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American Morning

D.C. Police Continue Search For Chandra Levy

Aired May 17, 2001 - 11:20   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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Now to Washington, where the search goes on for a missing intern from California. Chandra Levy was last seen more than two weeks ago. The 24-year-old graduate student had just wrapped up an internship at the Bureau of Federal Prisons and was supposed to return home to Modesto, California. Yesterday, police dogs searched a wooded area of Washington, but didn't turn up anything.

As the search for clues goes on, Levy's parents, Susan and Robert, are in Washington. They are looking for answers about their daughter. Earlier today, Mrs. Levy spoke with us about her daughter's disappearance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SUSAN LEVY, MOTHER OF CHANDRA LEVY: I talked to her around April 27 by phone and the last actual e-mail was May 1. It was a generalized e-mail about Southwest Airlines. But she had mentioned the fact that she might take a train and come back towards California, which -- as far as we know, she never had a train ticket.

But she usually is very responsible and lets us know when she is coming home. She was looking forward to coming home and sharing graduation with us and family time and particularly, maybe we would go on a vacation together later this summer. And just -- she was in good spirits.

Anybody who has any information, please help find my daughter. Give -- call in the hot line, there's a hot line number and keep us in your prayers. My daughter's not just my daughter. She's everybody's daughter.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Mrs. Levy says that she'll do whatever it takes to get her daughter to come home alive. The Levy's met yesterday with Washington police and also with the FBI -- joining us on the phone once again from Washington to talk more about the case: Sergeant Joe Gentile, with the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department.

Sergeant Gentile, thanks for being with us once again.

SGT. JOE GENTILE, D.C. METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT: Yes, ma'am.

KAGAN: Anything new you can tell us about this investigation?

GENTILE: Nothing new at this time -- we may go back to the apartment of Miss Levy again today to go through it, to see if we can find anything that might help us determine her movements or whereabouts.

As you noted, yesterday, we did meet with Mr. and Mrs. Levy for over three hours. It was a very productive meeting. We advised them of some of the steps we were taking. And we also learned some things from the Levy's, as to the social habits of Chandra, such as clubs she might frequent or restaurants she might frequent.

As a matter of fact, last night, we had officers in the area of D.C. we call the Dupont Circle area, where there are a number of clubs and fine restaurants. And we were handing out fliers, in hopes that someone might have seen her there. We haven't gotten any results from that, but we're not going to stop.

KAGAN: Anything else come out of the meeting with her parents? I imagine that was a very difficult meeting as well, just emotionally, for these people.

GENTILE: They're under a great deal of stress. This is very traumatic for any parent. We've gone through it before with a number of parents. And we feel for them. And that's why we're trying to do everything we can. Again, I think what came out of it, was the Levy's understood that we were doing everything we could do.

And again, they gave us some information that may assist us in searching certain areas on to see if she may have been seen in those areas.

KAGAN: What can you tell us about reports of police department searching local rivers and local wooded areas? Why there if this young woman could be anywhere across the country?

GENTILE: These are areas that are in close proximity of her residence. This was a procedural technique to eliminate any possibilities. We utilize cadaver dogs along certain sections of the Anacostia and Potomac River. We also had a cadaver dog and mounted patrols go into a wooded area called the P Street Beach area which is relatively close to her apartment.

This was just a precautionary procedure, but method to eliminate the possibility that her body was there. Again, we're hoping that she is found safe and sound and we are asking anyone with any information about her to please call us.

KAGAN: And in fact, we are showing the Web site, that the family and friends have put together, findchandra,com. It's on our screen right now. Right at the top of the screen, it says $25,000 dollar reward. What can you tell us about that reward and any other additional rewards that are out there

GENTILE: It's my understanding that the reward has been put out there by outside parties for her safe return. Again, we're hoping that it may stimulate some people to call us with information. But we're hoping anyone, again, who has any information to please call us.

KAGAN: Isn't there also an additional reward by Congressman Gary Condit of California -- an additional $10, 000 reward?

GENTILE: That is my understanding, but I don't have access to the letter that indicates that right now.

KAGAN: And did he, as well as her parents, also report Chandra missing.

GENTILE: I'm not aware of that. I know we were contacted by the Levy's, the FBI was contacted by the Levys. I believe the congressman also contacted the FBI.

KAGAN: Anything you can explain -- the relationship between Chandra and the congressman.

GENTILE: No. Not at this time. I would like to emphasize, while I have the opportunity, to make clear to everybody -- right now this is a missing person's case. We have spoken to a number of people, we intend to speak to more people. We will respect the right of privacy of everyone we speak to.

And again, I must emphasize -- if -- if -- and I pray it doesn't -- if this becomes a criminal case, then some of people we have spoken to may become potential witnesses. And we never identify a witness. So we just don't know, again, it is classified as a missing person's case. We are trying to find evidence that would indicate otherwise. At this time we haven't. We are hoping for the best, but we haven't ruled anything out.

KAGAN: In the meantime, the search for information goes on. We wish you well in your efforts, Sergeant, thanks for joining us.

Sergeant Joe Gentile with the Washington, D.C. Police Department -- once again findchandra.com is the Web site where you can get more information or pass information on to the family.

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