The Orange County Sheriff’s Office continues to receive numerous requests for interviews, and so, on Tuesday, Sheriff Jerry Demings made available investigators involved in the Casey Anthony Case to answer questions from the media.
With a photograph of Caylee Anthony prominently placed in the room, Demings said that the only way investigators can get back to work and help keep Orange County safe, was to allow those involved in critical ways in the investigation to field inquiries from reporters during a single media availability.
Last week, a 12-person jury from Pinellas County rendered a controversial verdict acquitting Casey Anthony on all counts in connection with the 2008 murder of her two year-old daughter, Caylee.
At trial, prosecutors argued unsuccessfully before the jury that Casey poisoned her toddler with chloroform and placed duct tape over her nose and mouth, before dumping her body in the woods near the Anthony family home. The defense team managed to raise reasonable doubt and persuade the jury that Caylee died accidentally in the family swimming pool and that grandfather George Anthony covered it up. Since the not guilty verdict, some citizens in Orange County continue to speak out and protest the trial’s outcome.
During the 90-minute media availability, reporters asked a range from questions including, the mood of investigators given the enormous resources spent on investigation and in light of the acquittal of Casey; characterization of the prosecution’s forensics evidence as “fantasy forensics and junk science” by Casey’s defense team; possible witness tampering by Casey’s defense team and how the investigators’ lives may have changed, given the high profile nature of the case.
Demings reminded that the investigation began on July 15, 2008 around 8:00 p.m. when a 911 call was received for a missing toddler. “Little did we know it would become the Casey Anthony Case that would dominate time and resources for three years,” Demings said. He added that while this case turned into a high profile one, the Sheriff’s Office brings all resources to bear on every crime victim, including children who can’t speak for themselves.
Corporal Yuri Melich, lead investigator on the case said, it was not entirely surprising that Casey’s defense team used the accidental drowning death in their defense although there was no evidence to support this. Investigators pointed out too that George Anthony was never a suspect, but rather Zanny, the nanny, with whom Casey had told investigators she left the child.
CSI Gerardo Bloise of Forensics said he didn’t care much that the evidence was called “fantasy forensics” of “junk science” and stood by the forensics collected, pointing out that there was “good custody of the evidence and that everything was proven.”
Noting that over 6,100 tips had been received by the Missing Persons Squad during an 8-month period after Caylee was reported missing, Demings said that the entire investigation was a model of collaboration between agencies. He informed that 100 FBI agents followed up on leads, over 40 FDLE patrol officers tracked down state leads and the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation, Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, Orlando Police Department, Orange County Medical Examiner’s office and the State Attorney’s Office all collaborated in the investigation.
Demings said the cost of investigation was “substantial” and currently the fiscal staff of OCSO was calculating the outlays with some specificity. He added that while there will likely be reimbursement in line with specific statutes, other costs such as sequestration of the 12-member jury were “considerable” and could not be included.
Investigators were hard-pressed to state what they could have done differently if there were an opportunity for a ‘do over.’
“I don’t know,” Sergeant John Allen of the Crime Investigations Divisions said. “We did excellent work and I have been to many crime scenes in my 30 years…this was worked thoroughly.” He added that perhaps more evidence might have been found had Caylee’s remains been found earlier, but there was no guarantee.
Responding specifically to the defense’s claims that Casey had been molested by her father, George and brother Lee Anthony, Sergeant Allen said that investigators had no platform on which to pursue this charge, as they were told by the Baez law firm, not to investigate this. The sexual molestation claim by Casey, had only been told to them third hand and by two of Casey’s prior boyfriends, investigators said.
Built on a cascade of every growing lies when Casey told investigators her child was missing during an interview at Universal Studios in July 2008, Melich said that up to now, he is “still surprised” that she stuck to her story–that the toddler was kidnapped by a baby sitter and there was no indication given at that time, Caylee had accidentally drowned.
Investigators said that their lives had not changed much, despite the high profile nature of the Casey Anthony case.
“My life has not changed at all,” Corporal Melich said. “I have worked other cases in the three years. Everyone deserves the same attention.” He added he was happy to move forward, his wife moreso.
Sergeant Allen affirmed that the case was very time consuming and he had been “very, very busy” tracking down over 6,000 leads, but now that the case is over, he had gone on to different assignments.
Deputy Sheriff Jason Forgey, K-9 handler of Garros, like homicide crime scene investigator Corporal Eric Edwards, agreed his life had not changed much. Forgey added that sometimes he is teased by friends over being seen on television.
Crime scene investigator, Jennifer Welch said her life hadn’t changed “that much” since the case and that she had worked other cases in the intervening years. Welch said, though, since the case, she has become more recognizable to the public.
Investigators were unanimous in that they respected the jury’s verdict, but said they had no doubt in their minds that Casey Anthony murdered her daughter.
