1 year ago
33
HOURS LATER THAT NIGHT WHEN THEY CALLED ME AT HOME. AND MY FIRST QUESTION WAS, WELL, HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE SAW THIS CHILD THAT WAS OUT THERE? AND THEY SAID THIS WAS THE ONLY CALL THAT WE HAD. SO AGAIN, YOU START IN YOUR MIND, YOU THINK THINGS IN A SIT DOWN INTERVIEW. HOOVER POLICE CHIEF NICK DIAZ IS SAYING CARLEE RUSSELL STORY DIDN’T SOUND RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING, BUT THEY PULLED OUT ALL THE STOPS TO INVESTIGATE IT. THANKS SO MUCH FOR CHOOSING WVTM 13 NEWS AT SIX. I’M SHERI FALK. AND I’M IAN WRIGHT’S OVER POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN IN THE SPOTLIGHT IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, MAYBE MORE SO THAN EVER BEFORE. AND ALL OF THAT CENTERED AROUND THE DISAPPEARANCE OF CARLEE RUSSELL. SHE WAS REPORTED MISSING A FEW WEEKS BACK. RUSSELL WAS LAST SEEN ALONG 459 IN HOOVER, 49 HOURS AFTER HER DISAPPEARANCE. SHE RETURNED HOME AT THE TIME, RUSSELL SAYS, SHE HAD BEEN KIDNAPED BY A MAN WITH ORANGE HAIR AND A BALD SPOT. SHE CLAIMED THAT THAT MAN AND WOMAN HAD HELD HER HOSTAGE BEFORE SHE WAS ABLE TO ESCAPE AND EVENTUALLY FIND HER WAY HOME. A WEEK AFTER SHE RETURNED HOME, HOOVER POLICE HELD A NEWS CONFERENCE, ESSENTIALLY CALLING RUSSELL’S BLUFF. IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG FOR CARLEE RUSSELL TO ADMIT TO LYING ABOUT HER KIDNAPING LAST WEEK, SHE WAS CHARGED WITH TWO MISDEMEANOR CRIMES. I WANT TO GET OUT TO WVTM 13, LISA CRANE, WHO’S BEEN ON TOP OF THIS STORY NOW FOR SEVERAL WEEKS. AND LISA, YOU TALKED TO THE CHIEF TODAY WHO DIDN’T SHY AWAY FROM ANYTHING. NOW, WE ACTUALLY THREW A FEW QUESTIONS AT HIM. HE WASN’T ABLE TO ANSWER BECAUSE THIS IS AN OPEN CASE AND AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION. BUT HE SAYS THEY HAVE QUESTIONS STILL THAT CARLEE RUSSELL COULD ANSWER. BUT SHE HAS CHOSEN NOT TO SPEAK TO INVESTIGATORS AGAIN SINCE THEY MET WITH HER BRIEFLY AT THE HOSPITAL ON THE NIGHT SHE RETURNED HOME. BUT HE SAYS THEY WILL GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS CASE WITH OR WITHOUT RUSSELL’S HELP. CHIEF NICK HAS BEEN WITH THE HOOVER POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS AND HANDLED THOUSANDS OF INVESTIGATIONS WHEN HE WAS NOTIFIED AT HOME ABOUT CARLIE RUSSELL’S DISAPPEARANCE ON THE EVENING OF JULY 13TH. HE ADMITS PARTS OF HER STORY ALREADY WEREN’T ADDING UP. I’VE BEEN A POLICEMAN FOR A LONG TIME. THERE’S BEEN A LOT OF TIMES THAT I’VE BEEN SKEPTICAL AND IT CAME OUT TO BE REAL. SO YOU DON’T STOP. AND THEY DIDN’T. HOOVER POLICE INVESTED HUNDREDS OF MAN HOURS CHECKING OUT TIPS, COMBING THE AREA WHERE RUSSELL’S CAR WAS ABANDONED AND FOLLOWING LEADS, KNOWING IF SHE HAD BEEN TAKEN TIME WAS OF THE ESSENCE, ONLY TO DISCOVER LATER NO ONE WAS EVER IN DANGER. THAT LEAVES THEM WITH MANY QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS CARLEE RUSSELL ISN’T ANSWERING. WE HAVE THE ATTORNEY’S LETTER, AND THE ATTORNEY SAID THAT SHE WAS IN HOOVER AND THAT SHE NOT HAVE ANY HELP. SO THAT’S ALL WE KNOW. WE DON’T HAVE ANY OTHER FACTS TO DISPUTE THAT. BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU WE’RE GOING TO TRY TO FIND OUT OURSELVES IF THEY’RE NOT GOING TO TALK TO US. CHIEF JERSEY SAYS THE CASE IS NOT CLOSED. THEY’RE STILL INVESTIGATING EVEN AFTER TWO MISDEMEANOR CHARGES HAVE BEEN FILED AGAINST RUSSELL. AND THIS CASE HAS THE CHIEF PUSHING TO TOUGHEN PENALTIES AGAINST THOSE WHO WOULD CRY WOLF ABOUT BEING THE VICTIM OF A VIOLENT CRIME. I WAS KIDNAPED. I WAS CARJACKED WHEN HE STARTED SAYING THOSE TYPE OF THINGS. THAT RAMPS US UP QUITE A BIT. AND TO ME, THE PUNISHMENT OUGHT TO BE THERE SHOULD BE CONSEQUENCES AND THE CONSEQUENCES SHOULD BE MORE SEVERE IN A SITUATION LIKE THAT, THE CHIEF SAYS, BECAUSE THEY HAVEN’T BEEN ALLOWED TO FURTHER QUESTION RUSSELL. THEY DON’T KNOW WHAT EMOTIONAL ISSUES SHE MIGHT BE DEALING WITH, BUT HE DOES BELIEVE IT WILL BE BETTER FOR HER AND EVERYONE IF SHE CAME CLEAN ABOUT EVERYTHING. I THINK, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE ARE FORGIVING. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE UPSET. AND I THINK IF, YOU KNOW, THE ENTIRE SCENARIO, WHY WHAT MAYBE JUST MAKES PEOPLE A LITTLE BETTER TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE WHOLE THING WAS ABOUT. NOW, WE’VE HEARD THAT A LOT FROM THE COMMUNITY AS WELL. MANY PEOPLE SAY THEY JUST WANT TO HEAR FROM CALI’S OWN MOUTH WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE 49 HOURS SHE WAS MISSING. THEY ALSO WANT TO KNOW WHY SHE WOULD PULL SUCH AN ELABORATE HOAX. AND THEY WANT TO SEE THAT SHE IS REMORSEFUL. AND MANY SAY SO FAR THEY AREN’T GETTING TH
Hoover Police Chief Derzis sits down to discuss the Carlee Russell case
Chief Derzis says they'll get to the bottom of this case
In a sit-down interview, Hoover police Chief Nick Derzis said Carlee Russell's story didn't sound right from the beginning, but they pulled out all the stops to investigate it. The Hoover Police Department has been in the spotlight in the last few weeks, maybe more than it ever has been. All of this centers around the disappearance of Russell. She was reported missing a few weeks back. Russell was last seen along Interstate 459 in Hoover. Forty-nine hours after her disappearance, she returned home.At the time, Russell said she had been kidnapped by a man with orange hair and a bald spot. She claimed that a man and a woman had held her hostage before she was able to escape and find her way home. A week after she returned home, Hoover police held a news conference, essentially calling Russell's bluff. It didn't take long for her to admit to lying about her kidnapping. Then, last week, she was charged with two misdemeanor crimes.WVTM13’s Lisa Crane sat down with the chief Tuesday to discuss the case. He wasn’t able to answer all her questions because this is an open case and an ongoing investigation. But he says they still have questions that Russell could answer if she would agree to speak to investigators. They only spoke to her briefly at the hospital on the night she returned home. The chief says they will get to the bottom of this case with or without Russell’s help.Derzis has been with the Hoover Police Department for more than 40 years and has handled thousands of investigations. When he was notified at home about Russell’s disappearance on the evening of July 13, he admits parts of her story already weren't adding up.Derzis said, “Being a policeman for a long time, there's been a lot of times that I’ve been skeptical and boy, it came out to be real. So, you don't stop.”And they didn't.Hoover police invested hundreds of manhours checking out tips, combing the area where Russell’s car was abandoned and following leads knowing if she had been taken, time was of the essence, only to discover later, no one was ever in danger. That leaves them with many questions; questions Carlee Russell isn't answering.Derzis said, “We have the attorney’s letter and the attorney said that she was in Hoover and that she didn't have any help. So that's all we know. We don't have any other facts to dispute that. But I can assure you we're going to try to find out ourselves if they're not going to talk to us.”Derzis says the case is not closed. They are still investigating, even after two misdemeanor charges have been filed against Russell. And this case has the chief pushing to toughen penalties against those who would cry wolf about being the victim of a violent crime.Derzis said, “I was kidnaped. I was carjacked. When you start saying those type of things, that ramps us up quite a bit. And to me, the punishment ought to be, you know, to me, there should be consequences. And the consequences should be more severe in a situation like that.” The chief says because they haven't been allowed to further question Russell, they don't know what emotional issues she might be dealing with, but he does believe it would be better for her and everyone if she came clean about everything.Derzis said, “I think, you know, people are forgiving. You know, people are upset. I think if you know the entire scenario, why what you know, maybe it just makes people a little better understand what the whole thing was about.”
HOOVER, Ala. —
In a sit-down interview, Hoover police Chief Nick Derzis said Carlee Russell's story didn't sound right from the beginning, but they pulled out all the stops to investigate it.
The Hoover Police Department has been in the spotlight in the last few weeks, maybe more than it ever has been. All of this centers around the disappearance of Russell. She was reported missing a few weeks back. Russell was last seen along Interstate 459 in Hoover. Forty-nine hours after her disappearance, she returned home.
At the time, Russell said she had been kidnapped by a man with orange hair and a bald spot. She claimed that a man and a woman had held her hostage before she was able to escape and find her way home. A week after she returned home, Hoover police held a news conference, essentially calling Russell's bluff. It didn't take long for her to admit to lying about her kidnapping. Then, last week, she was charged with two misdemeanor crimes.
WVTM13’s Lisa Crane sat down with the chief Tuesday to discuss the case. He wasn’t able to answer all her questions because this is an open case and an ongoing investigation. But he says they still have questions that Russell could answer if she would agree to speak to investigators. They only spoke to her briefly at the hospital on the night she returned home. The chief says they will get to the bottom of this case with or without Russell’s help.
Derzis has been with the Hoover Police Department for more than 40 years and has handled thousands of investigations. When he was notified at home about Russell’s disappearance on the evening of July 13, he admits parts of her story already weren't adding up.
Derzis said, “Being a policeman for a long time, there's been a lot of times that I’ve been skeptical and boy, it came out to be real. So, you don't stop.”
And they didn't.
Hoover police invested hundreds of manhours checking out tips, combing the area where Russell’s car was abandoned and following leads knowing if she had been taken, time was of the essence, only to discover later, no one was ever in danger. That leaves them with many questions; questions Carlee Russell isn't answering.
Derzis said, “We have the attorney’s letter and the attorney said that she was in Hoover and that she didn't have any help. So that's all we know. We don't have any other facts to dispute that. But I can assure you we're going to try to find out ourselves if they're not going to talk to us.”
Derzis says the case is not closed. They are still investigating, even after two misdemeanor charges have been filed against Russell. And this case has the chief pushing to toughen penalties against those who would cry wolf about being the victim of a violent crime.
Derzis said, “I was kidnaped. I was carjacked. When you start saying those type of things, that ramps us up quite a bit. And to me, the punishment ought to be, you know, to me, there should be consequences. And the consequences should be more severe in a situation like that.”
The chief says because they haven't been allowed to further question Russell, they don't know what emotional issues she might be dealing with, but he does believe it would be better for her and everyone if she came clean about everything.
Derzis said, “I think, you know, people are forgiving. You know, people are upset. I think if you know the entire scenario, why what you know, maybe it just makes people a little better understand what the whole thing was about.”
English (US)