Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Chicago Firefighters Killed; Senate Ratifies START Treaty

Aired December 22, 2010 - 16:00   ET

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

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's do rapid fire, beginning with this horrendous story out of Chicago, dreadful news from Chicago today. This is the city's South Side. Two firefighters died when the burning roof of this abandoned building just totally collapsed on them. It was a fairly routine multi-alarm fire that became anything but during the search for people possibly trapped inside.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT HOFF, CHICAGO FIRE COMMISSIONER: The fire had been acted on. They were overhauling the hot spots and they were searching for the -- we always look in these buildings, because, wintertime, people are seeking shelter. We always go in and look for homeless or vagrants that may be in there, and that's what the companies were doing when the roof let loose.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: In addition to those two firefighters killed, 14 others -- other firefighters were injured.

Next, a new nuclear arms control treaty with Russia is approved. This is a done deal, folks, at least on the American side of it. Just a short time ago, senators approved the language of the accord 71-26. All Senate Democrats voted yes, plus Republicans in sufficient numbers to get that two-thirds majority they needed, the 67 number, to get the passage.

And now it has to be approved by Russia's Parliament. The treaty will restart nuclear inspections here and in Russia and slap new limits on warheads for each side.

Next, with pen and -- or, I should say, several pens and paper, President Obama today removed the barrier that prevented openly gay men and women from serving in the U.S. armed forces. He signed the bill killing the so-called "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. It's been in place since '94, since the Clinton administration. The president's words -- quote -- "No longer will tens of thousands of Americans in uniform be asked to live a lie."

Next, the president will be taking questions in just a couple minutes. CNN's best political team on television will be joining us for that, so stick around for live coverage right here in the CNN NEWSROOM about 15 minutes from now.

And tragedy on top of tragedy. An Ohio couple is killed in a car accident while on their way to make funeral arrangements for three of their grandchildren. The grandchildren were killed just a couple of days earlier in a mobile home fire. A car driving in the opposite direction swerved to avoid debris, jumped the median, hitting the grandparents' vehicle head-on.

Next, a senior at Cornell University has been arrested for one of the largest heroin busts in Ivy League history, six ounces worth more than $150,000. That's according to "The Cornell Daily Sun," where Keri Blakinger once worked as a writer.

Next, Philadelphia police looking for a serial killer. They say DNA evidence has in fact now linked the deaths of all three women, all sexually assaulted and strangled. Police believe those deaths are linked to three other assaults in which those victims survived.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAPT. JAMES CLARK, PHILADELPHIA POLICE DEPARTMENT: With this last murder, which was recent, we believe he's still somewhere in the area, and we're going to do everything we can to identify who this individual is and bring him to justice.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Police are offering a $30,000 reward for any tips leading to an arrest in those cases.

Next, you remember Tyler Clementi? Well, now his parents may sue Rutgers University. Clementi was that college freshman who leapt to his death back in September after a gay sexual encounter was allegedly filmed by a Web camera and posted online. A lawyer for his parents says the university did not do enough to protect Clementi. His roommate and another student have been charged with invasion of privacy.

Next, we are keeping an eye on all the latest twists and turns here in the mysterious disappearance of that Las Vegas showgirl. Debbie Flores-Narvaez simply vanished a week-and-a-half ago.

And John Shaffer is following her case for us. He's the news director at KDWN Radio in Las Vegas.

And, John, good of you to join me.

I want to begin with this report today that Debbie apparently has something of a shady past. ABC News says she has had, not just one, I think it was four restraining orders filed against her, that she's also pretty deep in debt. Have you been able to confirm either of those reports?

JOHN SHAFFER, NEWS DIRECTOR, KDWN: Yes, we have, Brooke.

It's just another twist in what has become an even more and more bizarre case as each day goes by. Apparently, Debbie Flores-Narvaez has, indeed, had a shady past. She's had four people file orders against her for harassment. Three of those were granted. She also has tens of thousands of dollars in liens and judgments against her.

BALDWIN: So these four guys who filed these restraining orders, do we have any idea who they were? Were they ex-boyfriends, friends?

SHAFFER: At this point, we don't. It was actually three men and one woman. Only three of them were granted. When I spoke to the DA's office here today, they said they can't release that sort of information about protective orders.

BALDWIN: Got it.

Let me ask you this, John. Do police think it's possible that she simply took off on her own?

SHAFFER: They do, indeed.

It's still, at this point, the Las Vegas Metro Police Department is not calling this a criminal investigation. They still are considering this a missing-persons investigation. They say while foul play could be involved, they have no signs of foul play.

They have dusted her car for fingerprints. Those results aren't back yet, but they said there's no sign of any kind of struggle in her vehicle when it was found in that vacant lot.

BALDWIN: What about the status of that domestic violence case? It was against her ex-boyfriend, Blu Griffith. In fact, I think he was -- or he was supposed to be -- he wasn't actually there -- in court yesterday. This is all in relation to the innocent over her iPhone back in October.

SHAFFER: That's right, Brooke. Yes, he was supposed to be in court yesterday. He was arraigned. His attorney was there. Legally, he wasn't required to be there.

We're just guessing that his attorney probably told him, with everything going on, don't go and face the horde of reporters that will be there.

But that will go on to April. His preliminary hearing will take place in April. He denies ever doing anything other than arguing with her. He says he never grabbed her cell phone. he says he never threw her down, kicked her, punched her, grabbed her, even though police say there were bruises on her leg when they got to the scene and they found a clump of her hair on the ground.

BALDWIN: That's right. They did. And she also told police she was pregnant with his child. That was also in the arrest report. I read it yesterday.

But let me also just clarify.

SHAFFER: Right.

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: Go ahead.

SHAFFER: That's correct. She was pregnant at the time. Her sister told us that she was no longer pregnant at the time she disappeared, although police have not confirmed that.

BALDWIN: This whole appearance -- or, I guess, this alleged assault in October, nothing, obviously, to do with Debbie's disappearance. He is, in fact, not being called a suspect here, but police in Las Vegas do say he's a person of interest.

And, John, I know you deal with the Las Vegas Police all the time reporting stories. And I'm just curious, for people who don't really know, what is the significance of labeling someone a person of interest? What does that mean?

SHAFFER: Basically, Brooke, they told us that anyone who has had contact with someone who is declared a missing person is a person of interest, just because they have been in contact with her. Since he was the last one that had contact with her, he's that person of interest.

They have told us he's fully cooperating, and, as you said, they are not calling him a suspect at this time.

BALDWIN: And my final question is this. Since you are in Las Vegas and she was apparently in this pretty big burlesque show at the Luxor Hotel following her dream as a dancer, are there ever issues out there -- and I imagine there must be -- of sort of obsessed fans who come to see these beautiful women perform? Might this be a case of that? And is that a concern for dancers out there?

SHAFFER: It is, absolutely.

In fact, she told friends of hers and co-workers in the show in the last few weeks she was concerned about obsessed fans. In this particular show that she was in at the Luxor, "Fantasy," after each show, they have a meet and greet with audience members outside, so people can get right up close to the performers in the show, could even get to that sort of relationship where they feel like they know that person.

So police are following all leads. They're not saying that it could be an obsessed fan, but they're not saying that it couldn't be.

BALDWIN: Hmm. John Shaffer with KDWN Radio in Las Vegas -- John, thanks so much. We will be following the story right along with you.

SHAFFER: Thank you.

BALDWIN: And, as I mentioned, just want to remind you, a major, major news conference is expected here any moment now from Washington from the White House. The president will be taking questions from reporters in just a couple of minutes.

And, when we come back, we will bring you the best political team on television taking us through this whole live event there at the White House next.