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Search Done at the Gilgo Beach Murder Suspects; House Hearing Over Claims that U.S. Government Has UFO Evidence; Three Marines Found Dead at North Carolina Gas Station; Hunter Biden at Federal Court on Tax Charges; Scientists Fear Growing Marine Heat Wave Trend. Aired 10:30-11a ET
Aired July 26, 2023 - 10:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:31:09]
RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN ANCHOR: Investigators are wrapping up with their search after combing through boxes and boxes of items pulled from the home of suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann. The district attorney says that they found, quote, "a lot of evidence" inside Heuermann's Long Island home and that includes 279 weapons that were found inside of a vault.
Heuermann is accused of killing three women back in 2010 but authorities believe that he may be linked to more murders.
I want to bring in defense and trial attorney Misty Marris to discuss.
Misty, always good to see you. So this is an investigation that seems to just grow and grow and grow. When you heard this detail about all of these weapons inside of a vault, what was your reaction to that?
MISTY MARRIS, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Immediately I thought now law enforcement and investigators are going to be looking at whether or not these weapons have been involved in any other crimes. Remember, this was the first time that they searched Heuermann's home. We heard that this home was cluttered. We heard that this home had a large backyard that appeared to have some disturbances, now we're hearing that there was a vault with a cache of weapons.
The purpose now searching the home, there are several different buckets. First, we have anything that connects Heuermann to the three victims that he is being charged with a crime. We know there's a fourth. He's the prime suspect in the fourth. Those are the Gilgo Four. Well, now we heard he owns property in other states so, are there other crimes that he could be connected to or missing persons cases?
Well, then the second part of that is, well, now we hear about all these weapons. Are there other crimes that these weapons could have been involved in? You know, law enforcement went into that home under the presumption and thinking that some of the murders could have occurred there. So what evidence remains after all these years? Did he keep trophies? Is there DNA? There's a whole slew of things that could come out of the search of his home. SOLOMON: Misty, as you know, Heuermann has said that he has not done
this. You are a defense attorney. What could a possible defense here be?
MARRIS: I would expect the DNA analysis to be attacked. Now we don't know what comes out of this search now. We only know what was in the probable cause affidavit and one of the things that linked Rex Heuermann was what's called mitochondrial DNA. There are hairs on the bodies. Two that belong to his wife, one that belongs to him. And as a defense attorney you're always going to look to undermine those findings with respect to DNA with experts.
But keep in mind, he had been observed and followed for over a year before he was arrested, but during that time law enforcement did not want him to be keen to the fact that this was happening. So now with this search of his home, it's going to be interesting to see what else comes out of that that links him to these crimes, and of course, as defense attorneys are going to try and develop those defenses after reviewing all of that evidence.
SOLOMON: Misty, stand by because I want you to listen to an interview my colleague Anderson Cooper had earlier this week with a woman who said that she went out on a date with the suspect. This was in the summer of 2015. Listen to what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NIKKIE BRASS, CLAIMS SHE WENT ON A DATE WITH REX HEUERMANN IN 2015: He seemed almost like too excited to talk about it, and then once he did start talking about it. It didn't seem like a true crime fan who just knows information they've seen on TV or read. It seemed like somebody who was re-living it. Like he had this look in his eye, like he -- as he was telling it, he was re-living it in his mind.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOLOMON: So, Misty, you hear that he's apparently asking about the murders. He's wanting to talk about it. He wants to apparently get into the details, this is according to the woman that we talked to. What does that tell you about perhaps his profile?
[10:35:04]
MARRIS: Absolutely critical to this case because, remember, some of what was found in his technological footprint were massive amounts of searches relating to the cases, searches that said why can't they catch the Gilgo Beach killer? Searches about the families and searches about the victims. Searches about where law enforcement was, searches about the task force that was formed.
And now you're getting other people who have had interactions with him coming forward and corroborating his interest in the case. Now we know he had been basically getting away with this for years and years and years, and so his interest in the case is going to speak to his potential intent, potential cover-up, and all sorts of other things that are going to come out and be really important when this case goes to trial.
SOLOMON: So much to watch here. Misty Marris, always great to have you. Thank you, Misty. John?
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Close encounters of the congressional kind. Lawmakers raise questions about UFOs which are now called UAPs, in a hearing on Capitol Hill. Some truly stunning claims.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:40:46]
BERMAN: So happening now, this highly anticipated hearing is underway on Capitol Hill. Former military members are being asked about what they know of UFOs which are now called UAPs, unidentified anomalous phenomena, and whether they are a threat to national security and really whether information has been withheld from the American people. The House Oversight Committee is listening to testimony from three witnesses.
CNN's Tom Foreman has been listening in.
Tom, give us a sense of what you've heard so far.
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The overall theme so far from those on the committee up in front of them is that the truth is out there and we're not being told enough of it which is interesting because we're actually being told more now about observation of these unidentified phenomenon than we ever were before. Videos released, people testifying about it, nonetheless that's the overall theme here. I'll particularly note the Republicans on the committee --
BERMAN: Hey, Tom Foreman, I hate to have to interrupt you, but we have completely different types of news right now. Let's go to the U.K. where Kevin Spacey is discussing the fact he was just found not guilty of sexual assault charges.
KEVIN SPACEY, ACTOR: But I would like to say that I'm enormously grateful to the jury for having taken the time to examine all of the evidence and all of the facts carefully before they reached their decision, and I am humbled by the outcome today.
I also want to thank the staff inside this courthouse, the security and all of those who took care of us every single day. My legal team, Evan Lowenstein and Lucy, for being here every day, and that's all I have to say for the moment. Thank you very much.
BERMAN: That was a brief statement from Kevin Spacey, again, who was just found not guilty in the United Kingdom of sexual assault charges. What was interesting there is just to hear his voice obviously over the last several years with the swirl of allegations surrounding him. He has not been out in public very much. He made a very brief statement thanking the jury and thanking the people who worked at the courthouse. More on that ahead.
In the meantime, back to the story we were just discussing of a very different nature here in the United States. A congressional subcommittee is holding a hearing on UFOs which are now called UAPs, unidentified aerial phenomena or anomalous phenomena. I apologize to Tom Foreman who's been covering this so closely for getting that wrong.
But, Tom, you've been listening in to this hearing, which I don't mean to make light of it because these members are taking it very seriously. The witnesses are taking this very seriously and some of the insinuations are quite serious which is that there is something not being told to the American people.
FOREMAN: Yes. At the core that's what they're saying. They're trying to say, look, we think there's much more to this, many more of them, many more that aren't reported, and among those that are reported, few that are being let known to the public here.
Now I will say, politically, it fits very well for Republicans right now to say you can't trust the government which is exactly what they said as they started off. The government is not being straight with you because a lot in their party don't think the government is being straight with them.
That said, the question is, where do they go from here? What they're trying to do is people who testified today are all going to speak to the idea that it needs to be not only more transparent but that when people report this that it need not be mocked or made fun of and their career should not be hurt. They should be allowed to move forward.
I think in many ways how you see this hearing today is a bit of a Rorschach test. If you see it as yes, yes, yes, this is a bunch of noise about something. There may be some odd things happening now and then, but they're not some kind of big, extra worldly threat. They're just something odd that we have to sort out, or if you see it as a great big government cover-up, and the word cover-up is used this morning, how you see it is maybe this is more of the same. Let's just find out as the day goes on.
BERMAN: Yes. Like probably the most important thing is if there were facts and evidence presented which we can all judge for ourselves.
Tom Foreman, great to have you watching this so carefully for us. Thank you. Rahel?
[10:45:02]
SOLOMON: All right, John. Well, this morning deputies in North Carolina are trying to find out how three Marines died after their bodies were found inside a car at a gas station. The Marines were a part of the 2nd Marine Logistics Group stationed at Camp Lejeune about 30 miles from where their bodies were found.
I want to bring in CNN's Dianne Gallagher.
Dianne, what more are you learning about this?
DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You know, Rahel, right now the Pender County, North Carolina, sheriff's office in addition to the U.S. Marine Corps are still investigating this. They have not revealed a cause. They said they are still looking into that, what killed these three very young U.S. Marines who were found inside a vehicle outside of a gas station in Hampstead, North Carolina. As you said, not far from Camp Lejeune.
I do want to identify them now for you. Again, very young. Lance Corporal Tanner J. Kaltenberg, just 19 years old, Lance Corporal Merax C. Dockery, 23, and Lance Corporal Ivan R. Garcia, also just 23 years old. All three of them were motor vehicle operators with the Combat Logistics Battalion II. They were with the 2nd Marine Logistics Group at Camp Lejeune.
On Sunday morning the Pender County Sheriff's Office says that it received a missing person's report and it began investigating at that time. That is when they found that privately owned vehicle outside of that gas station and all three of those Marines inside of it said that they were deceased. They pronounced them dead at that time.
Now according to the sheriff, again they are still investigating what may have happened to them, but the sheriff's office did say that it does not appear that there had ever been any threat to other members of the community.
Now, look, there was a statement that was issued and you may be seeing the photos of these Marines at this time just released by the U.S. Marine Corps. I also want to read you a statement that came from Brigadier General Michael E. McWilliams, the commanding general of the 2nd Marine Logistics Group. He said, "My deepest sympathy and condolences are extended to the family, friends and colleagues of Lance Corporal Kaltenberg, Lance Corporal Dockery, and Lance Corporal Garcia. Our focus is providing the necessary resources and support to those impacted by their tragic loss as they navigate this extremely difficult time."
Again, Rahel, such young Marines but that investigation continues under way to find out what happened to them.
SOLOMON: So young and so many questions, Dianne. Great to have you bring us the latest. Thank you. John?
BERMAN: Rahel, we're getting some new details about what is happening inside a federal courthouse in Wilmington, Delaware. The plea deal, the plea hearing for Hunter Biden is underway with the judge asking both sides questions. New details on what those questions are and what it might mean ahead.
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[10:52:15]
SOLOMON: We have an update now from inside the Hunter Biden plea hearing. CNN's Evan Perez joins us now with details.
So, Evan, what is the judge saying about re-doing the investigation? EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, yes. Look, that's
what the Republicans who have sort of become at least a -- they're not a party to this case, but they are present because they've been trying to intervene in it, and so the judge just asked the two sides, Hunter Biden's attorneys and the prosecution, whether she had the power to essentially make the Justice Department go back and re-do this investigation if there is any part of it that she finds lacking and the answer from both sides is no.
The Justice Department attorneys in there said that, you know, this could be addressed through the political process which we expect is exactly what is going to happen here, Rahel. We expect that the judge who is a Trump appointee, Maryellen Noreika, is going to accept the recommendation from the prosecution that they accept this plea deal. Hunter Biden would plead to two misdemeanors for failing to file his taxes on time in 2017 and 2018.
And then she'll take up the question of the sentence. At this point, prosecutors are recommending probation, no jail time, and so one of the things that has come up is whether she can ask for a more severe sentence. That's, of course, up to the judge. The judge makes the final decision. The plea hearing is still ongoing at this hour and we expect also that the issue of Hunter Biden's drug abuse in the past is going to be part of this.
One of the things that she and Hunter Biden have already discussed is the fact that he won't be allowed to use alcohol or illegal drugs during this period. He will be subject to drug testing by the court as a result of this agreement -- Rahel.
SOLOMON: Sort of outlining what the conditions of release could look like. Evan Perez live for us there in Washington. Thank you, Evan. John?
BERMAN: All right. This morning the unrelenting heat wave is expanding across the Midwest and now the northeast. 60 million Americans will see temperatures rise over 100 degrees over the next seven days.
In Florida the heat is turning the ocean into something like a hot tub. The water temperatures are at record levels for July and this has consequences all around the world.
CNN's chief climate correspondent Bill Weir reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT: Well, here in Cartagena, locals and tourists are used to bathtub warm waters in the Caribbean, but nothing like the numbers scientists are seeing now. North of us in Florida, around in Florida Bay, triple-digit temperatures Fahrenheit, 101 degrees. That's the sea surface's highest ever recorded, 38 degrees Celsius.
[10:55:01]
And as a result of that, some scientists are already seeing complete, total coral reef loss. 100 percent bleaching in some areas. There's no telling how much of Florida's reef system, what's left of it will survive because we still have the two hottest months yet to go.
All of this is a result of course of generations of heat trapping gas in the atmosphere. Holding down as much extra heat every second as 10 Hiroshima sized atomic bombs. The (INAUDIBLE) of the ocean, that cold water, has masked a lot of that obvious heat, but this year, obviously, you can't ignore it anymore, and this is just the beginning of a trend that scientists worry could have half of the planet's surface in a marine heat wave.
That puts enormous stresses on coral systems which are not just for pretty for snorkels and scuba divers, but are the cradles of the sea. The nursey isn't so much sea light, and on top of that if you add acidification from all that carbon going in, sea creatures are facing stresses that are just off the charts right now.
There is new science about a big circulation system in the Atlantic known as the AMOC. This is a triangular sort of shaped conveyor belt. It takes warm water from the Caribbean here and up to Canada and even to the U.K. and across. That has been weakening as a result of Greenland shedding so much fresh water. If that shuts down it's sort of an apocalyptic scenario we've seen in movies like "The Day After Tomorrow."
There is some debate as to when that tipping point could happen. A new paper has it as early as 2025 but as late as 2090. But either way, all the latest science points to warnings that we're heading towards that key, vital tipping point that must be avoided to preserve life as we know it on the planet.
So in the meantime, some scientists even in Miami are desperately trying to save what corals they can, bringing them into laboratories, a futile effort given the scope of the problem right now, but again, we are just heading into the two hottest months of the year.
Bill Weir, CNN, Cartagena, Colombia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BERMAN: Pretty ominous stuff there. Our thanks to Bill for that. Rahel?
SOLOMON: All right, John, coming up for us, new details from the Hunter Biden hearing. The judge dealing a blow to the Republicans who were hoping for a re-do so that Hunter Biden could potentially face more serious charges.
You're live outside the courthouse with more.
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[11:00:00]
