9/8 Annie Marie Le missing from Yale University (BODY FOUND)

[Sister]

Thanks for the updates.

Yes, thanks.
And Trimm, thanks for the prayers and the candles.  You are precious.

[BluesyGram]

Thank you San.  After Klaas heard that 'blip' on TV last night, I searched for a couple of hours for something in print to no avail.  It makes sense that he had help.  His 'helper' is probably 'lawyering' up or has already.  Must be someone in the family or fiance..he had a few to choose from.  Just disgusting.   

[no rose colored glasses]

Thanks for the updates.

  Yes thank-you. If there is a second suspect my bet is on that girlfriend, there is something about her that has bothered me from the beginning with her, I can't let her go  I guess we will see.

[Blonde]

Sep 18, 7:49 AM EDT

Police focus on Yale murder suspect's attitude

By RAY HENRY and MICHAEL HILL
Associated Press Writers
Advertisement

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) -- Staffers in white coats reported to work Friday at the end of an extraordinary week at Yale as police considered whether a graduate student's grisly death might have stemmed from a dispute with an animal research technician described as an overbearing "control freak."

A law enforcement official said police are looking into the possibility that Raymond Clark III's attitude led to a deadly workplace confrontation with 24-year-old Annie Le. She vanished Sept. 8, and her body was found in a utility compartment in a Yale medical school building five days later, on what was to be her wedding day.

Police charged Clark, 24, with murder on Thursday, arresting him at a motel a day after taking hair, fingernail and saliva samples to compare with evidence from the grisly crime scene.

Bond was set at $3 million for Clark, who kept his head down and said "Yes, your honor," when asked whether he understood his rights. He did not enter a plea.

The official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing and many details remain sealed, said Yale workers told police that Clark was a "control freak" who clashed with scientists and their proteges in the lab where they both worked at the Ivy League school.

Investigators haven't decided if the theory will ultimately lead to a motive, but don't believe that they'll need to establish one when Clark goes to trial because they have an abundance of strong forensic evidence, the official said.

Authorities are offering few details about the crime. They would not discuss a motive, largely because Clark will not talk to police, and would not disclose the DNA test results or how they connected Clark to the slaying.

Security guards continued their street patrols Friday morning and news crews set up for another day of staking out the college's medical complex. A makeshift memorial of candles and flowers was arranged at the entrance to a park across the street from the lab building, in an area of squat, utilitarian buildings about a mile from the majestic main campus.

Le's work there involved experiments on mice that were part of research into enzymes that could have implications for treatment of cancer, diabetes and muscular dystrophy, while Clark's technician job involved cleaning floors and mouse cages.

At a news conference Thursday, New Haven Police Chief James Lewis called Le's death a case of workplace violence. He would not elaborate except to say reports that the two had a romantic relationship were untrue.

"It is important to note that this is not about urban crime, university crime, domestic crime but an issue of workplace violence, which is becoming a growing concern around the country," Lewis said, adding that he would not rule out additional charges.

The Rev. Dennis Smith, a Le family spokesman, said he was not authorized to comment on the arrest. Smith said he did not know whether Le had ever complained about Clark.

Clark appeared in court with two public defenders who were new to the case. A private-practice attorney who had represented him during the investigation did not attend the hearing and said Thursday he no longer represents Clark. The attorney declined to give a reason.

Public defender Joseph Lopez said he was still reviewing the case and declined to comment.

Two friends of Clark's since childhood, appearing on CNN's Larry King Live on Thursday night, said they were stunned by the murder allegations and could not reconcile them with the young man they've known for years.

"That's not the Raymond Clark I've talked to my whole entire life," Bobby Heslin said.

"I just can't picture him doing something like this," Maurice Perry said.

The New York Times reported that Clark at times grew angry if lab workers did not wear shoe covers. "He would make a big deal of it, instead of just requesting that they wear them," said a researcher who asked not to be identified.

ABC News reported that Clark sent a text message to Le on the day she vanished requesting a meeting to discuss the cleanliness of mouse cages in the research lab.

Reached at their homes after work Thursday, several of Le's co-workers at the lab declined to comment on her or Clark.

The Connecticut medical examiner said Wednesday that Le died of "traumatic asphyxiation," which could indicate a choke hold or some other form of suffocation caused by a hand or an object such as a pipe.

Investigators focused on Clark early in the investigation and searched his apartment Tuesday, when they labeled him a person of interest. He remained under constant surveillance after he was released early Wednesday and found a room at the Super 8 motel in Cromwell, Conn.

Clark was arrested about 8 a.m. Thursday. Details of the warrant remained sealed.

The New Haven Register printed a rare extra edition announcing Clark's arrest, wrapping it around Thursday's daily newspaper and selling it on the streets, editor Jack Kramer said.

Brian Garnett, a spokesman for the Connecticut Department of Correction, confirmed that Clark was being held Thursday night at the MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution, a high-security facility in Suffield, about 20 miles north of Hartford.

Garnett said it was unclear whether Clark would remain there until his next scheduled court date Oct. 6.

Yale President Richard Levin released a statement shortly after the arrest, saying Clark's employment history raised no suspicions.

"This incident could have happened in any city, in any university, or in any workplace. It says more about the dark side of the human soul than it does about the extent of security measures," Levin said in a message sent to the Yale community.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_YALE_KILLING_CTOL-?SITE=CTMER&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[klaasend]

Thanks for the updates.

  Yes thank-you. If there is a second suspect my bet is on that girlfriend, there is something about her that has bothered me from the beginning with her, I can't let her go  I guess we will see.

They claim the girlfriend took and passed a polygraph so I don't know.  I agree, she bothers me too. 

[no rose colored glasses]

Thanks for the updates.

  Yes thank-you. If there is a second suspect my bet is on that girlfriend, there is something about her that has bothered me from the beginning with her, I can't let her go  I guess we will see.

They claim the girlfriend took and passed a polygraph so I don't know.  I agree, she bothers me too. 

That's true she did, maybe one of the other two relatives that worked there also 

[trimmonthelake]

Thanks for the updates.

Yes, thanks.
And Trimm, thanks for the prayers and the candles.  You are precious.

 

[trimmonthelake]

Thanks for the updates.

  Yes thank-you. If there is a second suspect my bet is on that girlfriend, there is something about her that has bothered me from the beginning with her, I can't let her go  I guess we will see.

I'll be glad when we hear something else.

[KCJackie]

http://newhavenindependent.org/archives/2009/09/annie_le_suspec.php



Annie Le Suspect Knew Cops Were On His Tail
by Paul Bass | September 18, 2009 9:36 AM

A day after playing softball in New Haven and attending the Hebron Fair, the suspect in the murder of a Yale graduate student noticed the seven cops following him around. They wanted him to.

That word comes from Lt. John Velleca, head of New Haven police’s narcotics unit.

 James Lewis assigned Velleca’s crew to follow around Raymond Clark III (pictured) starting Saturday night — and never let him out of their sight.

That was when it became clear that the case of Annie Le, the 24 year-old pharmacology student strangled to death last week inside a Yale medical building, was becoming a criminal case, not a missing person case.

It was also clear by that time that Raymond Clark III was the prime suspect, Chief James Lewis said in an interview in his office Thursday morning following a press conference announcing Clark’s arrest. Now prison guards are watching Clark as he sits in a maximum security prison.

Lewis’s department was preparing to take over the investigation from the FBI. That happened the following day, when Le’s remains were found inside a basement wall.

So Lewis assigned the narcotics unit to follow Clark’s every move while investigators plowed through tapes from 70 security cameras and what would become 300 pieces of physical evidence.

Why the narc unit?

“That’s what they do” — follow suspects around, Lewis said. “They do that every night, working narcotics cases. They have the right kind of vehicles for it.” The department recently revamped the unit under Velleca’s command. (Read about that here.)



At First, Covert (pictured) had one supervisor and six detectives on Clark’s tail at all times. They worked in 12-hour rotations, Velleca said in an interview Thursday.

On Saturday night Clark, a 24 year-old Yale lab technician, was staying at his family’s home in Cromwell, according to Velleca.

At first the detectives laid low. They didn’t want Clark to see them. Typically the unit will do that in the earlier stages of an investigation.

So that first Sunday Clark was busy — “life as usual,” as one of the detectives put it.

Clark traveled to New Haven to play softball in East Shore Park, Velleca said. “We had detectives in the crowd. He’s actually pretty good.”

Next Clark traveled to Higganum to visit relatives, according to Velleca. That night, he hung out at the Hebron Fair. Then he returned to Cromwell.

By Monday, “he became a stronger suspect. We switched to overt surveillance,” Velleca said.

Now detectives made a point of parking right in front of Clark’s window. They would get out of the car and walk around. They had their badges visible.

Their main mission was to make sure Clark didn’t flee. They also had a second goal at this point, Velleca said: To see if Clark wanted to come talk to them.

They couldn’t approach Clark. In an FBI interview, he had clammed up and cited his right to avoid self-incrimination. He got a lawyer. So detectives couldn’t legally interview him.

But if he chose to go up to a cop and start talking, that’s legally OK, Velleca said.

That never happened.

“Whenever they would go in” the apartment and see the cops, “they would draw the shades and turn the lights off,” Velleca said. Clark said not a word to them. He made no gestures or any attempts to flee.

Clark’s busy life shut down. He drove to his apartment in Middletown, returned to the Cromwell home, then he didn’t leave.

Until the cops came to get him around 10 p.m. Tuesday. They had a search warrant to collect his DNA. He was taken to a state lab to give fingernail and hair samples.

Around 3 a.m. Wednesday he returned to Cromwell — not to the family home, but to a Super 8 motel. Clark and his parents would stay there to wait out the inevitable journey through a media gauntlet to court, and on to a possible murder trial.

That journey began Thursday morning, when cops arrested Clark and brought him to New Haven to be arraigned.

[Leroy]

Accused Yale Killer 'Control Freak'
 Another Arrest Possible
Updated: Friday, 18 Sep 2009, 7:42 AM EDT
Published : Friday, 18 Sep 2009, 7:42 AM EDT

NEW HAVEN, C.T. - Another arrest is reportedly possible in the murder of a Yale graduate student.

The body of Annie Marie Le, 24, was found stuffed in a utility compartment in a research laboratory.

A lab worker described as a 'control freak' by people who knew him was arrested on Thursday.

According to the NY Post , Raymond Clark III may have had help hiding Le's body. According to the Post's website, police are questioning antoher employee at the lab.

Meanwhile, police are considering whether the killing may have stemmed from a dispute with the animal research technician described as an overbearing "control freak" who clashed with scientists and their proteges in the lab where they both worked.

--snipped---

More here  http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/news/local_news/090918_accused_yale_killer_control_freak

[Leroy]

I think if there was another person involved, they would be in custody by now. 

[SunnyinTX]

I think if there was another person involved, they would be in custody by now. 

Hi Leroy!  Normally I would agree. However seeing how long it too for them to arrest Clark I am not surprised. If anyone helped him I would think they will do the same. Wait until they had more than enough evidence to arrest that person.  JMO

[cece]

Good afternoon & TY for all the updates everyone.

http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/new_haven_cty/news_ap_memorial_service_le_200909181545

Memorial service planned for Le

Updated: Friday, 18 Sep 2009, 3:48 PM EDT
Published : Friday, 18 Sep 2009, 3:48 PM EDT

Huntington, N.Y. (AP) - A memorial service for the victim in the Yale killing is planned at her fiance's New York temple between the upcoming Jewish high holidays.

Cantor Sandra Sherry says Temple Beth El in Huntington wants "to create a private memorial service" for 24-year-old Annie Le.

Le was to be married there to Jonathan Widawsky the day her body was found. Sherry says she had "not yet" converted to Judaism.

The Widawskys have said they would avoid services for a while to make things easier for the Long Island synagogue.

The holiday period begins with Rosh Hashana and ends Sept. 28 with Yom Kippur.

(snipped)

[cece]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/nKLjCtdiFrQ&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0x3a3a3a&amp;color2=0x999999&amp;border=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/nKLjCtdiFrQ&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0x3a3a3a&amp;color2=0x999999&amp;border=1</a>

[cece]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/67WkhPp5I4M&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0x3a3a3a&amp;color2=0x999999&amp;border=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/67WkhPp5I4M&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0x3a3a3a&amp;color2=0x999999&amp;border=1</a>

(Around 1.10 min. into the video is a rendering of the crawl space "chase".)

[cece]

Rendering of where Annie's body was found.

[no rose colored glasses]

Rendering of where Annie's body was found.

Thanks, it looks bigger than what I pictured the area to be.

[SunnyinTX]

Rendering of where Annie's body was found.

thanks cece, that really makes it clearer as to how she was in the wall

[Northern Rose]

Ray Clark, Alleged Killer of Annie Le, Could Spend Life Behind Bars If Convicted
Legal Experts Say It's Unlikely Clark Will Get the Death Penalty If Convicted


A few miles from where Ray Clark sits in prison, 10 men await execution on Connecticut's death row.

The grim shadow of death row and the company of some of the nation's toughest criminals is hardly something that Clark, who before he was charged with killing Yale grad student Annie Le had barely a spot on his record, could have ever considered.

But his arraignment on murder charges has changed Clark's life forever. Instead of caring for lab mice at Yale and playing softball in games after work, he sits in a cell at the MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution.

And one day if he's found guilty, he could be transferred to a cellblock at the Northern Correctional Institution, the home of Connecticut's death row.

Clark entered no plea at his appearance in court Thursday, and was sent to McDougall-Walker, a prison for the state's high and maximum security inmates.

As is common with high-profile inmates, Clark likely spent his first night behind bars in a separate area of the prison, commonly called a pretrial holding cell,f or his own safety, according to Ed Bales at the Federal Prison Consultants LLC.


"He's with killers and rapists and murderers and his lifestyle over the past 24 hours has changed completely," said Bales. "But these people don't have access to Clark right now." , Under Connecticut law, Clark has 60 days from the day of his arrest to waive his right to a probable cause hearing, which is required in order to stand trial for a crime such as murder, which is punishable by death or life imprisonment.

MORE...

http://abcnews.go.com/US/raymond-clark-alleged-annie-le-murderer-death-penalty/story?id=8613554

[Northern Rose]

Source: DNA On Clothes Links Annie Le With Murder Suspect

NEW HAVEN, Connecticut - As hordes of FBI agents and Yale police combed the basement of a Yale University laboratory building for missing bride-to-be Annie Le, the man accused of killing her moved among them, in an apparent effort to cover his tracks, a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation said.

That behavior aroused investigators' suspicions about Raymond Clark III, but the final piece that led to his arrest Thursday morning was the discovery that evidence in the ceiling and in the crawl space where Le's body was found contained the DNA of both Le and Clark, according to the law enforcement official who spoke to The Courant on the condition of anonymity.

Clark, 24, was arrested at a Super 8 Motel in Cromwell around 8:30 a.m. Thursday. He was charged with murder.

One investigator, among a group of investigators who were in the lab interviewing employees and students shortly after Le disappeared, witnessed Clark trying to hide lab cleaning equipment that they discovered contained blood spatters. Clark was observed cleaning up areas that Le was in before she was reported missing, the law enforcement official said.

A Superior Court judge Thursday granted New Haven State's Attorney Michael Dearington's request to keep secret the arrest warrant affidavit detailing the crime scene that was the site of Le's final moments.

But sources familiar with the investigation said it was a combination of analyzing computer records of security cards that showed Clark was the last person to see Le alive, his failed polygraph and scratches on his body, his attempts to clean up the crime scene and ultimately the DNA match in two places that led to his arrest.

Police believe that Le fought for her life.

MORE...

http://www.fox40.com/news/headlines/ktxl-news-anniele0918,0,2287005.story