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American Morning

Police Expand Search for Chandra Levy

Aired July 02, 2001 - 11:05   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: Other news out of the nation's capital: Police are expanding their search today for Washington intern Chandra Levy.

Let's bring in our national correspondent Bob Franken, who has been following the story for us.

And, Bob, you were telling us last hour that there's even news of the exact date that Chandra Levy is now considered missing?

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, first of all, the -- let's talk about that.

We have been reporting all along -- the impression had been all along that the last time that she could be accounted for was on April 30, which is just about nine weeks from now -- a little bit less than nine weeks. Well, now the police say that they have evidence that she was in her apartment the day after, on May 1.

That evidence is e-mail, e-mail that she apparently sent from the laptop computer that was later found in her apartment after the missing-persons investigation began, e-mail, police officials insist, had nothing that really contributed to knowledge about her disappearance -- Chandra Levy, of course, the 24-year-old former intern at the Bureau of Prisons who disappeared around the May 1 area -- has not been seen since.

She has been linked with Congressman Gary Condit. Congressman Condit's office repeatedly says there was not the romantic relationship that has been the cause of so much speculation. Congressman Condit has talked to the police twice. Police say that he has been entirely cooperative.

Now, the police also say that they are now going to take their cadaver-sniffing dogs -- which are exactly what they are described -- that terminology means -- they are going to take dogs that are trained to find bodies and they are going to, in fact, investigate some of the landfills around the Washington, D.C. area.

Police officials insist this is absolutely routine, that they have not come up with any evidence which would cause them to think that, in fact, she had been the victim of foul play and disposed in one of the landfills. They say this is a normal extension of an investigation they continue to say is only a missing-persons investigation, not a criminal investigation.

These same dogs have been used to search around the river areas and other areas around Chandra Levy's apartment. Now sometime this week or next -- it depends on scheduling -- this week or next, they will actually use the dogs to sniff around various landfill areas.

One other thing: Within the hour, the police chief just completed a meeting with his top officials responding to complaints that there has been so much interest in this case that they are not able to get their work done. The chief has now ordered them not to report anything publicly unless there is a substantial break in the case. There is not a substantial break. But, nevertheless, of course, we have accumulated this information.

And there is the matter of Carolyn Condit, the wife of Congressman Condit. There have been efforts to try and arrange an interview with her to try and fill in some gaps in this case. She is out in California. The FBI would do that interview as a routine participant in this investigation. Thus far, we are told that interview has not taken place -- Daryn.

KAGAN: And, Bob, as you pointed out before, while this is a mystery and certainly a tragedy right now for the Levy family, the police do not consider this a crime at this point.

FRANKEN: They continue to insist even when asked to expand the investigation, they do not have enough evidence that there was any criminal conduct. So they are steadfast. They continue to make it a missing-persons investigation. Nobody is considered a suspect because nobody believes thus far -- officially, anyway -- that a crime has been committed.

KAGAN: Bob Franken bringing us the latest from Washington -- Bob, thank you very much.

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