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American Morning

The Search for Chandra: Investigators No Closer

Aired July 30, 2001 - 10:09   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.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: And the latest on the search for Chandra Levy and the deepening mystery of her disappearance. Washington's Metropolitan police chief now says that investigators are no closer to finding her today than when she vanished, which now is more than three months ago.

CNN national correspondent Bob Franken has been covering the story and joins us with the latest -- Bob.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And, Donna, that's about three months ago, as you pointed out, three months of following leads that have not been productive, three months of fascinating on Congressman Gary Condit because of the relationship that he has now admitted he had with Chandra Levy, admitted to investigators, according to police sources, three months that have included intensive searches of abandoned buildings, searches of woodland areas.

They're wrapping those up this week by, for the most part, retracing their steps. And three months of dealing with news reports that are oftentimes flat out inaccurate, including a persistent one that on the day before she disappeared, Chandra Levy had spent quite a bit of her time making repeated phone calls to Congressman Condit.

Here is Assistant Police Chief Terry Gainer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ASSISTANT CHIEF TERRANCE GAINER, D.C. METROPOLITAN POLICE: I would like to knock that down. And frankly, we spend an awful lot of time trying to disprove rumors and innuendoes and peoples' theories of this case. We've tried to remain steadfast and focused on the facts even when others have not.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: And once again, Chief Gainer, Chief Gainer has said that although there has been an intense amount of focus on Congressman Condit by the media, the focus of the police has been in a variety of places, many of them more intense than on Congressman Condit -- Donna.

KELLEY: All right, Bob Franken with the latest for us, thank you.

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