Chandra Levy find embarrasses police

Guardian/UK ^ | 6/08/02 | Julian Borger in Washington

[kattracks]

Private investigators searching a Washington wood where the remains of the murdered intern Chandra Levy were found have come across a leg bone and a piece of twisted wire, it was revealed yesterday.

The city's medical examiner, Jonathan Arden, said the 30cm tibia was probably Ms Levy's. Some of her remains were found along a river bank in Washington's Rock Creek park last month.

Ms Levy, a 24-year-old intern at the federal bureau of prisons, went missing in May last year in a case that triggered a scandal when it was revealed she had been having an affair with a California congressman, Gary Condit.

After her skull and other bones were found by a man walking his dog, the police declared the case a homicide, although there were no visible signs of violence.

But private investigators working for the Levy family searched the area on Thursday and found a piece of wire, possibly a coathanger, twisted into a figure eight shape, near the leg bone. It was undergoing forensic analysis yesterday and it was unclear whether it was linked to the murder.

The find was just the latest embarrassment for Washington's police. They had not found the body despite searching the park last year, and did not unearth the leg bone, only 8 metres from where the skull was found, despite spending a week combing that patch of ground with sniffer dogs.

The police chief, Charles Ramsey, yesterday ordered a crime unit back to the scene, which was cordoned off again.

"It is unacceptable that these items were not located," Mr Ramsey said in a statement. "I have directed that this matter be thoroughly reviewed to determine why these items were not originally found."

[D-fendr]

Well, we can deduce one thing about the killer: He was smart enough to do his murdering in D.C.

If you want a competent crime investigation there you have to hire your own investigators.

[The Great Satan]

From the Washington Post:

Later, after attending a briefing on the case, Ramsey said there was a "very strong probability" that an animal indeed had retrieved it, possibly from a burrow. That hypothesis is based on information the police received from the National Zoo, which told investigators that the animals making this part of the park their home could have abandoned the area during the search and may have been replaced by others after police left. Under this theory, the bone may have been uncovered by an animal cleaning out an old den.

The DC cops' handling of this case is as absurd as their handling of the Joyce Chiang case (Joyce was the murdered intern of Gary's good friend, Rep. Howard Berman). I wonder who Gary will kill next?

[ChasingFletch]

Police Chief Ramsey's first reaction to the news of the legbone was, "Now, we at least have a leg up on the investigation."

This story now is getting legs. They should keep on looking, they may come across Jimmy Hoffa eventually.

[Rocky]

Could the police assigned to this be the same crack team that worked with the Park Police to investigate Vince Foster's "suicide"? Sounds like the Keystone Cops.

[amstaff1]

Put detective Marion Barry in charge. He'll CRACK that case faster than you can say "That ho set me up".

[Jaidyn]

If your marriage is rocky, don't let your spouse talk you into a DC vacation. You might end up there the rest of your life.

[RushLake]

In order to be embarassed, one has to be capable of discriminating right and wrong. Alleged Chief Ramsey is too stupid to discern the crucial differences in anything. How else to explain why gunfree DC is always in the top 5 in firearms related homicides nationwide let alone mount a possible murder investigation?

My wife and I often watch "Forensic Files" on Court TV which covers various homicides. What this program demonstrates is that it does take some due diligence to properly investigate a potential homicide, but dedicated people who care can do proper investigation and follow up.

[Diogenesis]

Crime has happened. Evidence has been found.

Is it time for DC justice?

Is it time to REALLY investigate the crime scene?

---

More of the victim's body has been found.

At last, is it time to round up the perp?

---

Chief Ramsey announces something
and the force heads off for their important business.
This must be the chance for justice which all have waited for.

[rabidralph]

DC Police have one of the lowest crime closure rates in the country. They seem to be most interested in just collecting a paycheck.

A few years ago during the Starbucks investigation, the suspect came downtown for questioning and one of the detectives noticed a dried, red substance on the suspect's shoe. Did the detective demand that the suspect take off his shoe so that the substance could be tested? No, he let him walk out after the questioning was through. Weeks later the police got a warrant and searched the suspect's home but could no longer find that particular pair of shoes in his closet. Duh!

[contessa machiaveli]

suboenas have ben issued to all racoons who were anywhere near rock creek park in the past year.

[contessa machiaveli]

sorry...i meant subpoenas

[floriduh voter]

Now the PD are blaming animals escaped from the Zoo. That's a clever one. Since Greta Van Susteren states she lives 500 yards from the mansion, I nominate her to go pick up the other clues the PD missed. She can bring a hefty bag from her luxurious digs and find some more clues.

They didn't use the escaped zoo animal theory when Vince Foster died in the park. That's a new one for them.

[lentulusgracchus]

They didn't use the escaped zoo animal theory when Vince Foster died in the park.

Yeah, stuff like this makes the Vince Foster case sound worse and worse......it's like an oil slick, just spreading.

How many congressional/government interns have gone missing in the DC Park System, anyway? Just curious.

[aristeides]

I wonder why these stories don't identify the animals who inhabit this part of the park. Presumably the tooth marks on the bones identify the animals. Are they rats, and do the D.C. authorities not want to admit the extent to which their city is rat-infested?

[ivanhoe116]

They had not found the body despite searching the park last year, and did not unearth the leg bone, only 8 metres from where the skull was found, despite spending a week combing that patch of ground with sniffer dogs.

What? No way! It wasn't there.

[cynicom]

katt...

A few days ago, on national tv, Chief Ramsey said he and his fellow donut chompers were, "one of the best police departments in the country". That is a sad statement, but sadder yet, that idiot thinks he can foist that opinion off on a gullible public.

[Irene Adler]

""It is unacceptable that these items were not located," Mr Ramsey said in a statement. "I have directed that this matter be thoroughly reviewed to determine why these items were not originally found."

Maybe the Chief should forget that for the time being and HAVE THE SITE SEARCHED, AGAIN. Duh.

[archy]

the bone may have been uncovered by an animal cleaning out an old den.

Seems likely:

[river rat]

Embarrassed?
How is it possible to embarrass morons?

Still, the D.C. Police have provided a valuable public service..
They have become the classic case study of incompetence.
Their handling of this case, will be studied for decades as the classic case of how NOT to handle a missing person, possible homicide or crime scene investigation..

Semper Fi

[bandleader]

From What I Can See,These Guys Aren't "POLICE",They're "The Keystone Kops"!!!!!!!!

[bandleader]

Very Good Observation!At Least Now A"Skilled Sleuth" Has Now Undertaken(No Pun Intended)To Re-Open The Vince Foster"SUICIDE?'Mark Fuhrman(Former LAPD Detective Responsible For Re-Opening Martha Moxley Case)Is Now "ON The Job"!!!The Results Of His Investigations May Have Some Interesting Ramifications For Mr.&Mrs."BeelzeBubba"!!!!!Watch Your Back,Mark!!!!!!!!!!!!

[xp38]

They need to get Craig T. Nelson (actor who played a fictional chief of police in the tv show The District) on the case...couldn't do any worse.

[gracex7]

We need to keep him (Mark Fuhrman) in prayer. These are powerful, evil people that he's going to be tangling with. And he undoubtedly has already made a certain nameless Senator and extended family very unhappy.

[Martha]

I wonder how many more "bones" will be found by the local DC dogs? My suggest is to a FIELD DAY, next week, with the ALL the local DC canines and see how many bones can be retrieved from the park!!!

[xm177e2]

The bone was a foot long! The DC police are incompetent beyond belief.

[eno_]

This story now is getting legs.

Rimshot!

[NC_Libertarian]

Where's the one with the donut? I couldn't beleive that fool would eat a donut while talking with the press.

[Sonny M]

I honestly think that either the body was dumped there after the police looked it over and left or an amatuer killed her and the cops are just incompetent. Now if it was professional, the body would have been buried, and lime would have been used. I know one guy who isn't a pro who is a suspect, here's a clue, he's a dem from cali.

[LantzALot]

Since Greta Van Susteren states she lives 500 yards from the mansion,....

Gee. Even for a mansion, 50 yards ought to be sufficient distance for a cistern.

[LantzALot]

They need to get Craig T. Nelson ....

Actually, they came close to his co-star. ...
on his older show, that is. ...

Jerry Van Dyke.

[dread78645]

Where's the one with the donut? I couldn't beleive that fool would eat a donut while talking with the press.

That is one of Registered's better ... uhh ... "efforts".

[xp38]

Yeah I was thinking that too :)

[Registered]