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CNN Live At Daybreak

The Search for Chandra: Are Police Taking Internet Tip Seriously?

Aired August 02, 2001 - 07:15   ET

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

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUSAN AGUILAR, WETIP.COM: We never have any information about our informant. We simply want the information, and we send it all to law enforcement. We never determine what's good and what's bad information. We send it all, and we let the law enforcement do the investigation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: This is the Web site -- WeTip Communication Solution -- WeTip.com for short.

Now, another official of the nonprofit company says the tip includes details about how Levy supposedly died. WeTip claims its tips have led to nearly 15,000 arrests since it was established back in 1972.

Now, when this story broke yesterday, it was a big story. And we're very fortunate to have Mike Brooks with us. He is a former Washington, D.C. police officer.

You worked in the intelligence division, and you still have sources there. How seriously are they taking this tip that she may be buried on this military base?

MIKE BROOKS, FORMER D.C. POLICE DETECTIVE: The D.C. police and the FBI really don't have much credence in this particular tip. The tipster called in -- it was found out he called in instead of sending an e-mail in -- apparently called in and said that he was hired to dispose of Chandra Levy's body.

Taking a look at all the -- everything in the three-page single typed after it was -- after he dictated it, apparently they are not holding much credence in it. And I think that's why that it was decided last night not to do a search of the Fort Lee area.

The FBI put out a statement late yesterday afternoon/early evening that said the Richmond Division of the FBI was not going to conduct a search at this time until they had a little more information about the tip.

LIN: But that to us, it sounds like a fudge. You know, it looks like what they're saying is maybe there's a little bit of credence here. We're going to check it out before we start digging up any parking lots on a military base. I mean, didn't the D.C. police come out yesterday and issue a statement? And isn't that why the media took it so seriously?

BROOKS: Well, they started working on it the night before last. They received the information night before last, and the media got a hold of it yesterday and kind of ran with it. And probably ran with it a little bit too fast. And again, tried to throttle back a little bit, and I think they put the statement out there saying just to prepare folks that: We're going to look into it. We're not going to leave any stone unturned on this particular lead -- but that they really didn't hold much faith in the tip.

LIN: Why? What about it made them think that it wasn't credible?

BROOKS: Not knowing all of the specifics of the communication of what he said -- of what this person said -- he or she said. There was enough information to lead them to believe -- whether it was from doing some other interviews that there wasn't a whole lot of information that they could go on right now.

LIN: But why?

BROOKS: Oh, I don't know the specifics.

LIN: What

(CROSSTALK)

LIN: ... three-page letter?

BROOKS: I don't know the specifics, but from what I'm hearing that there was in a rambling letter a lot of different information in it, possibly conflicting. And that's why they don't hold much credence in it.

LIN: How closely are officials working with the Levys? Every time they get a tip like this, do they pick up the phone and call the Levys out in California and say, hey, we've got this tip, this is what we're checking out, etcetera?

BROOKS: Well, if they did that every time -- there are hundreds of tips coming in. And they get all kinds of calls, leads. They don't want to put the Levys through a, you know, anymore anguish than they already are. They are on a roller coaster ride from hell in this, you know, there's not too many -- that's too many ups right now.

LIN: Right.

BROOKS: And they wouldn't want to put them through this.

I believe yesterday when the information was received about the tip that a support group went over to the Levy's house and let them know about it -- a support group that they have been working with and doing -- and they apparently do a great job. So that's probably the better way to handle it.

LIN: Chances are they are hearing about these developments on television then?

BROOKS: Most likely so. If they is any information that the police, from this tip or any other tip, going back specifically to some things that may be only the family would know about Chandra, then they would approach it. But for the most part, if they approach them with every tip that they got, they would be doing it on a regular basis.

LIN: Mike, where is this investigation? What are your sources telling you about their working theory, if they even have one anymore?

BROOKS: Well, they are still going on the theory -- again, did she commit suicide? Is she the victim of a random act of violence? Or is it possibly that she doesn't want to be found? Those are still the three theories that law enforcement is going on.

But again, as you know and as everyone knows, the longer this investigation goes, the longer time that we cannot find anything at all about Chandra, the less hope that we're going to find her alive it is unfortunately. But you know, that's the reality.

LIN: What is your gut feeling on this case?

BROOKS: My gut feeling is that possibly may -- she may have been the victim of a maybe a stalker -- someone who had an obsession for her. Maybe someone she knew slightly, but then again, that's just speculation. And there is still -- all three options are still open.

LIN: All right. Well, we're going to talk with one of your former colleagues, a former homicide detective with the department in the next hour about who you sort through all these tips, and the kinds of tips that the department gets.

Thanks, Mike.

BROOKS: Thank you, Carol.

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