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Authorities Focus on Atlanta in Hunt for Killer

Aired May 27, 2003 - 14:02   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.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: From the bayou to the big city, today the trail of the No. 1 suspect in at least five brutal murders in South Louisiana appears to lead to Atlanta. Derrick Todd Lee is being called a smooth talker who is good with his hands. Authorities assume he's armed and dangerous and hoping to fade into an urban population.
CNN's Martin Savidge is following the developing story from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. What do you know, Marty?

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: ... public awareness campaign. That is, trying to warn the public about their potential safety, because this is the man that authorities believe is in the area here. He is described as Derrick Todd Lee, 34 years of age, black male, 6-foot-1, 210 pounds.

He is also believed to be the prime suspect now in relationship to the murders of five women in and around the Baton Rouge, Louisiana area, over a killing spree that spanned about two years. They won't say why they think he is here in the Atlanta area, only that they have strong evidence. In fact, he was sighted at a hotel in downtown Atlanta yesterday, and they had information as early as this morning that he was still in the area. And he is linked to these crimes directly with his own DNA.

Let me back up and tell you how this all came about. It was May 5, two weeks ago, when they got a tip, Louisiana authorities, that this man, Lee, should be brought in for questioning. So they brought him in, asked him questions, and asked if he would submit DNA. He said he would, voluntarily. But immediately after doing that, authorities say he became nervous and fled the area.

In the meantime, the testing proved that there was a link between his DNA and the DNA collected at the crime scene of the five murders.

Now, authorities are trying to track him down. Louisiana sheriff's officers have this to say about a plea from the suspect's own family.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AUSTIN DANIEL, WEST FELICIANA SHERIFF: I have a message for Derrick Todd Lee, if you can hear me, I met with your mother this morning. For the safety -- for the sake of her health, she has asked me to ask you to please turn yourself in.

(END VIDEO CLIP) SAVIDGE: That is the effort that is underway here in Atlanta, which is why they are reaching out to the public, to see if they have seen this man. Authorities say that he got into Atlanta about a week ago, but he has been elsewhere. Here's how they've been tracking him. They won't say exactly how, but a U.S. marshal describes his movements.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICHARD MECUM, U.S. MARSHAL: Several different places, in Chicago and then down to Atlanta. He's been on Atlanta -- in Atlanta a couple of times. This is his second trip here. He's been working in Atlanta for the past week, as best that we can tell. We feel that he is still here in Atlanta. We need information from people who may have seen him or spotted him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAVIDGE: And as you have just heard, the whole effort now is to get the word on the street here in Atlanta, get people looking for him. They believe he may have changed his appearance somewhat by shaving his hair.

Again, 34-year-old Derrick Todd Lee is the suspect. Authorities say they are right in his wake, right behind him, but they would rather be right in front of him with a pair of handcuffs on him, and that is what they are aiming to do -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Marty, two quick questions for you. I understand he's married and has two children. Do you know anything about his family, their location, if they might even be with him?

SAVIDGE: No, it is not believed that his family is with him. It's not believed that he's traveling with any of his children, as may have been reported elsewhere. The children are said to be accounted for, and living with his wife at this moment in Louisiana.

PHILLIPS: I'm also told other cases, possibly across the U.S., specifically in Georgia, have been opened up now because of this?

SAVIDGE: Well, naturally, that would be a concern. With the DNA evidence they have, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation says that they are taking his DNA samples now and running back over all the unsolved cases at least here in the state of Georgia, trying to see if there will be a match there. That's a process that has only just begun -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Martin Savidge, thank you so much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired May 27, 2003 - 14:02   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: From the bayou to the big city, today the trail of the No. 1 suspect in at least five brutal murders in South Louisiana appears to lead to Atlanta. Derrick Todd Lee is being called a smooth talker who is good with his hands. Authorities assume he's armed and dangerous and hoping to fade into an urban population.
CNN's Martin Savidge is following the developing story from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. What do you know, Marty?

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: ... public awareness campaign. That is, trying to warn the public about their potential safety, because this is the man that authorities believe is in the area here. He is described as Derrick Todd Lee, 34 years of age, black male, 6-foot-1, 210 pounds.

He is also believed to be the prime suspect now in relationship to the murders of five women in and around the Baton Rouge, Louisiana area, over a killing spree that spanned about two years. They won't say why they think he is here in the Atlanta area, only that they have strong evidence. In fact, he was sighted at a hotel in downtown Atlanta yesterday, and they had information as early as this morning that he was still in the area. And he is linked to these crimes directly with his own DNA.

Let me back up and tell you how this all came about. It was May 5, two weeks ago, when they got a tip, Louisiana authorities, that this man, Lee, should be brought in for questioning. So they brought him in, asked him questions, and asked if he would submit DNA. He said he would, voluntarily. But immediately after doing that, authorities say he became nervous and fled the area.

In the meantime, the testing proved that there was a link between his DNA and the DNA collected at the crime scene of the five murders.

Now, authorities are trying to track him down. Louisiana sheriff's officers have this to say about a plea from the suspect's own family.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AUSTIN DANIEL, WEST FELICIANA SHERIFF: I have a message for Derrick Todd Lee, if you can hear me, I met with your mother this morning. For the safety -- for the sake of her health, she has asked me to ask you to please turn yourself in.

(END VIDEO CLIP) SAVIDGE: That is the effort that is underway here in Atlanta, which is why they are reaching out to the public, to see if they have seen this man. Authorities say that he got into Atlanta about a week ago, but he has been elsewhere. Here's how they've been tracking him. They won't say exactly how, but a U.S. marshal describes his movements.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICHARD MECUM, U.S. MARSHAL: Several different places, in Chicago and then down to Atlanta. He's been on Atlanta -- in Atlanta a couple of times. This is his second trip here. He's been working in Atlanta for the past week, as best that we can tell. We feel that he is still here in Atlanta. We need information from people who may have seen him or spotted him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAVIDGE: And as you have just heard, the whole effort now is to get the word on the street here in Atlanta, get people looking for him. They believe he may have changed his appearance somewhat by shaving his hair.

Again, 34-year-old Derrick Todd Lee is the suspect. Authorities say they are right in his wake, right behind him, but they would rather be right in front of him with a pair of handcuffs on him, and that is what they are aiming to do -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Marty, two quick questions for you. I understand he's married and has two children. Do you know anything about his family, their location, if they might even be with him?

SAVIDGE: No, it is not believed that his family is with him. It's not believed that he's traveling with any of his children, as may have been reported elsewhere. The children are said to be accounted for, and living with his wife at this moment in Louisiana.

PHILLIPS: I'm also told other cases, possibly across the U.S., specifically in Georgia, have been opened up now because of this?

SAVIDGE: Well, naturally, that would be a concern. With the DNA evidence they have, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation says that they are taking his DNA samples now and running back over all the unsolved cases at least here in the state of Georgia, trying to see if there will be a match there. That's a process that has only just begun -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Martin Savidge, thank you so much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com