Interview with DA Armstrong.
Part 1.
Reporter - On the night of June 15th, District Attorney General, Dan Armstrong, called in the TBI to help in the search efforts for Summer Wells. Now, almost 10 months later and no real developments, this case is unlike anything he's ever worked before.
DA - The Sheriff will contact other law enforcement agencies, and the way the TBI is set up I have to make the formal request for the TBI. So the Sheriff in this particular case, he had called and asked for help from all the agencies, and then called me and I asked the TBI to get involved.
Reporter - The long-spanning search for Summer Wells can feel like a blur, but the night June 15th is clear as day. Just as the call to issue an Amber Alert on the 16th.
DA- An Amber Alert is where a child is missing from either, the person that's supposed to have legal custody of them or their parents. So we put out the Amber Alert to alert everybody, including citizens. If you have a cell phone, your cell phone will go off on Amber Alerts. So you can be on the look out and help us spot this child, if the child happens to show up in your area.
Reporter - No-one has been charged in relation to Summer's disappearance, but that doesn't mean the DA isn't involved.
DA - My role basically is just to be an advisor if there's any legal issues that may come up during the search, who to talk to, how to go about doing that. I am kept briefed, periodically, not everyday but periodically. And just available to provide any legal assistance that I can.
Reporter - As law enforcement is flooded with tips and the seasons change, small scale searches have taken place in the Beech Creek area.
DA - We follow leads as they come in. So at this point you're basically down to just following whatever leads come in and following up. Maybe trying to backtrack and do some things you did before, to see if anything comes of it.
Reporter - The most recent ground search back in February didn't bring anything, and right now there isn't another one planned.
Part 2.
Reporter - Now, as the 10 month mark is approaching, his role is looking ahead to the possibility of charges.
DA - It's a case that has implications of the legal system and the law, but you couldn't classify it right now, as there's no criminal charges been filed.
Reporter - Summer's older brother's were put into CPS custody last July, but no charges have been filed over their removal. However, their father Don Well's is serving time in the Hawkins County Jail, over DUI and violation of probation charges.
DA - This is a very complicated issue that has been made more complicated by the players in this drama.
Reporter - No-one has been arrested or charged in relation to the little girls disappearance, but that doesn't mean it couldn't happen at some point.
DA - We make ourselves available to both Sheriff's office and the TBI, to advise them as to the consequences of the next step that they're proposing to take, and how we can do it to where, if there is eventually a prosecution it'll be, what they gather would be something that we could introduce in a court. Make sure we cover all those bases.
Reporter - If an arrest ever does take place, that's when Armstrong will look at what charges can be filed.
DA - If it ever got to the point where we were ready to consider charges, and of course, they would talk to me about what charges and who to charge, and in a case like this, would generally go to a grand jury, if it ever got to that point.
Reporter - Armstrong declined to comment about Don Wells' current legal troubles, even though he stays in touch with law enforcement about where they're at in this investigation he's almost at a standstill in his particular role.
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