I noticed and corrected a couple of errors in this transcript, there could be more. I didn't check it all closely. If anyone has a question about a particular part of the show, I don't mind going back and listening to check for accuracy. However, I'm not sure how long the show will survive on my DVR...DH keeps erasing my stuff for more westerns!
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1204/04/ng.01.htmlNANCY GRACE
Baby Ava Found Alive in Mexico
Aired April 4, 2012 - 20:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
NANCY GRACE, HOST: Breaking news tonight, live, upscale San Jose area. A 15-year-old cheerleader, loves music, loves to dance, an all- American girl set to leave for the school bus that morning. Mommy sees her 6:00 AM before Mommy goes to work.
Tonight, confirmed, Sierra never makes it to the bus stop or to school, the little cheerleader never seen again, cell phone found thrown in a nearby field less than a mile from her own home. Her belongings, Sierra`s favorite little Juicy couture bag, found abandoned, her favorite top we think she was wearing that morning neatly folded inside the bag. Police sources say the teen snatched sometime between mom leaving for work and Sierra getting on that school bus less than an hour later.
Bombshell tonight, new evidence surfacing that could crack the case. A search team finds an empty box for steel handcuffs, and disturbingly, used condoms, both found near the school bus stop. Tonight, where is missing cheerleader Sierra LaMar?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fifteen-year-old Sierra LaMar...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Someone is holding her against her will.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Does someone have her?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The only trace of the 15-year-old...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ... her cell phone and purse...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: First LaMar`s cell phone was found on the side of the road. Then her purse discovered not far away.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Inside the bag was some of Sierra`s clothing, a pair of pants and a T-shirt neatly folded.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: New clues are emerging in the case.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Two used condoms, as well as a small empty box labeled "handcuffs" were taken by investigators to the crime lab.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That`s the biggest thing I`ve heard so far.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Every day, we just wonder if she`s OK!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: Good evening. I`m Nancy Grace. I want to thank you for being with us. Bombshell tonight. Live, upscale San Jose area. A 15-year-old cheerleader, loves music, loves to dance, literally the all-American girl, set to leave for the school bus that morning, never seen again.
Bombshell tonight, new evidence surfacing that could crack the case wide open. A search team finds an empty box for steel handcuffs, and disturbingly, used condoms, both found together near Sierra`s school bus stop.
::snipping2::
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Her 15-year-old daughter, Sierra, didn`t make it to school Friday.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She would never want us to go through all this pain.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Search teams have been probing the creeks and fields near the Lamar home.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Investigators are also checking up on 276 registered sex offenders in the area.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot of information has come in. Lot of unconfirmed sightings of Sierra.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Investigators are mining her laptop for recent contacts but Sierra is described as happy, at home in school.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sierra disappeared while on her way to catch a bus to go to Sobrato high school in Morgan Hill.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Reports that nothing has helped out in the case so far.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come home, baby. Please come home.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GRACE: The scary scenario with which we are dealing is that mommy sees Sierra, her little girl, there she is, Sierra Lamar, a 15-year-old cheerleader, loves school, all focused on her English paper she was working on. Mom leaves to go to work that morning. She never sees her daughter again. Sometime between the time mommy leaves to go to work and Sierra getting to that bus stop, she is kidnapped. That bus stop within walking distance of the home.
Tonight, is there a crack in the case in the search for the missing cheerleader? A box for steel handcuffs and used condoms found near the bus stop. The school bus stop. This is not a public bus stop. This is a school bus stop.
Straight out to Joe Gomez, senior investigative reporter, KTRH.
Joe, a lot of us caught the public school bus. A lot of us stood at that school bus stop waiting on the yellow bus to arrive. That`s what Sierra intended to do that morning. But, she never showed up. Mommy doesn`t find out until she gets home and finds out Sierra never made it to school.
She races to the school, finds out she never made it to the bus stop. She did not get on that yellow school bus that morning and tonight the crack in the case is used condoms and a box, an empty box that once contained steel handcuffs found near the bus stop.
Weigh in, Joe, what do you know?
JOE GOMEZ, SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER, KTRH: That`s right, Nancy. This is a terrifying new development. Not far from away from the bus top where Sierra possibly would have been kidnapped from, police have uncovered an ominous looking empty box with the words steel handcuffs written on it and near that box, Nancy, near that box two used condoms. Shocking new details here. It`s still unclear if this is related to missing Sierra but if it is, Nancy, my God, what would this mean?
GRACE: Joining me right now is a special guest, Kristi in California who actually has helped in the search for Sierra. Thank you for calling in. Describe what you did in the search for Sierra.
KRISTI, HELPED IN THE SEARCH FOR SIERRA, CALIFORNIA (via telephone): Well, we searched lots of areas up in the mountains. We searched along sides of bodies of water through really large brush and just, you know, looking for any possible clue that we could. We even went door-to-door on some of the searches asking neighbors what, you know if they suspected anybody or knew anybody who could do this. Have they noticed their neighbors, you know, acting differently, changing their appearance and what not.
But, I did have a question regarding, I guess, a legal question about the possibility of a legal ability to search every, you know, property out there. Do -- can they do that? Can they take dogs on the property with, you know, some kind of court order?
GRACE: As a matter of fact, Kristi in California, everyone, with me is one of the searchers who have literally gone door-to-door helping to find information about the missing cheerleader. As a matter of fact, the terrain, very rugged terrain between Morgan Hill and San Jose has been searched by cops. Hundreds of volunteers showing up like Kristi to search for the 15-year-old cheerleader and owners and caretakers of large parcels of land and ranches asked to inspect their land and call police if anything unusual has been found.
Unleash the lawyers on Kristi and her question. Number one, out to you, Mickey Sherman. Large parcel landowners and ranch owners have been asked to search their land and report to police.
Would police need a search warrant to go on land surrounding land parcels, ranches in the area, Mickey Sherman?
MICKEY SHERMAN, AUTHOR, HOW CAN YOU DEFEND THOSE PEOPLE: I think they would. I think they would need probable cause to get a search warrant to do that. By the same token, it seems most of these people are giving their consent to the searches which waives the need or the necessity of a search warrant. But other than that, they would need a warrant.
GRACE: On the other hand, Eleanor Odom, I think Mickey Sherman is correct on the law, but, anything that is in plain view to an individual, to a lay person, is fair game for cops.
Let me give an analogy. If a cop walks by an unattended car and sees crack cocaine, they can immediately go into the car because you see evidence of a crime without a warrant. So anything that a lay person, a civilian, could see, a cop -- that`s open, fair game to a cop.
So regarding large tracts of land and to ranch owners anything that can be seen from the street or from an aerial view is fair game.
But Eleanor, is Mickey Sherman right, and I think he is, that to go beyond what you can see from the naked eye from the street or aerial, you have to have a search warrant for all these farms and ranches.
ELEANOR ODOM, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Yes, Nancy, you do. He is right. You have to have the search warrant unless it`s something that can be easily scene. However, if cops suspect something or the landowner says, hey, no, you`re going to have to have a search warrant, cops can station themselves there to make sure no one comes in and off the property while they are obtaining the search warrant so you can preserve the integrity of that potential scene. So, you have to be real careful about that.
GRACE: And Karla Bell, of course, the ranch owner, parcel owner could always give permission. You don`t have to have a search warrant if they give permission. And I can`t think of any reason these landowners would not give permission in the search, correct?
KARLA BELL, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: That`s correct, Nancy. If you give consent, then the search is completely valid and evidence found during the search would be obtained correctly.
GRACE: To David Lohr, senior crime reporter with the "Huffington Post," let`s go back to the bombshell tonight what we think may be a break in the case.
A box and police sources are telling me it`s a new box, that it`s not been weathered. It hasn`t been sitting out in the rain, in the wind, and the elements. It`s a new cardboard box that contained steel handcuffs and used condoms found very close to the scene. What with about it, David Lohr?
DAVID LOHR, SENIOR CRIME REPORTER HUFFINGTON POST (via telephone): Yes, that`s correct, Nancy. Searchers found that box. It has a sticker right on the side of it that says stainless steel handcuffs. So, when I talked to local law enforcement out there they said this is the type of box that law enforcement handcuffs come in.
I said, well, do you think it`s related to the case? If we didn`t consider this to be possible evidence, we wouldn`t have taken it. So it`s something they`re looking into very seriously and it could be a major break in this case.
GRACE: And Matt Zarrell, we`ve learned a little bit more about the school bus stop, what do you know, Matt Zarrell?
MATT ZARRELL, NANCY GRACE PRODUCER: Yes, Nancy. There are some former FBI profiles who are suggesting that even though Sierra was alone at this bus stop typically, recently up until the likely abduction, months before that if she had other people going with her at the bus stop, there could have been the perp - could have been watching. And as soon as it`s window down, there were three people at the about bus stop too and then Sierra was alone at the bus stop, that could have made her a very vulnerable target.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sierra`s disappearance is totally out of character.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was concerned and I called one of her school friends. She said that she didn`t see Sierra that day. I also looked in her room. Saw her phone charger in her room. She always brings her phone charger in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That`s better.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I gave her a big hug.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sierra Lamar is missing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: High school cheerleader --
MARLENE LAMAR, MOTHER OF SIERRA LAMAR: The 7:11 and tried to catch the bus, usually leave the house at 7:15 and catches the bus at 7:25. And we don`t know what happened after that. I do know that I received an e- mail at 6:00 from Sobrada high school stating that she was not in attendance, but I got suspicious because I usually text her before I leave for work to see if she`s OK because she`ll be home by usually 4:00, 4:15, and I just check in with her and tried multiple times, four times.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GRACE: Right now we are joined by Marlene Lamar. This is Sierra`s mother. Miss Lamar, thank you for being with us.
LAMAR (via telephone): You`re welcome. I`m glad to be present to give this interview.
GRACE: Everyone, the tip line 408-808-4331. With me is Sierra`s mother.
Miss Lamar, what are police telling you tonight?
LAMAR: Just that, you know, I`m aware of the box and the contents that was presented earlier on your show. I`m also aware they`re in the lab as far as trying to reach, you know, any conclusive evidence. I haven`t been notified as far as there being any, you know, link to the case directly.
GRACE: With me is Sierra`s mother, Marlene Lamar.
Miss Lamar, police sources are saying the condoms discovered near the school bus stop were, in fact, used. Have police asked you for any item from the home from which they could get Sierra`s DNA, such as her toothbrush or hair brush?
Yes. The investigators came with people who retrieve DNA from, you know, the immediate family members.
GRACE: I`m sure that they took -- got your DNA, did they, Miss Lamar?
LAMAR: Yes, they did.
GRACE: And from that they could get mitochondrial DNA match which only comes through your mother`s genetic makeup. Did they take a toothbrush or hair brush or anything belonging to Sierra?
LAMAR: Yes, yes, they took the hair from her hair brush and her toothbrush.
GRACE: To Dr. Gwenn O`Keeffe, physician and founder and CEO of pediatricsnow.com, joining us out of the Boston jurisdiction. Dr. O`Keeffe, thanks for being with us.
Dr. O`Keeffe, if these condoms were connected to the case you would expect to find not only the perpetrator`s DNA through semen on one side of the condom but possibly Sierra`s DNA on the other side of the condom, yes/no?
DOCTOR GWENN O`KEEFFE, PHYSICIAN, FOUNDER, CEO, PEDIATRICSNOW.COM: YES, that`s correct, Nancy. They`d find both two different - two distinct DNAs. They would find Sierra`s as well as the perpetrators.
GRACE: Dr. O`Keeffe, when you are looking at a used condom such as the one we believe to have been found near Sierra`s bus stop, how much of the victim`s DNA would be on the outside of the condom? How much do you need to make a positive DNA match?
O`KEEFFE: You know, it turns out you don`t need that much, Nancy, just -- they call it touch DNA, you know. If you just touch something, just a little bit of skin cells is really enough. So if she was -- had any contact with that condom that would be enough to extract some DNA and make a match.
GRACE: Back to Sierra`s mother, Marlene Lamar, is with us and taking your calls tonight.
Miss Lamar, I know that she either tweeted or texted a picture of herself that morning right around the time that you left the home. I also know that one of her shirts was found neatly folded up inside of her juicy couture bag. You told me before it was like a pocketbook, but she kind of used it as a book bag, she would put everything in it.
LAMAR: That`s correct.
GRACE:
Do you know what shirt it was that was found in the bag? LAMAR:
Yes, I do, but I don`t want to say what it was exactly. Because I don`t want to interfere with the investigation. GRACE: To Matt Zarrell, our sources tell us it`s the same shirt she tweeted or texted that morning, is that correct, Matt Zarrell?
ZARRELL:
What police are saying the shirt in the photo is very similar and resembles the shirt that was found in the purse, but, Nancy, police do not know when that photo was taken. The photo could have been taken a week or two weeks earlier. They don`t know if she took the photo that morning and then left to go to the school bus and was then abducted. GRACE: OK. Let`s see the shot that she texted or tweeted, Matt Zarrell.
ZARRELL: Posted on her twitter account the morning of her disappearance.
GRACE: OK. Let`s see that photo and could you please take down all of our writing over it so I can look at the picture, please, Dana, quickly. There you go. What am I seeing? I`m seeing a dark black shirt, it appears to me, it also looks like she may have on a jacket or maybe a hoodie over that.
Matt, what`s the description on that? Do you know, Matt Zarrell, the description on that shirt?
ZARRELL: Yes. We believe the logo you are seeing on that photo is a San Jose Sharks logo that you are seeing on your screen now similar of a sweatshirt.
GRACE: Yes. Now that you`re telling me that, I see it. Yes, now that you`re telling me that, you`re absolutely right. I see it. I see it now.
To Brad Barker, kidnapping expert and president of Halo Corporation, joining us out of San Diego.
Brad, I want to thank you for being with us. What is your analysis of this, Brad Barker?
BRAD BARKER, KIDNAPPING EXPERT, PRESIDENT, HALO CORPORATION: Sure. My question for Miss Lamar would be, is it typical behavior for Sierra to be packing a bag with extra clothing and that sort of thing for cheerleading practice for changing clothes, that sort of thing? That might indicate behavioral recognition pattern that might be a deviation from the norm which could be a clue as well.
LAMAR: Well, she would --
GRACE: Miss Lamar?
LAMAR: Yes. She would borrow things frequently from her friends, and her friends would borrow her clothes as well. And my daughter, as far as packing a suitcase,
* was usually packed in a neat fashion.
(*NOTE: I went back and listened to this part of the show again, and Marlene Lamar says "as far as packing a suitcase, nothing is usually packed in a neat fashion)BARKER: Thank you very much.
GRACE: Yes. You know, Mr. Barker, all that was found was her juicy couture bag, which was a pocketbook for her. She would sometimes put other things in it. But it was not a bag such as an overnight bag. It was not a suitcase. It was not a backpack. And clothing was not really pack. There was one shirt in there neatly folded up. But nothing to suggest she had packed to leave.
To Dr. Leslie Seppinni, clinical psychologist and author, weigh in, Leslie.
DOCTOR LESLIE SEPPINNI, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: Well, you know, I think the evidence is very telling because it tells us the story of what happened. You know, the evidence has been strewn around. That`s very important when you see that. So, it tells us, a, she was taken, b, she might have been raped on the way, and, c, this person may have had her actually change shirts while in the car with him.
GRACE: Everyone, we are taking your calls.
Is there a break in the case of miss in missing teen cheer leader, Sierra Lamar?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 15-year-old Sierra Lamar has not been seen since she left her house in incorporated Morgan Hills for this school bus stop at this intersection.
LAMAR: Leaves the house at 7:15 and catches the bus at 7:25.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She never boarded the bus.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRACE: To Marc Klaas, president, founder of KlaasKids Foundation. Police sources telling us tonight, they believe it may be an acquaintance kidnap. Why?
MARC KLAAS, PRESIDENT, FOUNDER, KLAASKIDS FOUNDATION: Well, because the trail for Sierra ends at the end of the driveway. And it`s thought, and I agree with this, that she quite possibly could have gotten into a car with somebody that she felt comfortable getting into a car with. And if one is aware of the circumstances or growing where she lives, it`s a very remote place. If you don`t have business being in that neighborhood, you`re absolutely not going to be in that neighborhood.
GRACE: Eleanor Odom, Mickey Sherman, Karla Bell. What about it, Mickey?
SHERMAN: One thing that I heard mentioned though, it bothers me just a bit is the police are looking at all the registered sex offenders. I`m not saying they shouldn`t do that. But sometimes the police become myopic and think that`s where the answer is going to lies. I just hope they are keeping all the possible doors of interrogation and investigation open and not just looking at people who have been lucky, have a yellow card for life and they`re targets.
GRACE: Eleanor.
ODOM: Well, I agree with Mickey. But you have to start somewhere. And looking at registered sex offender is good place to start and that might lead you somewhere else.
GRACE: Karla Bell.
BELL: I would agree that search starting with sex offenders is a good place to start, particularly since her father apparently was a registered sex offender as well. However, I would say about the condoms in this case seem to -- I have issue with them.
GRACE: Wait. Let me point out, he lived 45 minutes away and has been cooperating with the investigation. I don`t want to just slow out the bio dad is a registered sex offender.
CW Jensen?
CW JENSEN, RETIRED PORTLAND POLICE CAPTAIN: This is a pyramid. You have this huge base and you have to keep going up and getting rid of things you can corroborate. You still have to have a multifaceted investigation.
GRACE: Everyone, tip line 408-808-4431.
A box
of steel heavies for steel handcuffs and used condom
s was found near the school bus stop where this little girl was headed this morning the last time she was seen alive in the space of her mom leaving for work and she goes to the bus stop, she disappears.
::snipping2::
END