Interview: Follow-up with Det. Chris Harvey

Sunday, April 29, 2012 - 8:32 a.m.

Chris Harvey is a detective with the Biloxi P.D who was interviewed via the phone. The interview was recorded on a portable audio tape recorder with the witness's knowledge and consent.

Participants:

• Detective T. Armstrong
• Detective S. Murphy
• Detective C. Harvey

Detective Murphy: Detective, before we get into it, would you please state your name for the record?

Detective Harvey: Certainly. Detective Chris Harvey, Biloxi Police Department.

Detective Armstrong: So what's going on?

Detective Harvey: We had a disturbance last night at the Biloxi Faith Cemetery: drunk kids throwing bottles at the grave markers, setting off homemade so-called fireworks, dumb-ass destructive crap like that. But we came across something y'all might be interested in. They disturbed several graves with some cherry bomb-like‒ well, they called them "fireworks." We're calling them "explosives." Anyway, in one of the disturbed graves, we could see some fabric in the dirt, not very deep. Turned out to be a small blanket wrapped around partial skeletal remains. It's a female, maybe around two or three years old. And the skull is missing.

Detective Armstrong: You've got our attention.

Detective Harvey: Yeah, I thought so. And here's the kicker. The skeleton was buried in the ground above a coffin, and that coffin was still in the grave with the body inside. It was Gracie Lou Brandt's grave.

Detective Armstrong: Oh, man.

Detective Harvey: Yeah.

Detective Murphy: Any idea how long the skeletal remains had been there?

Detective Harvey: Not yet. The coroner's still working on it, but I'd guess a couple years maybe? Maybe longer?

Detective Armstrong: Was any other physical evidence recovered?

Detective Harvey: We're still processing the scene, but I wouldn't hold my breath if I was you.

Detective Murphy: What can you tell us about the blanket?

Detective Harvey: It's blue, polyester. It's got some kind of decoration on it, but it's hard to make out. Looks like it could be wrestlers or something. Does that ring any bells?

Detective Armstrong: Yeah. Yeah, it does.

Detective Harvey: You think it's this kid you've been looking for?

Detective Murphy: I wouldn't be surprised.

Detective Armstrong: Do you know if there were any signs of injuries to the skeleton? Anything that looked ante or perimortem?

Detective Harvey: I didn't see anything, but the coroner can tell you for sure, once they get it cleaned up and x-rayed and that kind of thing.

Detective Murphy: Sure. Well, thanks for letting us know, Chris. We'll get our coroner in touch with yours so they can make it official.

Detective Harvey: Sounds good. I'll give our guys a heads-up that y'all will be getting in touch.

Detective Armstrong: Appreciate it. Let us know if anything else turns up on your end.

Detective Harvey: Will do. Any idea what this is going to do to your investigation?

Detective Murphy: Well, more than likely, it's either going to wrap it up or put us back at square one.

Detective Harvey: Yeah, sounds about right. Listen, y'all take care, and I'll be in touch if we get anything more.

Detective Armstrong: Thanks again for the call, Chris. We'll let you know how it plays out.

Interview ends: 8:39 a.m.