THE US: The confirmation by police pathologists that the body found yesterday in a Washington park is that of missing intern, Ms Chandra Levy, appears likely to rekindle the theory that her murderer was a local serial killer. Report by Patrick Smyth, The Irish Times Washington Correspondent.
Two other young women from the Dupont Circle area of the city have also died in broadly similar circumstances in the last two years.But the DC Police Chief, Mr Charles Ramsey, said yesterday that investigators may again question the young woman's former lover, California Representative Mr Gary Condit. Mr Condit, who was slow to admit the affair, was interviewed four times last summer by police.
The remains of Ms Levy (24), of Modesto, California, were found by a man walking his dog in Rock Creek Park, a sprawling area in north-west Washington where she often jogged. Police say her skull and other bones were recovered, as were a jogging bra, tennis shoes and other clothing.
She was formally identified quickly from dental records.
Mr Ramsey said the bones were found in a heavily wooded area well off biking and jogging trails. Police who had searched the park several times were criticised by Mr Condit's lawyer for failing to find the remains earlier.
Investigators resumed their search of the area yesterday, painstakingly sifting through dirt and leaves looking for hairs, clothing fibres and other evidence that could help determine when and how Ms Levy died. The prolonged exposure of the body may makes it difficult for forensic scientists to recover evidence of the murderer although they are confident of establishing the cause of death, police sources say.
They were unable to say yet if the site of the body was the murder scene although the difficulty of the terrain suggests she may have been killed there.
Ms Levy's parents grieved in private with their son, Adam, and a few friends who arrived to console them in their one-story brick ranch house. Sheriff's deputies provided security.
A short distance from the front door, scores of reporters lined the footpath of the cul-de-sac.
"We are awaiting the results of the medical examiner and any autopsy that may be performed and we believe that this investigation, this death investigation, will turn into a homicide," their lawyer, Mr Billy Martin said in a televised statement.
"We will continue, along with the police, our investigation to find the person or persons who did this to Chandra," he added.
Mr Condit's office issued a brief statement: "Congressman Gary Condit and his family want to express their heartfelt sorrow and condolences to the Levy family. The Levy family will remain in our prayers."
The once-popular congressman has seen his political career go up in smoke following the disappearance of the young woman on May 1st last year.
Although a strong vote-getter, he failed in his bid to win the Democratic primary for his seat and will now be forced out of politics at this autumn's elections.
Ms Levy came to Washington for an internship with the Bureau of Prisons.
