Crime Scene Open to Public and ANOTHER SEARCH AT ANTHY

Investigators search Anthony home with warrant


Helen Eckinger | Sentinel Staff Writer
8:10 PM EST, December 20, 2008

Moments after investigators shut down the crime scene where a meter reader discovered Caylee Marie Anthony's remains 10 days ago, they served a search warrant at the nearby home of the toddler's grandparents Saturday afternoon.

The case's lead investigators and crime-scene technicians stayed inside George and Cindy Anthony's Hopespring Drive house for about an hour and 45 minutes before emerging with two large boxes and two bags. Orange County sheriff's Capt. Angelo Nieves would not identify what items were removed from the home, but said that "items of evidentiary value were found."

George and Cindy Anthony were at home when investigators arrived with the warrant, and a visibly upset George Anthony could be seen as they made their way inside.

"It's never a good time for anyone who's lost a granddaughter -- obviously we're going to treat them with respect," Nieves said. "But, we have an investigation to conduct."
Nieves said that a judge signed the warrant Saturday afternoon, based on evidence that investigators gathered at the crime scene along Suburban Drive during the past several days. He would not say what that evidence was.

Caylee was 2 when she was last seen in June. Her mother, Casey Anthony, has been charged with murder in Caylee's death, but her attorneys say a baby sitter kidnapped the child. On Friday, investigators said that a DNA sample taken from bones found at the crime scene matched a sample of Caylee's DNA.

A steady stream of people continued to visit a makeshift memorial for Caylee on Saturday, where mourners left balloons, notes, pictures, and hundreds of stuffed animals.

Kitty Bowersock of Winter Park placed three roses at the memorial on Saturday morning. She has a 3-year-old granddaughter, Cate, and said that Caylee's story has affected her because she can't understand how someone could hurt a child.

"I can't comprehend it with Caylee, or with any child," she said. "I'm shaking right now."

At about 3.p.m., the Orange County Sheriff's Office removed crime-scene tape from across Suburban Drive, and many of the people gathered around the memorial made their way down the street to see where Caylee's remains were found. There had been speculation that Casey Anthony's defense team would bring their own investigators to the site, but Nieves said that the Ssheriff's Ooffice contacted Anthony's lead attorney, Josée Baez, about three hours earlier, and Baez informed it him that defense investigators they would not examine the site.

After viewing the crime scene, many spectators made the short walk to George and Cindy Anthony's home, where were about 50 people stood outside while investigators searched the home.

Nieves said that the Ssheriff's Ooffice will conduct patrols in the Anthonys' neighborhood and issue citations to cars from outside the area to maintain calm in the area.

"We want to provide the community some peace," he said.

Helen Eckinger can be reached at heckinger@orlandosentinel.com or at 352-742-5934.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/orl-bk-caylee-search-warrant-122008,0,7870172.story

Camera Watches Caylee Anthony Remains Scene

Saturday, December 20, 2008 – updated: 6:37 pm EST December 20, 2008

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- Investigators have cleared the scene where Caylee Anthony's remains were found more than a week ago.

Detectives finished their search of the area late Saturday afternoon. "No Trespassing" signs have been posted and a camera is watching over the property, which is less than a half a mile from the home of her grandparents, George and Cindy Anthony.

Minutes after a convoy of investigators pulled out of the search scene, a crowd of people marched down Suburban Drive so they could have a first look at the area where Caylee was found. Deputies said any cars parked along the road would be towed.

"This is private property," said Capt. Angelo Nieves of the Orange County Sheriff's Office. "Onlookers do not have the right to
go in the property. They could be subject to arrest.

"Also Saturday, detectives served a search warrant on the Anthonys' home.

Forensic evidence shows the remains belong to Caylee, and that the child was murdered, according to the Orange County medical examiner.

"This identification was made from nuclear DNA taken from the remains and compared to a known profile of Caylee Anthony," Dr. Jan C. Garavaglia, the Orange County Medical Examiner, said (watch Dr. G speak). "There was no trauma to the bones prior to the death. The manner of the death in this case is homicide. The cause of death will be listed as homicide by unknown means.

"Caylee's mother, Casey, is in the Orange County jail, charged with her daughter's murder. She has insisted that she left the girl with a babysitter in June, but she didn't report her missing until July. The babysitter has never been found.

REMAINS ID'd: Dr. G Speaks | Raw Video | Images
METER READER: Roy Kronk Speaks | Images
ANTHONYS' ATTORNEY: Family Issues Statement
TEAM COVERAGE: Remains Are Caylee Anthony
CLOSE-UP LOOK: Sheriff's Office Releases Images
MESSAGE BOARD: Caylee Anthony's Remains Found

The announcement was made at an afternoon news conference (watch full media briefing | images). Dr. Garavaglia said a substantial amount of Caylee's skeleton was found. She said investigators combing over the scene had done a very thorough job, noting that some of a child's bones are as small as a pebble.

More tests are coming in. The Medical Examiner's office said reports from a botanist, anthropologist, and toxicologist would arrive at a later date. Garavaglia said there was no tissue found and there was not much chance of determining whether a chemical such as chloroform was used to silence the little girl.

"It will be difficult to interpret levels from these specimens and this will not be definitive in helping determine the cause of death," said Garavaglia. "Should other information become available the cause of death may be revisited."The remains were found near the Anthonys' east Orange County home last Thursday by an Orange County meter reader. The discovery site is less than a half-mile from the house (map from location to Anthonys' home).

http://www.wftv.com/news/18325661/detail.html#-