Remains found in park may be Chandra Levy's

Revival · 05-22-2002, 05:13 PM

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The parents of former Washington intern Chandra Levy remain "hopeful" that there daughter is still alive, a family attorney said Wednesday following news that skeletal remains had been found in a park where she was known to jog.

"They're still keeping their hopes up that Chandra is still alive," George Arata told reporters outside the Levy family's Modesto, California, home.

Levy was last seen April 30, 2001, in Washington, just days after completing an internship with the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. She was 24 when she disappeared.

Police Chief Charles Ramsey said investigators will perform tests, including a review of dental records, to determine whether the remains found in Washington's Rock Creek Park were Levy's. He said a review of the dental records may result in an identification as early as Wednesday night.

"I don't know how long it's going to take," the chief said. "I'm optimistic that we'll find out sometime today, but then it could take longer."

A man walking his dog and looking for turtles in the park made the discovery about 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Ramsey told reporters.

Ramsey said the discovery included a skull and that "bits and pieces" of what appeared to be women's clothing, and early indications "weigh very heavily" that the remains are those of a woman.

"Apparently, the remains have been there for a while," Ramsey said. "My understanding is that the remains are not all in one location."

Park had been searched before
Ramsey said the remains were found in an out-of-the way area of the park. Homicide investigators and a forensic pathologist were combing the area Wednesday afternoon, and Ramsey said the search would likely extend into the night.

Police searched the roughly 2,820-acre Rock Creek Park last summer, including the area where the remains were found, he said. The park is not far from where Levy lived in Washington.

Levy's parents recorded an interview with Oprah Winfrey before receiving news of today's discovery.
The park, which cuts through some of the city's more upscale neighborhoods, includes jogging and bicycle paths. Police said Levy had looked at a Web site that included information about the Klingle Mansion, an 1823 farmhouse now used as park offices, before she disappeared.

"This is heavily wooded area, very easy to conceal something here," said Ramsey, who described the area as a "very difficult place to search." He also said it was possible that the body could have been left in the park after the search.

"We're not going to be in a rush. We're going to take our time."
— Charles Ramsey, Washington police chief

Shortly after Levy disappeared, controversy swirled around U.S. Rep. Gary Condit, D-California. Levy's family said she had a relationship with Condit, a 53-year-old married father of two.

Condit publicly refused to say whether he had a romantic relationship with her, but police sources said he admitted to one during an interview. The case hurt Condit politically, and he lost a Democratic primary challenge in March.

Condit declined to comment Wednesday at the Capitol when asked about the park discovery.

Police handled Levy's disappearance as a missing persons case. Despite hundreds of tips and months spent searching city parks and buildings, authorities turned up no firm leads about what happened to her.

Police said they did not consider Condit a suspect in Levy's disappearance, and no suspects ever were named in connection with the investigation.

Levy's parents said they wanted Condit to meet with private investigators they hired to find their daughter, but he refused.

Ramsey said he talked by phone with Levy's parents several times Wednesday.

"They're upset, they're distraught, but we're keeping them informed," Ramsey said. He said the family was "still holding out hope."

Levy has been missing since April 30, 2001.

Robert and Susan Levy also appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show Wednesday in an interview that was taped before the discovery.

"When you are missing a child, you have to maintain your hope unless you know otherwise," Robert Levy said. "We really hope she is alive. Under the circumstances, it doesn't seem likely -- but you know, as parents, we have to maintain hope."

Last month, the Levys marked one year since their daughter's disappearance with other interviews in which they talked about their heartache and hopes. Susan Levy told CNN said she doesn't react to phone calls with much anticipation.

"I would say that I don't think I jump thinking that she's going to be on the other line, but I'm going to tell you ... that I still have faith and hope that Chandra will come back to us alive," she told CNN's Larry King in April.

DeathsHand · 05-22-2002, 09:02 PM

Yeah it's Chandra... I checked on MSNBC.com cuz I was curious and they said it was her...

wow... it's about time

I got really annoyed how they would talk about it so frickin' much on the news... it's like "Well gee, is there nothing else to talk about?"... Hopefully it won't now turn into another round of "SO HOW DID SHE DIE :eek: :eek: :eek: " on the news 24/7

anyways... bye now

Revival · 05-22-2002, 09:23 PM

Yeah, I know. I was away when I saw the news, and I didn't get to update.

PureEvil · 05-22-2002, 10:35 PM

Well, good for her family. I imagine they already knew she was dead, but at least this will bring them some closure...

GameKinG · 05-22-2002, 10:37 PM

Yeah, better that then nothing at all.

Xantar · 05-22-2002, 10:49 PM

This will come across as crass and callous, but I honestly don't care. I was actually hoping this topic would just die so that my point could be made, but if people want to talk about it, I'm not stopping them.

Really, though, while this is a tragedy, stuff like this happens all the time. The only thing that made Chandra Levy special was the fact that she had an affair with Gary Condit. It's just not fair to the families of all the other missing/murdered people that their lost loved ones go completely unnoticed by people at large.

Angrist · 05-23-2002, 03:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Xantar
This will come across as crass and callous, but I honestly don't care. I was actually hoping this topic would just die so that my point could be made, but if people want to talk about it, I'm not stopping them.

Really, though, while this is a tragedy, stuff like this happens all the time. The only thing that made Chandra Levy special was the fact that she had an affair with Gary Condit. It's just not fair to the families of all the other missing/murdered people that their lost loved ones go completely unnoticed by people at large.

I kinda agree with Xanny here. Like when that political leader Pim Fortuyn in Holland died, everyone was mourning and stuff and it was on TV ALL the time.
I didn't care much, because a lot worse things happen, while we don't notice/care. So why care so much about this one person??

DeathsHand · 05-23-2002, 03:16 PM

I don't really care much anymore either... that's what I was kinda saying in my message... hopefully they don't talk about it on the news so friggin' much again...

But I did kinda find it interesting for awhile... oooo what happened to her... and then it just got old and annoying... and then they found her and it's like "Wow... they found her..." and now when they actually find out HOW she died it might be interesting again... but if they're gonna be on the news repeating every 5 minutes that they found her, then that's stoopid...

GameMaster · 05-23-2002, 07:49 PM

Moral of this story: Have a wild and crazy affair with someone famous, and you'll be recognized.

ghettodude · 05-23-2002, 11:55 PM

so what.. her bones were just sitting there in a park for more then a year and nobody noticed?

DeathsHand · 05-24-2002, 12:20 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ghettodude
so what.. her bones were just sitting there in a park for more then a year and nobody noticed?

Errr the park is very heavily wooded... like the police cheif said, in some areas you could be "standing right next to something and not see it" or something like that

Plus it was at the bottom of a ravine(sp?) in a very remote area (apparently)... and last year when they did a very big search in that park, the area they found the remains in was NOT part of the area they searched... because they felt it was too "remote" (but wait, if you were getting rid of a body, wouldn't that be exactly where you want to put it

)...

Not to mention it's a very big park...

There were also like 2 other missing person's cases in that same general area... both women... about the same age as Chandra Levy... Who jogged in Rock Creek Park... I think maybe they found at least one of those two people (dead), but I'm not sure... But right when I heard about Chandra Levy, and then remembered about that other lady who dissapeared and jogged in Rock Creek Park, then they mentioned ANOTHER case I hadn't heard about before... Right then I thought it sounded like there was a connection, and I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out to be like a serial killer...

Yep... I watch the news too much... then again, the local news comes from DC, so you get a lot more detail on other local cases and such

http://www.msnbc.com/news/678788.asp

See... serial killer possible... now it's a bit more than just Chandra Levy, for those getting annoyed about hearing about her so much

Couple pictures... Not quite the place you expect to find right in the middle of DC?

Iz purty? Kinda?

fingersman · 05-24-2002, 08:54 AM

I don't really care about this either..especially when people die everyday of un-natural causes. ( shooting, rape, bullet wounds, toture..etc,etc)

However you guys have to realise that the media is all about ratings and they can't cover every indivual death, so they usually cover or hype up the most famous deaths.

I guess human worth is measured by how much you do. Example..if a political leader dies/gets killed and he had helped clean up the system and actually did good things for certain communities....he's going to be all over the news and have an anual tribute to him on the day of his death and whats not.

But let any one of the ordinary folks die or get killed...and we're not really acknowledge as persons by the News, we're called victims. lol (of course or families will morn and stuff)