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U.S. Launches More Strikes On Houthis In Yemen; U.S. Navy Seized Iran-Made Weapons Bound For Houthi Rebels & 2 Navy SEALs Missing After Raid; Gilgo Beach Murder Suspect Charged In 4th Killing; Brutal Arctic Blast Slams Large Swath Of U.S. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired January 16, 2024 - 13:30   ET

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

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[13:31:49]

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN HOST: And this just in, the United States has launched new strikes against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Officials telling CNN they targeted anti-ship ballistic missiles, the same kinds of weapons that the Houthis have been using to attack merchant and commercial and Navy ships in the Red Sea for the past few months.

This is the third round of U.S.-led strikes since Thursday night.

CNN's Oren Liebermann is at the Pentagon and has been tracking all this.

Oren, what are you learning about this latest round of strikes?

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Alex, it's crucial to know this is the first time we have seen the U.S. strike anti-ship ballistic missiles before they were launched.

U.S. Central Command said the Houthis were preparing to launch these anti-ship ballistic missiles on international shipping lanes when they were destroyed.

As you point out, this is the third time we have seen the U.S. strike Yemen over the course of the past several days. Thursday night, D.C. time, Friday night, and then the news coming just a short time ago about this latest round of strikes.

U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan warning there could be more if the Houthis continue to launch against international shipping lanes.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAKE SULLIVAN, U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: We did not say when we launched our attacks that they would end once and for all. That the Houthis would be fully deterred.

We anticipated the Houthis would continue to try to hold this critical artery at risk. And we continue to reserve the right to take further action. This needs to be an all-hands-on-deck effort.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIEBERMANN: Several hours after the U.S. strikes, the Houthis did, in fact, launch another anti-ship ballistic missile, striking a Maltese- flagged boat carrier, so they retain the ability to carry out strikes.

And it's also worth noting that over the course of the past day or two, they have also, in what appears to be the first time, struck a U.S.-owned and operated boat carrier.

In both cases, it was minor damage. The ships were able to continue on their way.

But, first, Alex, you see the threat that continues to one of the world's most critical waterways. Second, I think you easily see the possibility of further U.S. strikes there.

MARQUARDT: Oren, the U.S. Navy is now saying that the weapons were seized that we're heading to the Houthis in Yemen, Iranian weapons. What more do we know about that?

LIEBERMANN: Alex, we have seen the U.S. intercept shipments of Iranian weapons to Yemen in the past. Often on stateless small ships. This is what we are seeing here once again that occurred on January 11th according to U.S. Central Command.

What is unique here this time are the weapons that were seized. According to CentCom, they seized components for anti-ship ballistic missiles, components for anti-ship cruise missiles.

These are the types of weapons that the Houthis have used to try and target and threaten international shipping lanes. That in and of itself is significant.

But there were two Navy SEALs that were a part of this operation, as well as a number of other assets. But, according to U.S. officials those seals are currently missing. There is an ongoing search that has been going on for five days.

U.S. officials who have spoken with us previously and said that this seizure occurred in eight-foot seas, which are incredibly difficult conditions.

One of the seals fell into the water. The other SEAL, by his training, immediately went after his colleague, the first SEAL. At this point, Alex, both remain missing.

[13:35:00]

MARQUARDT: Falling into the water at night in rough seas on Thursday.

Oren Liebermann, at the Pentagon, thank you very much.

The suspect in the Gilgo Beach serial killings just pled not guilty to a fourth murder charge. Up next, we will have why prosecutors say that this new indictment marks a, quote, "change" in the investigation.

Stay with us.

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BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: The Long Island man accused of killing three women in what is known as the Gilgo Beach murders is now being charged with killing a fourth.

Rex Heuermann already awaiting trial on three murders that happened more than a decade ago. This fourth alleged victim has been identified as Maureen Brainard-Barnes.

MARQUARDT: Her remains were found in 2010 near Long Island's Gilgo Beach. It is believed she was actually the first victim. Rex Heuermann has pled not guilty to the new charge.

[13:40:09]

CNN's Brynn Gingras was at today's hearing.

Brynn, prosecutors saying they found a critical link between Heuermann and Barnes?

BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Listen, there are a couple of things that happened in court today that I want to get through.

But the main point here is what the district attorney said, is that this now concludes the investigation into the killings of the women who are known as the Gilgo Four.

Yes, the charges of killing Maureen Brainard-Barnes, and what investigators are saying, this new superseding indictment, is that there was DNA evidence linking, a hair found on Barnes, which was basically on a belt that was used to bind her up. That matches the DNA profile of Rex Heuermann's wipe.

So that is critical DNA evidence. They said they used advanced DNA technology to make that connection.

But what also happened in court today, guys, while that is significant, is that investigators said they found even more evidence to connect Heuermann to the murders of all four women.

So the three other women that he's already facing charges with.

So they said there's the DNA evidence that not only connects Heuermann because his hair was found on the bodies that linked to his wife, his daughter, himself.

But that there was also digital evidence connecting him to the women, including cell phone activity, communications through computers, they said has connected him as well.

But also very significant that we learn today in court is we saw the daughter and family members of Maureen Brainard-Barnes. She disappeared in 2007. She's from Connecticut. A 25-year-old woman who was a sex worker.

This is really some of the first time that they have spoken out. Her daughter saying that she has not seen her mother. You know, she was seven years old when she disappeared.

I also want you to hear from her sister.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MELISSA CANN, SISTER OF MAUREEN BRAINARD-BARNES: It has been 16 years since the last time I saw my sister, 16 years since I heard her voice because 16 years ago she was silenced.

Losing Maureen has become a wound that has never truly heals. It remains a part of me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GINGRAS: If you remember this case, Melissa Cann is the sister of Maureen Brainard-Barnes. She received a phone call from the killer after her sister went missing.

That is something that has of course haunted her throughout this entire time. So there's certainly an element of justice to this.

They were inside the court when Rex Heuermann appeared in court. He had a dark suit on with his hands tied behind his back in handcuffs. He is expected back in court next month, and we expect more evidence to sort of be turned over in the process.

The district attorney essentially says, guys, that there is still more investigating that will be done. Can he be linked to other murders, bodies that were found in the same area as Gilgo Beach? So we will continue to follow this one for you.

KEILAR: All right, Bryann, thank you so much for that.

Joining us now is legal analyst and trial attorney, Mercedes Colwin.

Mercedes, thank you so much for being with us.

It's interesting, you heard Heuermann's attorney raising questions about some of this DNA evidence. Can you explain what he's trying to get at and what he's trying to cast a pall over? Whether that would actually work with the jury?

MERCEDES COLWIN, TRUMP ATTORNEY: Great to be on your show. Thanks for having me.

It's a great question because it's key for the defense to say -- to start to take apart the DNA evidence.

You already heard him swinging when he came out of the court because it was the first time that the prosecutors said that there's genetic material tying Rex Heuermann to all of the victims. Not just one, we've heard for, but all.

So of course, the defense attorneys coming forward and is going to say there's this new testing called nuclear DNA. We heard about mitochondrial DNA, which is in the cytoplasm of the genes, of the genetic material.

But now we're talking about nuclear DNA and it shouldn't be a surprise because with each year that passes, the technology gets better and better.

So, they're going to attack several things. One, they're going to attack the testing itself. The gathering of the evidence, the decomposition of the body, is, obviously, if there's decomposition, the genetic material.

It's going to be the argument that the defense will make is that it's unreliable to make any sort of conclusions as to whether there's a link between Rex Heuermann and the victims.

MARQUARDT: And, Mercedes, this fourth charge, what does that tell you about where this case against Rex Heuermann now stands?

COLWIN: Well, it certainly says more evidence there is and the more individuals, the more victims, the more commonality between all the victims.

We know that they died violently. We know that all four of them were sex workers. We know that they were wrapped in burlap.

[13:45:00]

All of those common modalities to their death just really starts to create, when the jurors mind, that there's guilt.

Because more commonalities between the victims and the more that you can link Rex Heuermann to these individuals, then certainly, it will lead to a successful prosecution.

KEILAR: There is also a lot of circumstantial evidence and, I mean, a lot of it, right? It turns out, he was using software to try to scrub the data trail of the online interactions that he was having with these women.

You have the fact, when all of these murders occurred, his wife, and it seems like maybe his daughter, they were out of town, right? So, this indication that if it is him, he's doing it when he doesn't have someone else in the house.

How convincing is that to a jury?

COLWIN: If there is nothing to fear, you wouldn't go through the sophisticated steps of scrubbing all of your Internet searches.

And that digital evidence, exactly to your point, Brianna, this is so critical to the prosecution because it really is a layup leading up to the genetic material. They have to go into the jury's mind because you look at Rex

Heuermann, he was a successful architect. He was a father. He was a husband. There's no indication whatsoever that he had sociopathic tendencies leading to murder.

So, that's why the prosecution has to take so many steps to get to the very final conclusion that he was the murderer.

And to your point, any juror in their common sense are going to say, they have nothing to hide, you can look at my computer, I do searches every day, I have searches every day, I don't have the sophisticated software to scrub my searches.

Now, they were able -- there was -- at least it's been reported that there are searches that were found on his computers, on his cell that demonstrates fascination with the case, with the investigation, with the victims, with the families, with prostitution and these very graphic types of violent deaths.

So, we will have to see. I think that's how the prosecution will certainly get to that final conclusion that he is, in fact, the murder of these four women.

KEILAR: Yes, they do have so much to stitch together here with their case and that's just what we were aware of at this point.

Mercedes, great to have you. Thank you so much.

COLWIN: Thanks for having me.

KEILAR: Ice on the roads, snow on the ground. Dealing with this on the way in today. Temperatures, way below zero. Might as well bring out the skis, like this guy here, because it's bad out there, folks. We're going to talk about how bad after a quick break.

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[13:52:12]

MARQUARDT: Just into CNN, a federal judge has blocked a proposed merger of JetBlue and Spirit Airlines. Spirit investors are now feeling the pain. Shares have quickly dropped around 52 percent.

The judge outlined several issues that they had with the proposed merger, including higher fares, especially for Spirit customers. JetBlue said the deal would create stronger competition with bigger airlines. We are keeping a close eye on the story as it develops.

Meanwhile, a brutal Arctic blast gripping almost 80 percent of the country with record-low temperatures and life-threatening windchills. Several southern states are cautioning residents to stay off the roads, stay inside, unless travel is absolutely necessary.

Take a look at this. This is in Memphis, Tennessee. Someone skiing, cross-country skiing, on the middle of that Memphis Street.

KEILAR: Making the best of it, I love it.

New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, here in Washington, D.C., finally got more than an inch of snow, ending a nearly two-year-long snow drought.

And more than 7000 U.S. flights have been canceled or delayed today, according to data from FlightAware.

We have meteorologist, Elisa Raffa, here with us.

All right, Elisa, what's ahead? What can we expect?

ELISA RAFFA, CNN WEATHER ANCHOR: We've got some more cold on the table for us. But like you mentioned, finally getting some snow in spots that haven't seen it for so long.

You can see the snow tracks that the last two storms that we had. This is the blizzard that jumped up to a foot of snow in parts of Iowa. This is the one that we had tracked across the south. You can see some of those six to eight-inch totals across Tennessee and then up the spine of the Appalachian Mountains.

This is what's left. You've got some rain just to the east there in D.C., kind of working its way offshore. Some of that snow in Upstate New York. That rain, snow line right over Boston.

You've got winter weather advisories for two or more. And then you've got one, two, three feet possible off of the Great Lakes from Buffalo to Watertown, as that cold air pumps some lake effect snow the next two days.

But, yes, I mean, these massive cities, Philadelphia, Baltimore, D.C., New York, all finally ended their two-year streak without an inch of snow.

They've gone more than 700 days without seeing an inch of snow. New York City, storm total is about an inch and a half, 701 days without an inch of snow in the previous record was about 383 days.

It's been about two years since they have seen some significant snow there. We will continue to find this snow kind of exiting New England as we go through the day today, but the cold does kind of stick around.

MARQUARDT: Yes, didn't realize it had been that long until we saw what we got yesterday.

So, Elisa, how long do we expect this really Arctic cold snap to last?

RAFFA: Yes, we are going to find it last through another day or two. Then we have another round that comes in as we go into the weekend. So, we will find this storm kind of exit.

[13:55:02]

The lake effect snow starts to pump. You have the feet of snow possible there because that Arctic air continues to pull in and dump feet of snow from Buffalo to Watertown.

And we've had these freezing temperatures as far south into Texas, as we go through the day today, 80 percent of us with freezing cold temperatures.

And here's what I was mentioning, you have this Arctic blast that starts to moderate, kind of go farther north a little bit by Thursday. And then it starts to dive south again. Look at this, by the weekend. We're looking at these temperatures again plummeting. So, we're not quite done yet.

MARQUARDT: All right, Elisa Raffa, I know you will be keeping a close eye on that. Thank you very much for that report.

Iowa is now in the books with a big win for Donald Trump. And it is on to New Hampshire. But is anyone stopping the former president's campaign for the Republican nomination or is the writing already on the wall for Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley?

We will break that down as well as another court appearance for Trump. That is coming up after this break. Stay with us.

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