JH: ...Shell Harbor Boat Ramp. This search is the result of information obtained during interviews of the Haleigh Cummings case. Items have been recovered at the search site, but at this point it is not known if these items are related to the Haleigh Cummings investigation. All items located during this search will be forwarded to several independent labs for analysis. The PCSO has received numerous inquiries regarding the status of this investigation, specifically if this is a missing person's investigation or a homicide investigation. Over the past few weeks, information has been obtained by investigators that lead them to believe that Haleigh Cummings is most likely deceased. The specific details of this information cannot, and I will add, will not, be released at this time. There have been rumors that a suspect has been taken into custody as a result of this investigation. This rumor is not true. However, the investigative team has identified PERSONS of interest in this case. Now I'm gonna go ahead and open up for some questions:
Q:Sir, can you tell me if you found a cinder block with a rope tied on it, and if you did, if it has anything to do with that tip that you got?
Ma'am we're not going to discuss anything of possible evidence that MIGHT have been located at the boat ramp, but thank you for your question.
Q: You've said all along that Misty is the key. Is that still the case?
Absolutely.
Q: Is it true this area has not been searched before?
This area has not been, you know we've searched lots of areas in Putnam County, but to say "did we put divers at this specific location" uh, the answer to that question would be no.
Q: Why not?
This is a huge river, and uh, we searched in areas surrounding the home uh that we believe she could have, uh, potentially been put in.
Q: Can you say anything more about what the tip was that led you to this spot?
Uh, the tip came from a source that led us to this area, and as we have in the past, we're gonna follow up on all leads and that, uh, is what led us to this area in for this dive that we have been doing for the last 3 days.
Q: Did that tip come from Tennessee?
No ma'am.
Q: Did it come from behind bars?
I'm not going to discuss where the tips came from....the leads came from. (added by me, he said tips and leads, plural)
Q: Can you tell us who those persons of interest are?
I will not be mentioning any names at this time.
Q: Can you tell us a little about Misty's visit yesterday?
Listen, people are starting to cooperate. That's why I've told people it's gonna be just a matter of time and we're going to accept any cooperation that we can get, so again, it's a good thing. People are starting to talk.
Q: How soon do you think this case can be solved?
We will follow this case to the end, and to give you a timeline on that, I'm not gonna do that.
Q: What kind of items are, like...are they little? Are you guys collecting little things too for analysis, like everything you see that might be something?
Absolutely. Let me tell you something. We've had something like 15, 25, 30 divers in this water every day. They have searched in zero/zero conditions using their bare hands, um, you know it's it's....a rough search. We've found everything from alligator toenails to, you know, you name it. We've pulled 'em out and we've looked at it and ... so.
Q: Sheriff, how likely is it, if she was in this river ... I'm generally speaking if she was in this river... how likely is it that you would actually find her with the gators and the current and the boats and the mud that you'd be able to find something that significant?
It's like looking for a needle in a haystack, but we were willing to go ahead and take the effort and the time to go look for that needle.
Q: Sheriff, you said some people are beginning to cooperate. Is Misty Croslin cooperating specifically and is there (helicopter noise drowns out rest of question).
As far as the cooperation goes, from who's cooperating and what plea bargains, I'm not here to talk about any of that. I dont' know of any plea bargain that's been offered to anybody. Just so you know.
Q: Do you think Haleigh died in this area?
It's our belief that this is, that's a ............. that's a very real possibility.
Q: Well, have you searched the land?
Yes, ma'am. We have searched the river banks obviously through due diligence we have went out and dived the area and searched on the other side of the river, searched this side of the river. Yeah...yeah, we've been there.
Q: How long are you gonna be staying out here?
We're getting ready to wrap up this search here today. We're gonna wrap it up about 6:00 this afternoon. And just because we're leaving here doesn't mean this lead isn't gonna be followed up any farther. We're gonna continue to run with the information that we have.
Q: Can you give an idea how long this analysis might take, and will it be, like, DNA type......can you talk a little about what kind of analysis will be (rest of question unclear).
A lot of the materials were analyzed on scene right there. We have an anthropologist, so a lot of the stuff that we had found was deemed non-evidence and we cleared it right there on the spot.
Q: If those items are not considered to be part of this case, do you still have a case against the person who likely killed Misty (sic)?
We are working on building a case. That's what we've been doing for the last 14 months.
Q: But without this physical evidence, do you still think you have a case?
Oh, yeah, we're working diligently to go forth with this, yes.
Q: But you did say you have items that you are getting analyzed, right?
Yes ma'am, and I'm not going to discuss the particular items that I've taken for analysis.
Q: How long are you going to be in this area?
Til 6:00 tonight. We're getting ready to shut this search down. And we're going to still continue forth with the leads that we have.
Q: The grandmother told us that her grandson Tommy gave her a confession saying he knows who did it and that it's Joe Overstreet in TN. What do you make of that story?
We've we've talked to Joe Overstreet in TN. We've interviewed him. We had two investigators from my agency, two agents from FDLE, and uh, we interviewed him again the other night, we've interviewed him before. He has an attorney and he's lawyered up.
Q: Do you consider this a homicide investigation or what?
At this point, I'm comfortable to go ahead and say I'm gonna call it a homicide.
Q: Is this a crime scene, would you call it that?
This right here, that's what we've been doing for the last three days. We've searched numerous areas in Putnam County. So we can't sit here and call every search area a crime scene.
Q: Sheriff, you say that you're building a case. Does that mean an arrest is imminent?
We're hoping to make an arrest in this case, let's be real about this, ok? Number 1, this case has been going on for 14 months. People are finally starting to talk. Where that's gonna lead us, I don't know. But we're gonna follow it to the end. And Yeah, we're trying to make an arrest, we're trying to bring somebody to justice for this little girl right here and her family. This is what it's about here today, not about me.
Q: How are they helping, what...how are they talking?
Well, they have a lot of time to sit and think about it.
Q: Early on in the investigation, they tracked Haleigh to the water's edge near the home.....
Right.
Q: Did dogs lead you to search this area?
No, it's been 14 months and the answer to that question is no.
Q: How many persons of interest or suspects do you have right now?
I'm just gonna say SEVERAL
Q: What did you learn from Misty at the dock yesterday?
That's information that's obviously going to be between me and my investigators.
Q: (question unclear)
....
If information becomes available, we'll search any area we have to.
Q: Can you at least explain her demeanor, have you seen a shift in her, Misty's demeanor?
Absolutely. Calmness, I think she's come to realize that...she's in trouble. I'm gonna take two more questions. So, I'm going to take 2 more questions.
Q: Has anything in the form of a body or (unclear) been found?
NO.
Q:How confident do you feel differently from 14 months ago ... do you feel like the case is getting stronger or do you feel it's about the same?
Well, we worked this case as hard as day one as today and to tell you how confident I am I'm confident I'm not gonna give up on this little girl and her family, so with that let's hope and pray that we can bring this thing to a logical conclusion for the family and thank you very much for coming.
(end presser)
