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American Morning
Interview With Brother of Former Marine Missing With 12-Year- Old Girl
Aired July 15, 2003 - 09:14 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, CNN ANCHOR: An international manhunt, meanwhile, is underway for a former U.S. Marine believed to be traveling with a 12- year-old girl he met over the Internet. Shevaun Pennington told her parents she was meeting two friends last Saturday, but never came back.
According to Toby Studabaker's family, the former Marine believed he was meeting a 19-year-old girl. Toby's brother Leo Studabaker joins us live from Three Rivers, Michigan this morning.
Good morning to you, Leo. Thank you for your time on this topic.
LEO STUDABAKER, MISSING MAN'S BROTHER: Good morning.
HEMMER: When was the last time you spoke with your brother?
STUDABAKER: The last time I spoke with him was when I took him to the airport last Friday.
HEMMER: that was on Friday of last week. What did he say about where he was going?
STUDABAKER: He wanted to go on vacation to some of the countries he never had a chance to when he was in the Marines. He said that the first stop he wanted to go to was over to England, because he wanted to -- Shevaun and him had talked on and off several times. She'd get mad at him over the Internet and then she'd stop talking to him and then she'd writing him again.
And he thought they were getting serious. And he wanted to go over and find out exactly what her feelings were and see what she wanted to do, continue the relationship forward or just -- just back it off.
HEMMER: What did he tell you about Shevaun?
STUDABAKER: As far as we know, he was very adamant she had told him -- he was very insistent that she was 18, 19-years-old.
HEMMER: So he told you that? That she was at least 18 or 19 years of age?
STUDABAKER: Yes, yes. In fact, he said that she was 19. She had told him that she was 19, she was going to college.
HEMMER: How often would you say they would talk online? STUDABAKER: Quite a bit. Actually, they would spend some hours online talking through instant messages.
HEMMER: Leo, was that every day?
STUDABAKER: I don't know if it was every day or not. Any time he came home, it was -- he was talking to her.
(CROSSTALK)
STUDABAKER: He wouldn't get on the computer just to talk to her. He was -- when he was on there she would write him and let him know she was online.
HEMMER: I apologize for the interruption there.
Has your brother been involved with a charge of sexual misconduct in the past?
STUDABAKER: He was accused at one time. It was never proven. I guess the judge in that decided that the girls weren't exactly telling the truth or they didn't have enough evidence or something like that. But that was never proceeded forward.
HEMMER: At this point, do you have concern for Shevaun?
STUDABAKER: Well, yes, naturally. I am a father. I have a 13- year-old daughter. You know, I'd be concerned.
HEMMER: What have authorities told you, Leo?
STUDABAKER: I don't think it's -- their parents -- her parents have to worry about -- Shevaun's parents, I think your daughter is pretty safe with him. He wouldn't -- I really, really don't think he would hurt her.
HEMMER: Let's hope for the best in this. Go ahead, sorry.
STUDABAKER: Yes. As far as the police told me, the FBI came over yesterday. They didn't know any more at that time than what we had already found out through the media.
HEMMER: What did the FBI come looking for? Did they take computers or any evidence there?
STUDABAKER: It was just -- they just -- they came to -- to get some information about him, find out what we knew about it. He used our computer a couple times. We did give that up so they could see if they can't get any type of information off of that.
HEMMER: Do you expect the FBI to come back?
STUDABAKER: They're supposed to let us know if they find out anything, or hear anything about him.
HEMMER: And at this point, do you have any way of reaching your brother? E-mail, telephone, any source of communication or contact?
STUDABAKER: No, no. No.
HEMMER: And the last time you had a conversation with him was Friday when you were taking him to the airport?
STUDABAKER: That is correct.
I am going to say that the only reason why I have decided to do this interview with CNN is because I know they are worldwide. I am hoping that Toby sees this, and will go to the nearest consulate or embassy, contact the local authorities, whatever, so that he can get this straightened out.
HEMMER: We hope so, too.
Leo, thanks. Really appreciate it during a very tough time for you and your family. Leo Studabaker is the brother, lives in Three Rivers, Michigan. Thank you for taking time with us today. Much appreciated, Leo.
STUDABAKER: All right.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Year-Old Girl>
Aired July 15, 2003 - 09:14 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: An international manhunt, meanwhile, is underway for a former U.S. Marine believed to be traveling with a 12- year-old girl he met over the Internet. Shevaun Pennington told her parents she was meeting two friends last Saturday, but never came back.
According to Toby Studabaker's family, the former Marine believed he was meeting a 19-year-old girl. Toby's brother Leo Studabaker joins us live from Three Rivers, Michigan this morning.
Good morning to you, Leo. Thank you for your time on this topic.
LEO STUDABAKER, MISSING MAN'S BROTHER: Good morning.
HEMMER: When was the last time you spoke with your brother?
STUDABAKER: The last time I spoke with him was when I took him to the airport last Friday.
HEMMER: that was on Friday of last week. What did he say about where he was going?
STUDABAKER: He wanted to go on vacation to some of the countries he never had a chance to when he was in the Marines. He said that the first stop he wanted to go to was over to England, because he wanted to -- Shevaun and him had talked on and off several times. She'd get mad at him over the Internet and then she'd stop talking to him and then she'd writing him again.
And he thought they were getting serious. And he wanted to go over and find out exactly what her feelings were and see what she wanted to do, continue the relationship forward or just -- just back it off.
HEMMER: What did he tell you about Shevaun?
STUDABAKER: As far as we know, he was very adamant she had told him -- he was very insistent that she was 18, 19-years-old.
HEMMER: So he told you that? That she was at least 18 or 19 years of age?
STUDABAKER: Yes, yes. In fact, he said that she was 19. She had told him that she was 19, she was going to college.
HEMMER: How often would you say they would talk online? STUDABAKER: Quite a bit. Actually, they would spend some hours online talking through instant messages.
HEMMER: Leo, was that every day?
STUDABAKER: I don't know if it was every day or not. Any time he came home, it was -- he was talking to her.
(CROSSTALK)
STUDABAKER: He wouldn't get on the computer just to talk to her. He was -- when he was on there she would write him and let him know she was online.
HEMMER: I apologize for the interruption there.
Has your brother been involved with a charge of sexual misconduct in the past?
STUDABAKER: He was accused at one time. It was never proven. I guess the judge in that decided that the girls weren't exactly telling the truth or they didn't have enough evidence or something like that. But that was never proceeded forward.
HEMMER: At this point, do you have concern for Shevaun?
STUDABAKER: Well, yes, naturally. I am a father. I have a 13- year-old daughter. You know, I'd be concerned.
HEMMER: What have authorities told you, Leo?
STUDABAKER: I don't think it's -- their parents -- her parents have to worry about -- Shevaun's parents, I think your daughter is pretty safe with him. He wouldn't -- I really, really don't think he would hurt her.
HEMMER: Let's hope for the best in this. Go ahead, sorry.
STUDABAKER: Yes. As far as the police told me, the FBI came over yesterday. They didn't know any more at that time than what we had already found out through the media.
HEMMER: What did the FBI come looking for? Did they take computers or any evidence there?
STUDABAKER: It was just -- they just -- they came to -- to get some information about him, find out what we knew about it. He used our computer a couple times. We did give that up so they could see if they can't get any type of information off of that.
HEMMER: Do you expect the FBI to come back?
STUDABAKER: They're supposed to let us know if they find out anything, or hear anything about him.
HEMMER: And at this point, do you have any way of reaching your brother? E-mail, telephone, any source of communication or contact?
STUDABAKER: No, no. No.
HEMMER: And the last time you had a conversation with him was Friday when you were taking him to the airport?
STUDABAKER: That is correct.
I am going to say that the only reason why I have decided to do this interview with CNN is because I know they are worldwide. I am hoping that Toby sees this, and will go to the nearest consulate or embassy, contact the local authorities, whatever, so that he can get this straightened out.
HEMMER: We hope so, too.
Leo, thanks. Really appreciate it during a very tough time for you and your family. Leo Studabaker is the brother, lives in Three Rivers, Michigan. Thank you for taking time with us today. Much appreciated, Leo.
STUDABAKER: All right.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Year-Old Girl>
