Arrest close in Chandra Levy murder

An arrest is imminent in the eight-year-old murder of federal government intern Chandra Levy, whose disappearance in 2001 ended Gary Condit's congressional career.

The 24-year-old Levy disappeared in May 2001. She was wearing jogging clothes when she left her apartment, and her remains were discovered in Washington's Rock Creek Park about a year later.

Police questioned the married Condit about Levy's disappearance. He told police that he and Levy were having an affair. While he was not considered a suspect by police, the negative publicity gernerated by the news media caused Condit to loose re-election in 2002.

Investigators have interviewed 27-year-old Ingmar Guandique, a Salvadoran illegal immigrant who is currently in a California prison and has denied any involvement in Levy's disappearance and murder. Guandique was convicted of attacking two women in Rock Creek Park shortly after Levy disappeared.

Why the police didn't investigate Guandique for Levy's disappearance at the time nobody knows. The police won't comment.

After Condit lost his re-election bid, he sued several media outlets that had connected him to Levy's disappearance and death. He reached an undisclosed settlement with three tabloid newspapers.

The Chandra Levy and Gary Condit story dominated the news until the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks occurred.
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D. Brian Blackwell