has an 8 percent suicide rate whether you go through the program or not. You know, who knows how it's going to come out once it goes to court.

KAYE: Yes. Absolutely. Very, very difficult and disturbing case for sure. Thank you both. Appreciate it. Happy Mother's Day to you as well.

HUGHES (ph): And to you.

WALSH (ph): Thanks.

KAYE: Up next you'll see a CNN anchor cry and wipe away tears in front of a bunch of college grads. No, it is not me. It is CNN's Don Lemon except now he's officially called Dr. Don Lemon. That story coming your way next.

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KAYE: Comedian Jay Leno offered some words of wisdom when he gave today's commencement speech at Emerson College in Boston. Listen to leno's serious advice for new college grads.

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JAY LENO, HOST, "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO": Accept criticism, resolve to do better. You know something? I never read bad review, I always read bad reviews. You'll learn more from your critics than you'll ever learn from your friends.

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KAYE: And before Leno's speech today our own Don Lemon warmed up the crowd. Don received an honorary degree from Emerson College so now he is officially Dr. Don Lemon.

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UNIDETIFIED FEMALE: Don Lemon, talented journalist, revered role model and courageous advocate for gay rights. Your courageous memoir titled "Transparent" broke important new ground in which you became one of the first nationally known broadcast news anchors to come out as gay.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: By virtue of the power invested in me by the commonwealth of Massachusetts, and by the board of trustees of Emerson College, I hereby confer upon you the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters which you have so justly earned with all the rights, privileges and responsibilities pertaining thereto and welcome you warmly into the distinguished company of Emerson alumni.

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Oh, my god, you guys know I'm very grateful to be a part of your family now -- and now and forever, especially with this, but I would like to speak to the student who feels as others, the student -- the minority students, the black students, the white students, the people who are -- the people who feel that they are overweight, the people who don't come from means, the poor people, the people who have challenges, the gay people, the lesbian people, I want you to live every single day, I want you to do something every single day that scares the hell out of you.

I want you to be able to live with the threat of failure every day in your life and be damned what anyone thinks about you. Don't take anything personally and don't worry what anyone thinks about you. You have to live your truth. I love you, guys. I love you, Emerson. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart. Thank you.

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KAYE: And of course, Don and Jay Leno traded a few friendly zingers focusing on each other's line of work. Both seemed to enjoy the lighthearted ribbing. Watch this.

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LEMON: Couldn't Emerson have gotten someone with a job to give their commencement address?

LENO: Well, I am the low man on this to totem pole, very distinguished people. I want to thank Don Lemon for taking time out from looking for that airplane to be here today. So thank you. I know you got to get back.

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KAYE: Apparently Emerson's new grads got some laughs and also some pretty good advice today.

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And a programming note today, our Anderson Cooper just sat down with L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling. You can see his exclusive interview, there's a picture of it right there, on "AC360" tomorrow night, Monday night, 8:00 p.m. eastern. And if you can't wait until then, well we have you covered. We'll have a sneak peek tomorrow morning on "NEW DAY." "NEW DAY" starts at 6:00 eastern time.

And by the way the Clippers and the Thunder are playing right now in L.A. Oklahoma is leading by 10 points with about seven minutes or so left to go and one potential new owner of the Clippers, Magic Johnson, happens to be at the game.

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You are in the CNN newsroom. I'm Randi Kaye. This hour we are fast forwarding to the week ahead. We'll take a look at all the stories that you'll be talking about and hearing about this coming week. So let's begin with our five questions for the week ahead.

Question number one, what's the next step in finding the kidnapped girls?