Return to Transcripts main page
Live From...
Missing for Over a Year, Remains of Chandra Levy's Body Found
Aired May 22, 2002 - 20:00 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.
BILL HEMMER, HOST: And good evening. It is one of the most highly publicized cases in the country. What happened to Chandra Levy? Tonight, we know she is dead, but are police any closer to solving this case?
ANNOUNCER: A little over one year ago, government intern Chandra Levy goes missing in Washington. The search dominates the news all summer, capturing the attention of the nation. Today, that search ended tragically.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHARLES RAMSEY, POLICE CHIEF, WASHINGTON D.C. POLICE DEPARTMENT: The remains found earlier today are, in fact, Chandra Levy. The identification was made through dental records.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: The body has been found but the investigation goes on.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RAMSEY: The manner and cause of death is pending. This is no longer a missing person. We're -- it's being handled as a death investigation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: CNN's LIVE FROM WASHINGTON and from outside the Levy family's home in California for the latest developments. Now here is Bill Hemmer.
HEMMER: And good evening once again. A big break tonight for police in the Chandra Levy case but absolute heartbreak for her family. D.C. police confirming that remains found in a park in Washington are those of the missing intern. We're still awaiting word, in fact, this hour, from the Levy family attorney, George Arotta. We will take you -- as you look at live pictures from outside the Levy home in Modesto, California. A statement again expected any time right now. We'll take you there live when it happens, but first to the other end of the country. And Bob Franken is watching developments again and joins us now live from the park, Rock Creek Park, northwestern Washington. Bob, good evening.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, Bill. It's been their suspicion all day, their worst suspicions, which were confirmed when that announcement was made earlier this evening that the remains that were discovered when a man was walking his dog this morning not far from here, the skeletal remains were those of Chandra Levy. She disappeared just over a year ago. Then, a 24-year-old former intern, Chandra Levy became the subject of worldwide reporting. Huge fascination fueled by the fact that there was a relationship -- she had a romantic relationship with Congressman Gary Condit, a relationship that he confirmed in his third interview, according to law enforcement sources, third interview with investigators. Chandra Levy has now been found.
In spite of all the attention, it has taken this long. In spite of the fact that police had combed this area of Rock Creek Park. As you can see, it is a very heavily grown urban park. The police had come here because Chandra Levy was a jogger, a physical fitness person who had jogged in the Rock Creek Park area. Although the remains were not found that close to a jogging area, but this is an area that had been the focus of police attention throughout.
Now comes the question, how did she die? This is a question that is very perplexing to the police officers. There were no, according to sources, no immediate signs on the remains of foul play. But they're going to be looking at that very closely. But anyway, as far as the identification is concerned, the call came at about 9:30 this morning. The police were out here until about 6:00 when the sad news came from the chief, Charles Ramsey.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RAMSEY: We have received word from Dr. Arden over at the D.C. medical examiner's office that the remains found earlier today are, in fact, Chandra Levy. The identification was made through dental records. The manner and cause of death is still pending. There's certainly more work that needs to be done at the medical examiner's office, but they did, in fact, verify the fact that it was the body of Miss Levy. We have notified the family.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FRANKEN: That was Police Chief Charles Ramsey just a short time ago out here. Congressman Condit, meanwhile, at this moment is reported to be sitting in back of the Congressional chamber, the House of Representatives' chambers, listening to debate. He has been defeated for re-election but he's finishing out his term.
The Congressman put out a statement through his attorney just a short time ago, which says, "Congressman Gary Condit and his family want to express their heartfelt sorrow and condolences to the Levy family. The Levy family will remain in our prayers." That is a statement attributed to Congressman Condit released through his attorney's office. And now, police will continue their investigation. They have repeatedly said that Congressman Gary Condit is not a suspect, but that he is an important witness because of his unique relationship with Chandra Levy. The investigation will go on. The next thing will be to find out not whether she died, now we know that sadly, but how she died -- Bill.
HEMMER: Bob, they are bringing in lights to help in the search that will continue even after the sun falls there. Give us an indication -- what will happen tonight there for that search?
FRANKEN: Well, as a matter of fact, what they're going to do with these lights is just basically to keep the crime scene intact. Police officers will be using the lights to make sure that nothing untoward happens. The real work will resume tomorrow with the first light of day. There's going to be a search that will extend beyond the lights for other remains, other evidence, which might give some clues as to how Chandra Levy came to this point.
HEMMER: Bob, and before we get to Rusty Dornin in Modesto, California, can you give us a better sense about how investigators were treating this case until that phone call came in about 9:30 this morning?
FRANKEN: Well, of course, we all know that after September 11 the coverage from Chandra Levy went from constant to almost nonexistent. The investigators say, however, they continued to very methodically look, to follow leads, to follow calls. They say that there were hundreds of them if not thousands since the news media attention went away.
This one, however, piqued their interest from the start because of the clues, the skeletal remains being the kind of remains that you would find after a year or so like this and also the remnants of clothing that they found near her body that suggested that they might be the kind that Chandra Levy might have been wearing. But it has been a very methodical search and today it sadly resulted in its success in terms of finding Chandra Levy.
HEMMER: You point out September 11. So many things changed on that day. Thank you, Bob. Bob Franken again in Rock Creek Park, northwestern Washington, D.C.
This is, of course, a very tragic blow to Chandra Levy's parents. Even as late as this morning, in an interview, were saying how they still held out some sort of hope that their daughter would be found alive. But now, as the morning begins in the town of Modesto, California, this evening, our Rusty Dornin joins us outside the Levy home where again, we anticipate a statement some time very soon.
Rusty, good evening to you.
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bill, you know, it's been an agonizing day. As you said, they started out the morning, you know, talking about the glimmer of hope that they still had that Chandra perhaps was alive, talking to the Oprah Winfrey Show. It was only about an hour-and-a-half later that the Washington police called and said they had indeed found some skeletal remains and there were some indications that indeed might be Chandra Levy.
So the family has been inside all day with family and friends. People have been coming and going. Just recently, we did see the first bouquet of flowers that was delivered up to the door.
Now, this is a very tight neighborhood. All along, you've seen yellow ribbons, you know, for the past year and neighbors kind of rallied around the Levy family. And a few moments ago, we did speak with one of the neighbors Joann Tittle, who really became sort of a confidante of Chandra Levy during her high school years.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOANN TITTLE, NEIGHBOR: What goes through my head? I'm devastated and I'm angry and I'm worried about Sue and Bob, their mental well being after hearing the news. And I'm heartbroken and I don't know what else. I'm numb.
DORNIN (on-camera): You know, they held out for so long, a glimmer of hope. Are they going to be able to accept this?
TITTLE: Yeah, I -- they have to. They have to accept it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DORNIN: Now, just a few moments -- we're waiting right now -- I'm going to show you, there's a huge, huge crowd of media here that have been gathering all afternoon in the Levys front yard, have been camping here, awaiting some kind of word from the family. First, we thought that actually Bob and Sue Levy were going to come out and talk to reporters. From what we understand now, it's simply going to be that statement delivered both by Billy Martin on the East Coast and out here on the West Coast, by George Arotta, who is the attorney and family friend, who apparently knew Chandra as a young child. So we're just waiting for that to happen, Bill.
HEMMER: Rusty, you work out of San Francisco normally, but you're no stranger to Modesto. And I'm curious to know, the people in the area, how has this story been kept alive essentially over the past several months and especially in that conversation with Bob Franken. September 11 put a different shade on this story, to say the least.
DORNIN: It did and I think it -- you know, it disappeared. It paled, as many stories did, Bill, you know, paled in the headlines of course after September 11. It picked up again, of course, when Congressman Gary Condit was running, you know, for reelection. That of course brought things forth again.
But I think it really started to pick up in the headlines and on talk shows, again when the anniversary came up, you know, on April 30, May 1. And that's when the Levys once again began talking about the fact that they felt -- still felt that their daughter was alive. They hadn't want investigators, you know, to stop. They haven't lost hope and they didn't want investigators to be lax on the job. HEMMER: Thank you, Rusty. We'll stand by for that statement, as you will as well. Rusty Dornin live in Modesto tonight.
Back here in Atlanta, Mike Brooks, a man who has been with us throughout the day, a former police detective in Washington, D.C.
Mike, good evening again to you. It's been a long day for both of us.
MIKE BROOKS, FORMER DC POLICE DETECTIVE: Good evening, Bill.
HEMMER: What explains why and how investigators and police could miss these remains in that section of the park knowing full well for months at a time last year? On some days, Mike, hundreds of men and women would be searching that park. How do you miss it?
BROOKS: Well, I think they were concentrating their efforts at that time around the Klingle Mansion. As we know, Chandra had been on the computer looking up information about the Klingle Mansion, looking for directions. And so, they concentrated the efforts around the Klingle Mansion and possibly didn't go far enough north in the park.
Now, keep in mind, kind of put it in perspective for people, the park is about four or five times the size of New York City's Central Park. So we're talking a large expansive area here and to try to cover and comb the whole park, you know, inch-by-inch would have been a Herculean effort back at that time.
HEMMER: Mike, put on your investigative hat for us a second here. The police chief said today that the man whose dog found these remains was searching for turtles and said any human being would not find themselves in this part of the park, indicating there's a lot of underbrush and a very thick area. Does that indicate something to you and is it possible the body was dumped there?
BROOKS: Well, it's a very remote part of Rock Creek Park. At nighttime, there is not much traffic at all. This is apparently off of any path or off of any roadway and so, there is the possibility that someone under the cover of darkness or even during the daytime because again there's not much traffic at all even in the daylight, could have gone there and dumped that body back a long time ago.
Now, investigators are going to be there all night long. They'll be out there tomorrow through the day. There's no rush. There's no rush to take the bones and move them. And they're going to work this crime scene. They're going to go over everything with a fine tooth comb to make sure they don't miss any piece of evidence at all.
HEMMER: Mike, how bad is this case damaged knowing that the body may have been there now for almost 13 months?
BROOKS: Well, it's going to be -- of course, there probably isn't too much tissue and those kinds of things left. It's gruesome to talk about, Bill, but it's a reality now. There probably isn't too much tissue left, you know, on the skeletal remains. But my sources -- as Bob was talking about, my sources are saying that there are no obvious signs of blunt force trauma to the parts that are remaining there. So you know, where do we go from there? There'll be more tests done. There are still clothes there. There could be evidence that could be gleaned from the clothes remaining on the scene. And there's a possibility that the animals could have moved the bones. But apparently, the way Chief Ramsey is talking, that they have a good part of a full skeletal.
HEMMER: As you heard from Bob Franken's report of the park there, lights are being brought in. They're going to clear the area off. I'm not sure (a) how much area will be closed off. Perhaps you could take a try at that one and number two, what happens in the next 24 hours?
BROOKS: Well, if I was running the crime scene, I would make a large perimeter. And then, they're going to do what they can until nightfall. And then, they'll resume it tomorrow, keeping detectives, keeping officers there to make sure the sanctity of the crime scene is kept. Again, they don't want to miss any -- leave any stone unturned.
HEMMER: All right, Mike, all right, I apologize for interrupting there. I just want to take our viewers -- Mike, thanks again. Mike Brooks hanging out late with us tonight.
BROOKS: Sure.
HEMMER: Quickly now to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, the attorney for the Levy family. Here is Billy Martin speaking now.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
BILLY MARTIN, LEVY ATTORNEY: ... to tell them that they had located the remains of a body that may, in fact, be Chandra. That was early this morning. I spoke personally with Chief Gayner and Chief Ramsey spoke with the family, to tell them of their findings.
The Levy family has been in anguish for the past year and now the family's worst fears have unfortunately become a reality. The tragic news of Chandra's death will be difficult for Dr. Levy, his wife Susan, their son Adam and other family members to bear.
Because of the family's fragile emotional state, we request that the media be respectful and provide the family time to compose themselves and time to deal with the death of their daughter Chandra. The family thanks the media in advance for honoring this request, as it will allow them time and reflection to deal with this tragedy.
Although the discovery of Chandra's body closes one chapter and brings some resolution to this ordeal, it does not -- and I repeat -- it does not solve the mystery of what happened to Chandra. Dr. Levy and his wife will continue to work with the authorities to conclude this investigation. The DC police now are investigating this as a death investigation. It is no longer a missing person. We are waiting the results of the medical examiner and any autopsy that may be performed. And we believe that this investigation, this death investigation, will turn into a homicide.
On behalf of the Levy family, we want everyone to appreciate -- we will continue, along with the police, our investigation to find the person or persons who did this to Chandra.
The family very much appreciates all of the efforts of those who have provided support, support to the family during this time and they would like to thank all of you for your prayers and anything that you did to help them make it through this past year. As a parent and anybody who is a parent will appreciate, this is the worst nightmare a parent can endure. I thank you.
HEMMER: Billy Martin again, a statement there in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, saying it does not solve the mystery and also saying the family has been in anguish for a year's time, asking the media and others to give the family some room. A fragile, emotional state is how Billy Martin described it. Billy Martin from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
George Arotta, another attorney for the family, will be speaking momentarily in a statement outside the Modesto home of Chandra Levy's parents. In about 40 minutes, Billy Martin's back on CNN, "LIVE WITH LARRY KING" and so too is the police chief in Washington, Chief Ramsey. So stay tuned for that after our program tonight.
In a moment though, we'll take you back to Modesto and we'll also go to Chicago, the science of solving crime. How doctors put their scientific and medical skills to use to help police. Tella Morrison knows this topic as well as anyone. She'll join us live in Chicago.
And a bit later, a look back at a life full of potential tragically cut short.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: And welcome back this evening. Chandra Levy certainly at the beginning of her career when she disappeared. And from then until now, people have learned a whole lot about the young woman. To get a better idea who the 24-year-old was, Rusty Dornin spoke to some of her friends back in California.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DORNIN (voice-over): Her name and face are now recognizable to millions, a spotlight friends say that would make Chandra Levy very uncomfortable.
JAKUB MOSUR, CLASSMATE: This whole circus that's around Chandra, which a person that I know would have been just completely just like trying to hide her face. She was a reporter at the time. I was a photo editor.
DORNIN: Somewhat shy but not afraid to get the job done. When Levy was sports editor of the school newspaper at San Francisco State, classmates like Jakub Mosur say Levy didn't date other students or join them to party, but she stood out. MOSUR: Well, one thing that really struck me was she was like -- in here, she was good. Like I knew that she wasn't the kind of person that would like step on a toad or something or a snail when -- if she saw it, she'd probably walk, you know, around it. And she just -- she was -- she had a really good spirit.
DORNIN: Her journalism professors say she was a good student and a good writer, but midway through her major, she knew her heart really wasn't in it.
JOHN BURKE, SAN FRANCISCO STATE JOURNALISM DEPARTMENT HEAD: She was not interested in going into journalism actually that it was law enforcement, or government, both those two things were interesting to her and probably where she wanted to go.
DORNIN: Where she wanted to go most weekends was home to Modesto, to family and friends, people she loved.
Joann Tittle lives two doors down from the Levys. Befriending Chandra when she was a teen, Tittle colored her hair and shared confidences with a young woman she saw blossoming.
TITTLE: I would describe Chandra as a very strong, directed, aware, very aware. She knew everything that was going on around her and excited. She was adventuresome. I mean she ate bugs with her parents in South America.
DORNIN: Things that made her interesting to people like Mat Szabo, a classmate and buddy at USC where Levy was completing her master's degree.
MAT SZABO, CLASSMATE: She's a very observant, you know, very astute person. And so, you know, you can have a two-hour conversation and it could be, you know, one of the more interesting conversations you'll have in a month.
DORNIN: All who knew her agree, a woman sure of herself and sure of her future.
MELVA GIANINNI, NEIGHBOR: She had plans, like Sue said, to go to law school or to do something if she didn't get into the FBI.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yeah.
GIANINNI: She wasn't going to sit around, that's for sure. She wasn't that type.
DORNIN: Not the type, say those closest to her, to just disappear without a word to anyone.
Rusty Dornin, CNN, Modesto, California.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: It was just about three weeks ago live here on CNN in fact with Larry King, the Levys expressed their frustration of coping with the unknown in their desperate hope, they say, for what now will never be her safe return home.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LARRY KING, HOST, LARRY KING SHOW: Do you jump still at the phone or has it become...
SUSAN LEVY, CHANDRA LEVY'S MOTHER: Well, it depends on the time, the week. And I would say that I don't think I jump in thinking that she's going to be on the other line. But I'm going to tell you, Larry, that I still have faith and hope that Chandra will come back to us alive.
KING: Do you ever get calls late at night? As a doctor, you might.
BOB LEVY, CHANDRA LEVY'S FATHER: Yeah, I do for that. But unfortunately, we don't really expect to hear anything, you know, from one day to the next because it has been so long that we haven't heard anything. You know, we hope to. We hope to get a call saying they've found her and she's alive and, you know, we're going to -- she'll be back.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: That interview about three weeks ago, in fact, one year to the day where Chandra Levy turned up missing. The Levys with Larry King.
After us tonight with Larry, the police chief in DC, Charles Ramsey will be one of Larry's guests and so too will be Billy Martin, the family attorney out of Ft. Lauderdale that we heard of -- from just about five minutes ago.
It is ironic to note on April 30, the last person to see Chandra Levy alive reported that to investigators. On the first of May, the following day, police say and investigators say they tracked some sort of Internet traffic on Chandra Levy's laptop computer in her apartment right along the Rock Creek area in Washington, D.C. On May 22, a year ago today, the disappearance of Chandra Levy as a story went national. How ironic it is a year later the remains of Chandra Levy have now been discovered.
Back to Modesto, California, looking and waiting outside the Levy home, there will be a statement from the other family attorney, George Arotta and we'll have it for you when our coverage continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Welcome back once again. Live in Modesto, California, George Arotta, one of the family attorneys for the Levys now speaking.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
JUDY SMITH, LEVY FAMILY LAWYER: ... the Levy's attorney, the family, of course, is deeply saddened. This is an extremely tough time for them while certainly today's news, the death of their daughter provides some resolution, it certainly does not provide answers to what happened to Chandra. So we will continue that quest to find out what happened in this case.
As you heard earlier, chief Ramsey, this case is now obviously not a missing person's case but a homicide. And the investigation will continue to move forward and certainly, the parents will certainly push for that.
In terms of the media and family and friends, the Levy family would like to thank everyone for being so supportive, for all their encouragement, all the warm letters, all the nice hugs and hang in there that they all got from everyone. So they certainly appreciate that.
And I'll try to take some of your questions you might have.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Are there any plans for a service at this point, any sort of memorial...
SMITH: Not as yet. As you might imagine, certainly no parent, I know, I would never even think about what it would be like for something to happen to my kids. So we haven't gotten to that point yet, but certainly, we will turn our attention to that and try to plan a memorial service as soon as we can.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (OFF-MIKE) Washington D.C.?
SMITH: We've discussed that, but no firm plans as yet. We want to get our arms around this news and then, the second step would be to plan a memorial service.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Can you give us -- do they have plans to fly to Washington, D.C.?
SMITH: No, I would think the memorial service would probably be here, but as I said, it's all preliminary. We haven't discussed that. Here in Modesto, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Judy, could you talk about -- hopefully, I would expect as though the experience said (INAUDIBLE). What's going on inside right now?
SMITH: Well, it's certainly something that you can all imagine. I mean two parents have just received the most horrifying news that any parent could ever get, which is that their daughter has died. So it's very emotional. It's very tough. Certainly, no parent ever thinks that they would bury their child. You know, usually it's done the other way. It's just very tough. It's very emotional. It's what you would expect, you know, a lot of crying, a lot of disbelief.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: How did they find out about the death? Can you talk about that?
SMITH: Well, as Mr. Martin discussed earlier, certainly, we started to get calls early on in the day that a body was located. We were unsure at that point in time and the Metropolitan Police Department notified them.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Did they -- they didn't find out on TV?
SMITH: No, they didn't.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Judy, what is it that you want to see happen next in this investigation? Are there specifics that you feel -- stones that have not been unturned so far? What would you all want?
SMITH: Well, we want and what we've been assured by the United States attorney's office is that this investigation is open and that it's active and that it will continue. We will certainly leave it up to the experts to determine what that next move will be.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: The lawyer for Gary Condit said that he's owed an apology from the Washington, D.C. police. Do the Levys have any feeling about that? Have they heard that and if they said that this is the work of a serial killer?
SMITH: Well, I haven't heard that, but certainly, I think that that should be addressed to the D.C. police department.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Has there been any reaction to Mr. Condit's statement (OFF-MIKE)?
SMITH: No, it's not. I mean the family is obviously focusing on what they're feeling right now.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Is there any anger, anything involved in their emotion right on on either how the investigation is handled or still lingering about Congressman Condit?
SMITH: No, I think...
JUDY SMITH, LEVY FAMILY SPOKESPERSON: The family is obviously focusing on what they're feeling right now. UNIDENTIFIED CORRESPONDENT: Is there any anger or anything involved in their emotion right now on either how the investigation is handled or still leery about Congressman Condit?
SMITH: Yes, I think the emotion now is exactly what I described earlier. It's just pain. It's just pain.
UNIDENTIFIED CORRESPONDENT: (Off mike) -- until today?
SMITH: I beg your pardon?
UNIDENTIFIED CORRESPONDENT: Were they helpful all the way until today?
SMITH: Was who helpful?
UNIDENTIFIED CORRESPONDENT: Hopeful.
SMITH: Hopeful. Yes. Yes, I mean certainly as you've heard some of their interviews, Bob and Sue Levy have said that as time moved on that the less likelihood of their daughter being found alive was slim, but as any parent would say, you could never let go and you could never give up hope. So yes, up until the point where they received the news, they were always hopeful.
HEMMER: That's Judy Smith, a spokesperson for the Levy family, outside the Levy home there in Modesto, California. A couple things passing along to members of the media there, saying the family is deeply saddened but the quest does continue to find out what happened to Chandra Levy now that the remains have been found.
A few questions about a memorial service, clearly too early at this point to plan that but Judy Smith indicating that would take place and in Modesto when it does take place. Also a few questions about Gary Condit, earlier today the California Congressman did offer a statement on the news of the day.
Reading from that now: "Congressman Gary Condit and family want to express their heartfelt sorrow and condolences to the Levy family. The Levy family will remain in our prayers."
Again, a statement from the office of Gary Condit, the Representative from California, Chandra Levy's home district, 387 days later the remains have been found. Chandra Levy is dead, but are police any closer to cracking this case? Our coverage will continue in a moment here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Welcome back and let's recap now. Police say a major development after they found remains in a Washington area park and those remains said to be the former missing intern, Chandra Levy. Dental records used to identify those remains late today discovered this morning around 9:30 a.m. Eastern time. Bits of clothing and some personal items also found in the area. That discovery made in Washington's Rock Creek Park, where police say quite a bit of skeletal remains were found. The 24-year-old Levy, former government intern had been missing since late April, 2001.
Friends of the Levy's say today is the day of grieving for the family. We have heard from a spokesperson for the family, also a family attorney in Fort Lauderdale, Billy Martin (ph). Let's get back to Bob Franken, once again in the park, Rock Creek Park live in D.C. The night is growing along there. It's getting dark, Bob, and the investigation continues, the search anyway there. Good evening.
FRANKEN: Right and the investigation will pause for the evening for the most part. There are lights set up as you know, lights that are going to keep this area lit as the police secure it for the night. The investigation, searching for physical evidence, will begin in earnest again in the morning.
It was this morning about 9:30 a.m. Eastern, when the first call came in. A man walking his dog had spotted a skeleton, a human skeleton, a skull. The dog had actually sniffed it out from under some leaves.
Police were immediately intrigued, much more so than the thousands of other leads that had led to futility over the year plus that Chandra Levy had been missing. From the very first moment, the police sent out top law enforcement officials and their chief investigators in the case, and as the day progressed, they found more and more clues.
But the clincher was that the dental records were checked by the medical examiner at about six o'clock this evening, the police chief gave the sad news that these were the remains of Chandra Levy.
Chandra Levy, of course, had demanded so much worldwide attention because of the relationship, the romantic relationship she had with Congressman Gary Condit. It was a relationship that the Congressman had admitted to investigators, according to law enforcement officials during repeated questioning.
Now Congressman Condit has put out a statement this evening through his lawyers saying that he and his family expressed condolences to the family of Chandra Levy.
We know that Susan and Robert Levy in Modesto, California have pushed this investigation, fearing the worst, but hoping for the best, that in fact she would be found alive. The worst is what was realized when her remains were found here today in Washington. Bill.
HEMMER: Bob, thank you, Bob Franken again, northwestern Washington, Rock Creek Park. Much more on the story, head to our web site, 24 hours a day, a timeline online and a look at the key players in this case. It's all at cnn.com, AOL users the keyword as we always say here CNN. We're back in a moment.
ANNOUNCER: Next, a town that just saw more than its fair share of death gets hit again by a suicide bomber. We'll go live to the scene of the terrorist attack in Israel.
Also ahead, guilty of Murder, nearly four decades after the death of four girls in the bombing of an Alabama Church.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I feel sorry for him. I feel sorry for him because he's still in denial. (Inaudible) he got to admit that what he did.
ANNOUNCER: A live report from outside the courthouse is coming up. And later -
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our alliance must remain tough in the war against global terror.
ANNOUNCER: President Bush arrives in Europe, looking to strengthen ties in the battle against terrorism.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: Since the latest round of violence broke out in Israel, the West Bank in Gaza 19 months ago, nearly 1,400 Palestinians and nearly 500 Israelis have been killed.
HEMMER: Now for the second time in two weeks, terror has struck the Israeli town of Rashon Letzion. That's about 15 miles southeast of Tel Aviv. A suicide bomber blew himself up in a crowded pedestrian mall, killing two Israelis and injuring about 40 others.
Martin Savidge live from that town, again southeast of Tel Aviv, where it's just about four o'clock in the morning. Marty, good morning to you.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Bill. By the background, you would not believe that this was the latest site of the latest suicide bombing attack here in Israel, but in fact, this is the place where it occurred. The second time, as you point out, in two weeks that Rishon Letzion has been attacked by a suicide bomber, the first time indoors.
This time occurred out of door in what was a very serene park. People had gathered in the evening, after dark. It's a popular gathering place for Russian immigrants. We're told that among the casualties a 57-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy. Of course that doesn't include the mention of the suicide bomber. Thirty-seven people at last count, we were told, were wounded, four of them said to be in critical condition.
Witnesses say that the suicide bomber had blond hair. Police forensic tests bear that out, that he bleached his hair, an indication that he may have been attempting to disguise himself to try to fit in, and that's something that authorities have seen before in other suicide bombing attacks, most recently in Netanya. There the bomber was said to be dressed in a military uniform belonging to the Israeli government.
There was anger and outrage amongst those that had gathered here in the crowd. There were some fights that broke out that police had to break up and there was immediate, almost immediate condemnation that was coming from the Palestinian Authority, saying that this can not go on. The Israeli government though says that this is the third suicide bombing attack this week, and words are simply not enough from the Palestinian Authority. More concrete action must be done to try to stop these attacks.
As we point out, this is the fourth suicide bombing attack in Israel this month. There are few people who doubt that it will be the very last one. Bill.
HEMMER: Marty, that's a town you're standing in that many Americans, if not most Americans, would never have heard of before but knowing this town has been hit twice now in a period of two weeks, did anything change in terms of security in that location where you are and other parts of that town?
SAVIDGE: Well security throughout Israel had been tightened over the past couple of weeks and they have worked very hard. You see a lot of private security that is set up outside of many businesses.
But they have also begun to realize that there is no place in Israel now that is immune to suicide bombing attacks, and no matter how much security is put in place, it is not a perfect system and that is obviously proven by what took place here tonight. The only significant thing was that it took place outside rather than inside a building adding a new element to the terror of Israel. Bill.
HEMMER: Nothing immune, you're exactly right on that point. Marty, thanks, Martin Savidge up late tonight in the town southeast of Tel Aviv. Marty, thanks to you.
In a moment here, back in this country, a jury earlier today wrote the final chapter to one of the civil rights era's most shocking events. Nearly four decades after an explosion that killed four young African-American girls, was justice done today in Birmingham. Back in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: A former Klansman will spend the rest of his life behind bars. Today a jury in Birmingham found Bobby Frank Cherry guilty, guilty in a 1963 church bombing that killed four young Black school girls. Our National Correspondent Gary Tuchman again live tonight in Birmingham with more on the verdict that came down about six hours ago. Gary, good evening.
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bill, good evening to you. For 39 years, Bobby Frank Cherry has denied having anything to do with the bombing of that church in 1963 and the deaths of the four young African-American girls. But today, a jury of nine Whites and three African-Americans emphatically disagreed. They said the former Ku Klux Klan member was guilty of four counts of First Degree Murder.
Cherry never testified in his own defense during this trial, but he did get a chance to address the judge after the verdict. We can't hear the sound because we weren't allowed to provide the sound under court rules. We will tell you that Cherry looked at the prosecutors and said: "The whole bunch has lied all the way through. I told the truth. I don't know why I'm going to jail for nothing. I haven't done anything."
Prosecutors who have now convicted three men in this case, albeit many years later, are greatly relieved that the jurors did not believe that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DOUG JONES, PROSECUTOR: This verdict today sends a message that's important today, that the people that bomb and kill our innocent citizens and children, we will never give up. It doesn't matter how long it takes.
TUCHMAN (voice over): Well after the verdict was reached, Cherry's family came outside and they consoled each other. His lawyer says he was not shocked by the verdict.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think we presented the case that we intended the jury to hear and I think that's what they heard. They considered it and that was the outcome.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TUCHMAN (on camera): Cherry is now in the Jefferson County Jail right behind me. He will soon be transferred to a maximum security state prison where he will serve his life sentence. Bill, back to you.
HEMMER: Gary, thank you, Gary Tuchman in Birmingham, Alabama tonight. Our next stop is New York City, where it is almost life as normal. Stay with us for a look at the annoyances today and the nervousness as well, all this caused by the latest security warnings in Manhattan.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: I want to get to New York City right now. New York is going about their business today under stepped up security, a day after police in New York warned of the potential for terrorist attacks against the Big Apple. Those threats centering on landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge, in fact that bridge shut down for a while today during the morning rush hour.
Also in Manhattan, Fleet Week began today, the first of six days there and Jason Carroll live tonight in Manhattan's west side, watching both of these stories for us. Jason, good evening.
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good evening to you, Bill. We're going to start out by talking about security. Law enforcement officials here in New York City say that they are taking all of the necessary precautions. This after the FBI said yesterday it had received general threats against the city of New York.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) CARROLL (voice over): These New York City landmarks, including the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge, as you mentioned, were identified as potential targets. The information was uncorroborated. It did not say when such an attack might occur.
This morning, the Brooklyn Bridge was shut down for an hour, after a suspicious package was found. It turned out to be an empty knapsack. Sobriety checkpoints are going to be set up for the Memorial weekend. Those checkpoints will also serve as security checkpoints.
A New York State security adviser says stopping terrorism is going to involve a combination of factors falling into place.
JAMES KALLSTROM, NEW YORK STATE SECURITY ADVISER: I think the number one priority there is to get better information out to the local police, to the state police, get more cooperation, get better intelligence out of Washington. Do some logical common sense things to stop terrorists from coming into the United States. But those of us here in New York have not given up on the notion that we're going to stop this thing. We're going to catch these people.
CARROLL: The security alert happening just as Fleet Week is getting underway here in New York City. It's an annual maritime celebration. Some 20 military ships, 18 of them American, will be participating in this event. Some are returning from duty in Operation Enduring Freedom. We actually spent the night on one such ship with a group of sailors who are especially anxious to get home.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who is ready to go to the Big Apple?
CARROLL: One might think the home port of the USS (inaudible) is New York. No, it's Norfolk, Virginia. But for four of these sailors, New York is their home. And for Fernando Felari, when the USS Leyte Gulf sails into Manhattan, it will be his first glimpse of the skyline without the Twin Towers.
FERNANDO FELARI, U.S. SAILOR: It's going to be very emotional. Growing up in New York, I saw the World Trade Center built and I also saw it on the news come down.
CARROLL: For Fernando and the other New Yorkers who were on duty September 11th, the hardest part was being away.
KRIS HERNANDEZ, U.S. SAILOR: We were wondering what was going on back home, what's going on with my family and my friends, and you're not even thinking about where you're going. You only think about what you was coming from.
CARROLL: The USS Leyte Gulf was one of the first ships sent to the Arabian Sea for Operation Enduring Freedom.
GUIDO PENAFIEL, U.S. SAILOR: I knew I was doing something good for the country and that got me through it.
KELLY INGOLD, U.S. CHIEF PETTY OFFICER: The best thing to do was to make the best of it, talk to one another and get through it all. CARROLL (on camera): The men and women we talked to say it's a privilege to serve on board the USS Leyte Gulf. It's one of 27 cruisers in the U.S. Navy. This is the ship's combat room. It's equipped with sophisticated radar. It can track a target up to 200 miles away. The main objective during Operation Enduring Freedom, protect other ships from air threats.
The deployment of the USS Leyte Gulf lasted for six months. During that time, this is basically where the sailors lived. You can see the living conditions are actually pretty tight. Six sailors have to sleep per cube.
CARROLL (voice over): The 400-member crew proudly stood at attention, showing all the USS Leyte's might as it led a procession of military ships past Ground Zero.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was shocked to see that they're not there. Obviously, it's a big hole in my heart not to see it in the city anymore.
CARROLL: A bittersweet beginning to Fleet Week.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CARROLL (on camera): Fleet Week is expected to draw thousands of tourists. In addition to that, it's also expected to draw some 6,000 sailors to New York City. Bill.
HEMMER: Good week. Jason, thanks. Jason Carroll in Manhattan tonight. A few other stories we want to pass along quickly for you. The Vice President Dick Cheney has strong words today for those critical of the government's actions in the days before 9/11.
In an interview with CNN's Larry King, you'll see that interview in its entirety after our program tonight, the Vice President called comments from some lawmakers despicable and outrageous.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: When members of Congress suggest that the President of the United States had foreknowledge of the attack on September 11th, I think that's outrageous. That's beyond the pail. Somebody needs to say that ain't criticism, that's a gross, outrageous, political attack and it's totally uncalled for, unjustified.
The facts don't support it and somebody is going to have to say that and I feel very strongly about it. I'm perfectly prepared to have a debate. We do that all the time. But that kind of salt, implication that somehow we had prior knowledge and didn't act on it, I think is a despicable statement.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Dick Cheney with Larry King. You'll see the entire interview at nine o'clock tonight, following our program in just about three minutes' time, six on the West Coast again here on CNN.
Meanwhile in Europe, President Bush continues his tour, Day One today working to shore up allied support to continue and expand the war on terror, the President in Berlin his first stop today.
Tomorrow he will address a special session of the German Parliament. He's expected to outline his vision of Europe and explain why he thinks the U.S. led war on terror should widen. That tour will continue again for about a week's time.
Security expected to be heavy in Seoul, South Korea at the start of the World Cup soccer finals; concerns there of a terrorist attack have led to extra security for the U.S. team in particular. South Korea and Japan co-hosting that event which will start on the last day of May, the 31st. The U.S. playing first round matches in Seoul where 38,000 police officers will be mobilized for that event.
The threat of another terrorist attack on the U.S. could put the nation's economic recovery at risk. A top official with the Treasury Department says that that threat is an economic wildcard facing businesses and consumers. The Deputy Treasury Secretary Ken Dem (ph) echoed other administration officials in saying that another attack is likely. We have heard a number of those calls for about four days' running now.
Again, a reminder, Dick Cheney is with Larry King in a moment here, also more on the Chandra Levy case today. The police chief in Washington, Charles Ramsey, will also be a guest with Larry. So too will Billy Martin, the attorney for the Levy family that we heard from live from Fort Lauderdale just about 40 minutes ago. Stay tuned for that, a big show tonight for Larry.
Thanks for watching here tonight. I'm Bill Hemmer. LIVE FROM continues again tomorrow night. Hope you have a good night. We'll see you again tomorrow on Thursday, so long.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
