april american intern washington disappeared presumed murdered skeletal remains found case attracted attention american news media years police investigation revealed having affair congressman married democrat serving fifth term representing california 18th congressional district senior member named suspect police eventually cleared involvement cloud suspicion raised intense media focus missing intern later revelation affair elected levy issue cited factor circumstances surrounding levy death unclear years march authorities obtained warrant arrest illegal immigrant el_salvador convicted assaulting women time levy disappearance prosecutors alleged attacked tied levy remote area park left die exposure november convicted murdering levy sentenced february years prison june granted new trial march date set october life background levy born cleveland ohio robert family moved california attended parents members congregation conservative jewish attended earned degree journalism working office los_angeles mayor began attending earn master degree public administration final semester study levy moved washington paid intern october began bureau headquarters assigned public affairs division supervisor bureau spokesperson impressed levy work especially handling media inquiries upcoming execution convicted bombing levy abruptly terminated april academic eligibility found expired december completed master degree requirements scheduled return california graduation murder case disappearance search levy seen alerted levy parents called report heard daughter days police called hospitals visited levy apartment day finding indication foul play levy father told police daughter having affair congressman said day believed congressman representative levy aunt called police told affair police obtained warrant conduct formal search levy apartment investigators found credit cards identification mobile phone left purse partially packed answering machine messages left relatives police sergeant tried examine levy computer inadvertently corrupted internet search data trained technician computer experts took month reconstruct data determine morning search websites related amtrak weather report washington_post search location historic house park administrative office july police police cadets searched park failed find evidence related levy later second attempt found relationship controversy surrounding levy disappearance drew attention american news media levy parents friends held numerous news conferences attempt bring home married man represented congressional district levy family resided denied affair police stated suspect levy family said felt possibly hiding information matter unidentified police sources alleged admitted affair levy interview law enforcement officers july described police vegetarian avoided drinking smoking thought levy going return graduation surprised find lease apartment ended investigators searched apartment july questioned flight attendant claimed told need speak personal life federal officials began investigating possible justice smith involved affair acquainted levy upset leaks media refused submit test police attorney asserted passed test administered privately hired july avoided answering direct questions televised interview august news anchor program intensive coverage continued news september attacks superseded media coverage levy case nationwide poll registered voters conducted july percent american respondents thought involved levy disappearance percent felt resign percent respondents believed acting guilty percent felt run office poll sample taken congressional district held favorable view march lost democratic primary election congressional seat aide levy controversy cited contributing factor appear april district_of_columbia grand jury investigating disappearance date kept carefully guarded secret avoid leaks left congress end term january discovery remains district_of_columbia police chief announced skeletal remains matching levy dental records discovered man walking dog looking turtles detectives found bones personal items scattered buried forested area steep sports bra sweat shirt tennis shoes evidence recovered police previously searched half acre main section park km2 wooded slope levy remains eventually found searched remote mile north miles levy apartment preliminary autopsy performed district_of_columbia police announced sufficient evidence open homicide investigation medical officially declared levy death homicide said work like possible know specifically died found damage bone suggesting possible conclusive evidence cause death june police completed search private investigators hired found bone twisted wire yards remains police chief said unacceptable items located memorial services levy family organized memorial service centre plaza drew people far los_angeles speakers minute ceremony included levy brother grandmother great aunt friends eulogy delivered hebrew english levy described good person taken soon year later levy remains buried memorial park cemetery california near home town attended levy friends family members private ceremony concluded release white identification prime suspect september police federal prosecutors contacted lawyer informant held jail claimed knowledge levy killer informant identity protected safety said year old illegal immigrant el_salvador held jail told paid kill levy investigators ruled story admitted assaulting women park levy remains found failed work day levy disappearance recalled face appeared bruised time investigators levy case interview victims police chief avoided calling suspect described person interest telling reporters big deal assistant chief said considered suspect police like flies honey denied attacking levy november fbi informant test failed test administered february returned inconclusive results officially ruled informant fluent english chief detective said preferred tests administered bilingual unavailable time judge asked potential connection levy homicide responded satellite issue doesn case sentenced years prison attacks women rock creek park sent big sandy near kentucky later transferred california levy homicide remained listed cold case succeeded police chief replaced lead detective case veteran investigators homicide experience editors washington_post assigned new team reporters year examine levy case resulting series articles published summer focused past failure police fully investigate connection attacks september investigators searched federal prison cell california found photo levy saved magazine police interviewed acquaintances witnesses incidents march issued arrest warrant returned custody april days later charged levy murder indicted grand jury counts kidnapping degree murder committed kidnapping attempted degree sexual abuse degree murder committed sexual offense attempted robbery degree murder committed robbery pleaded guilty trial date initially set january lawyers argued federal prison cell outside jurisdiction court ordered search errors processing contaminated gathered evidence dna employees prosecution start date trial courthouse moved october trial october jury selection commenced judge assistant attorney presented names potential witnesses trial including fbi agent women convicted assaulting start trial prosecution case expected weeks defense expected day october testified attacked independently recounted grabbed dragged held knife face october levy year old father robert took stand refuted statements past suspicions testified told authorities early years investigation daughter cautious woods said longer believed true said told police daughter year plan married retrospect admitted said came mind point villain levy added convinced guilty learned character referring november testified trial asked occasions involved sexual relationship replied going respond question privacy fbi biologist testified found underwear levy apartment contained sperm matching dna profile prosecution witness shared cell kentucky testified concerned transferred prisons violence suspected stated fellow member gang killed levy trying rob said rape prosecution rested case november dropping charges sexual assault murder associated assault november defense rested case calling stand prison witnesses called defense refuted testimony said mention rape murder sharing cell kentucky admitted cross examination didn want asleep prison recovering gunshot wound prosecution dropped charges statute limitations passed kidnapping attempted robbery closing arguments remaining charges degree murder committed kidnapping robbery prosecutor contended bound levy attacking leaving die exposure park defense attorney countered lack dna evidence connecting crime scene calling prosecution case fiction suggested levy murdered dead body dumped park jury began november scheduled proceedings case met delays increased security courthouse days voted convict day jury asked judge clarify definition assault fisher responded physical injury legally considered assault regardless small november jury found guilty remaining counts degree murder trial said testimony decisive reaching verdict conviction called miracle having reached evidence previously represented assault cases stated troubled jury verdict think going convict felt bad woman mom sitting day post trial press conference said going feeling sadness surely tell ain closure conclusion trial acted photographic evidence daughter remains sealed news media sentencing appeals february attorneys requested new trial grounds verdict attained page filing claimed prosecutors appealed emotions jury references facts evidence motion alleged notes breached judge instructions influenced notes prosecution opposed arguing issue notes significant effect verdict faced minimum penalty years maximum life imprisonment possibility parole seeking maximum possible sentence prosecutors stated unable control remain danger women memo submitted prosecution february cited harassment female staff prison including nurse guards assistant attorney disclosed traveled el_salvador detective investigate allegations fled native country suspected attacks local women dating sentencing hearing february said levy family sorry happened daughter insisted innocence judge reminded address court instead defendant levy said life look eyes tell fisher denied motion handed sentence years prison stating danger time sexual predator repeated innocence sentencing maintained innocence years trial february public defender filed appeal conviction according court annual report appeals average days reach resolution eligible parole years old december january set secret hearings known public subject meetings sealed judge hearing february judge case previous hearings revealed seeking new trial based new evidence case fourth hearing scheduled april new trial ordered prosecutors dropped opposition new trial june defense said new witness neighbor called day levy alive report hearing blood scream possibly coming levy apartment june judge granted motion new trial attorneys suggested fabricated confession gain favor law enforcement june judge set march march trial date moved october november prosecutors told judge office failed turn documents defense defendant trial december defense attorneys argued new court charges dismissed errors media coverage disappearance national topic news media summer percent americans closely following case media levy parents moment decided washington search daughter according reporters camped apartment morning september left news spread terrorist attacks media critics cable news executives later cited levy case concurrent coverage string shark attacks reflection manner news coverage united_states september attacks taken priority newspaper roll reported possible connection case little effect news media focus conservative commentator noted lack headlines illegal immigrant questioned levy case said review news items database single mention referred status criminal illegal alien called omission status act wrote conservative human events reported approved working legally applying temporary protected status application ultimately denied assaulted women rock creek park investigative journalist said believed knew information levy case filed lawsuits forcing undisclosed financial settlement district judge dismissed suit alleged context statements demonstrates discussion speculation media inaccurate media coverage summer washington_post ran series billed tale tabloid mainstream press pack journalism helped investigation investigative reporters post series wrote book detailing investigation book published commentators including reporter wrote emphasis glamorous white murder victim people killed city year black male absolutely absurd dare racist core media criticized rush judgment suggesting guilty murder especially early days investigation reporters camped washington apartment house quoted saying remain convicted november murdering levy lawyer remarked complete comes little late gives career impact levy death lasting impact efforts family friends levy disappearance came number high profile cases led creation resources missing young adults example levy parents quickly turned help nonprofit group established female disappeared trip national park later found slain foundation offered staff support contributed cash reward information disappearance merged search previously participated efforts find missing woman mysteriously disappeared weeks 18th birthday parents turned help ineligible receive result congress enacted law october established coordinate missing person cases time levy disappeared institutions place provide family support assist nationwide search locate levy family moved quickly available resources including offering cash reward information hiring investigators seeking media attention efforts locate find killer overshadowed speculation surrounding possible relationship later joined mother young woman disappeared form support group people missing loved ones mary ann company publishers presented annual criterion award work wings protection newsweek magazine stated media skeptical herd mentality open alternative suspects levy case police claimed discovered levy body earlier scope search commanders ordered search yards road trail searches focused yards roads resulting body remaining longer period time chief detectives chief police left force head analyst intelligence support firm arlington virginia stated media imposed enormous amounts pressure police serving time conspiracy distribute crack cocaine scheduled released august retired politics moved wife phoenix arizona manage real estate open franchises closed
Chandra Levy