Washington police have notified the parents of Chandra Levy, the Congressional intern who went missing nearly eight years ago, that an arrest in the cold case is imminent. CNN affiliate KGO-TV reported Saturday, February 21, that authorities investigating the cold case would be arresting Ingmar Grandique, an individual already incarcerated in the District of Columbia prison system, for the infamous murder.
Chandra Levy became a high profile missing person on April 30, 2001, when the Bureau of Prisons intern never came back from an outing to D.C’s Rock Creek Park. Police were certain that was where she disappeared from a notation on her laptop. Search parties scoured the park for months, finding nothing. A man walking his dog in Rock Creek Park would find her remains on May 22, 2002.
But up until the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the Chandra Levy case dominated the news. Following her disappearance, the investigation uncovered lead after lead, but none so tantalizing to the press as the affair she had been involved in with California representative Gary Condit. Sex, power, politics, and a true mystery. The press could not get enough of it.
Until September 11.
Every year the story gets resurrected, usually on the date of her disappearance or the date of the finding of her remains – or both. The Washington Post published an in depth investigation into the cold case last year, mentioning Ingmar Grandique in their expose. Grandique had admitted to police that he had seen Chandra Levy in the park where her body was found.
As with 2008, 2009 will be no different. New developments in the story will give it new life. But at least for her parents the heartbreaking reminders will be ameliorated this year by the arrest of their daughter’s alleged killer. We appreciate all the hard work they did,” Susan Levy, Chandra’s mother, told another CNN affiliate, KXTV in Sacramento, California. “”We appreciate all the hard work they did. You want justice. You want the person incarcerated. It is still painful no matter what. Your child is dead and gone. But we are glad the police are doing something and making a difference.”
CBS News reported on “The Early Show” Saturday that evidence has been submitted to the U.S. Attorney’s office in D.C. for an arrest warrant to be issued for Ingmar Grandique. Sources are indicating that Ingmar Grandique may have confessed murdering Chandra Levy to another inmate.
Ingmar Grandique is presently serving time for assaulting two women in Rock Creek Park.
Although questioned many times by the Washington police, Gary Condit was never named as a suspect. But that did not stop the press from endless speculation and insinuation. Congressman Gary Condit (D-CA) was defeated in the Democratic Primary in his reelection bid in 2002 for his Congressional seat in the wake of the affair scandal.
Chandra Levy was just 24 years old when she was killed.
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Sources:
KGO-TV
KXTV Television
CNN
CNN.com
CBSNews.comWashingtonPost.com
