Connection Between Murdered Social Worker And Missing Baby

This is a partial transcript from "On the Record," October 17, 2006, that has been edited for clarity.

GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, HOST: Tonight, a bizarre connection between a murdered social worker and a missing baby. Right now, a desperate search for this 10-month-old boy. But here's the twist. Police say he is with his mother, who's on the run and wanted for questioning in connection to the murder.

Let's go right to Henderson police chief Ed Brady. Welcome, Chief.

CHIEF ED BRADY, HENDERSON, KENTUCKY, POLICE DEPARTMENT: Good evening.

VAN SUSTEREN: Chief, what can you tell me about — how did you discover that a murder had even occurred?

BRADY: We were called to a home on Clay Street at about 1:45 yesterday. Social services had called our department and asked that we check on the welfare of one of their social workers and a 9-month-old baby that was there. When we got to the house, there was no obvious sign of trouble. The house was locked. There were no vehicles around.

Due to the circumstances, we were required to go get a search warrant for the house, and about 4:00 p.m., we entered the house and found the body of the social worker lying in the living room. It also became obvious at that time that the persons had taken the social worker's car and had left with the baby. We immediately put out an Amber Alert, and we've been working from that since then.

VAN SUSTEREN: Has the car been spotted since 1:45 yesterday afternoon?

BRADY: Yes, ma'am. At about 7:30 last night, the car was spotted in Smithboro, Illinois, which is just east of St. Louis, Missouri, at a gas station. There was gas purchased at that station. We understand there's some video from that station, which we have not seen yet. The gas was paid for with the victim's credit card. And that's the last confirmed sighting of the vehicle that we're aware of.

VAN SUSTEREN: How far is Smithboro approximately from where the body was found, the social worker's body, in that home?

BRADY: Smithboro, Illinois, would be 160, 170 miles northwest of Henderson.

VAN SUSTEREN: All right. What can you tell me about the residence — the home where the social worker was found?

BRADY: We went in the home and found the body lying on the floor in the living room. There was not a great amount of disarray in the house. It was obvious from the conditions in there that there had been quite a bloody assault that occurred in that room, And we found the deceased in there. Other than that, there was not a whole lot of evidence that was left within the house, as far as the house being ransacked or things like that.

VAN SUSTEREN: All right. This child's mother lives in that house, who you're looking for, right?

BRADY: Yes. It's my understanding that the court had ordered a two-hour visit of this 9-month-old child with this non-custodial mother who lives at that address. The social worker was responsible for transporting the baby over to the house, staying for two hours while the mother visited with the baby, and then taking the baby back to where the court had ordered that the baby should be living. Sometime during that two-hour visit is when the attack occurred.

VAN SUSTEREN: All right. Does the baby live with the father ordinarily?

BRADY: It's my understanding that the baby is court ordered to live with foster parents at this point. The mother was allowed limited visitation, and then it had to be accompanied by a social worker. So that's the circumstances as we understand it at this time.

VAN SUSTEREN: All right. Well, it's unusual that a 10-month-old baby would be taken away by from a mother by a court, so there must be some history on this mother if she lost custody of her child. What's the story on the mother?

BRADY: Well, we plan on getting into past history. Right now, our total focus is on locating the car because of the Amber Alert. Our number one drive is to find the child. Hopefully, the child is safe. We want to get it back into a safe environment. It's my understanding, but I have not confirmed, that there is some history of some problems with this mother and children. And as time allows, we will go back and explore that. But right now, our total focus is on finding that 9-month-old child.

VAN SUSTEREN: All right. The 9-month-old child also is believed to be with her mother, with her mother's boyfriend. Who's the boyfriend, and what do you know about him?

BRADY: The boyfriend is wanted in Jefferson County, Kentucky — that's the Louisville area — for parole violation. His name is Chris Luttrell. He's about 23 years old. There is a felony warrant for him for parole violation. There's also been a warrant issued for the mother, Renee Terrell, for kidnapping. And then we're exploring other charges that may lead to a murder charge.

VAN SUSTEREN: Do either of them have any money or access to money? Because they've already traveled about 160 miles, used the decedent's credit card allegedly, but it certainly looks more than just allegedly. But do they have access to money?

BRADY: A lot of our focus on the investigation has been on whether they have friends or family that can support them or places they could go to obtain some support, some money, some traveling expenses. We don't find many of those sources to be located. It's an indication, by them using the credit card of the victim, that they're very low on money and don't have many resources to travel.

VAN SUSTEREN: Was the murder weapon found on the scene?

BRADY: I'm sorry? I lost you on that last question.

VAN SUSTEREN: Was the murder weapon found on the scene?

BRADY: No, it was not.

VAN SUSTEREN: Had either the boyfriend or the mother ever threatened anyone?

BRADY: We don't have substantial information that they've threatened to hurt or harm anyone. We have developed information that they might have planned to take the baby and leave with the baby, but we were not aware of that until after this attack occurred. As we explore and delve further into the investigation, we will try to determine that information. But as I said earlier, right now, our main focus is the Amber Alert, trying to find the vehicle with the child in it.

VAN SUSTEREN: Do these two adults have any ties to other communities where they might return to? I mean, did either one of them grow up someplace else besides around where the baby was kidnapped from?

BRADY: Our initial information was that they could possibly head to New York state, to the Fort Wayne area of northern Indiana, or possibly they might have some connections in Tennessee. Certainly, we have alerted the authorities in those areas to be aware of that, but we have no information at this time that they went to any of these three areas.

VAN SUSTEREN: Where is Renee Terrell from?

BRADY: I'm sorry? I lost you again.

VAN SUSTEREN: Where is Renee Terrell from, Chief?

BRADY: I think she's from the Henderson area. I believe she has been from this area and has lived here for several years.

VAN SUSTEREN: What would make you think she would go to Fort Wayne, or they would go to Fort Wayne, or someplace in New York or Tennessee?

BRADY: We developed information through the investigation that they might have friends, in some cases family, in those areas. We felt like they would not have many resources to travel on, probably would need to find some assistance within the near future, and that that might be three possible areas they would travel.

VAN SUSTEREN: Do you have any reason to think that this mother would hurt her child?

BRADY: We don't believe so. We think that the mother has expressed in the past a strong desire to be the custodial parent, that she wanted the child in her possession. I think she was fearful that she was about to lose the child permanently, and that may have resulted in this attack.

VAN SUSTEREN: All right, Chief. Thank you. And good luck, sir, because we put up a lot of information about this couple and this baby. Hopefully, somebody has seen something and will call you immediately. Thank you, Chief.

BRADY: Thank you for your help.

VAN SUSTEREN: Police are still putting together the pieces of the mystery. Today, the autopsy was conducted on the victim, a 67-year-old social worker. Joining us is Henderson County deputy county coroner Don Farris. Coroner, cause of death for this poor woman was what?

DON FARRIS, HENDERSON COUNTY, KENTUCKY, DEP. CORONER: Multiple blunt and sharp-force injuries as the result of a beating.

VAN SUSTEREN: Do you know what the weapon was, sir?

FARRIS: Not right now. We just know that there was some type of sharp instrument that was used on her and some type of blunt instrument that was used that could consist of hands, feet or some type of object itself.

VAN SUSTEREN: Could this be the type of injury and a cause of death that could be inflicted by one person, or does this look like it might have been two people who would be involved in this one, or can't you tell at all?

FARRIS: It could have been either/or. One person could do this or two people could have done this.

VAN SUSTEREN: To the best of your knowledge, can you date or can you put a time on when she died?

FARRIS: After we arrived at the scene yesterday we made contact with the regional medical examiner, who's a forensic pathologist, and requested that she come to the scene. She came to the scene, and through the investigation at the scene and the autopsy today, we've determined the time of death to be about 10:30 a.m. yesterday.

VAN SUSTEREN: Coroner, have you ever seen anything like this? I mean, a 67-year-old social worker taking a little baby to a home to see a mother for a visitation. Ever see any crime that even remotely comes close to this one?

FARRIS: I have not, and I've been doing this for over 30 years. This is just a horrible, senseless act that's been committed.

VAN SUSTEREN: Was there anything on the scene as you looked around that would be any sort of clue or tip as to where the residents of this home might have gone?

FARRIS: We haven't found anything at this point in time. I do know that prior to coming up here for this interview, there were still technicians from the evidence unit that were at the house. But to my knowledge, they haven't discovered anything yet.

VAN SUSTEREN: All right. Is your role pretty much over in this, that your role is to determine that, in fact, someone died at the scene? Is that the job of the coroner where you're from, sir?

FARRIS: Our role is to determine cause and manner of death. And we've been able to determine the cause and manner of death.

VAN SUSTEREN: And in terms of the scene, sir, was the scene — did it look like there'd been a big struggle?

FARRIS: I'm sorry? I didn't hear you.

VAN SUSTEREN: Was the scene — did it look like there'd been quite a struggle, sir, or did it look like this woman was simply blindsided and killed?

FARRIS: There was a substantial amount of blood at the scene in the particular room that this lady was found. There was some blood that had been smeared in another room that looks like it was transferred. Most of whatever occurred, occurred in this particular room the lady was found in.

VAN SUSTEREN: All right, Coroner. Thank you very much, sir.

Police believe Renee Terrell is on the run with her baby and her boyfriend, Christopher Luttrell. Joining us is Christopher's mother, Barbara Hancock. Welcome, Barbara.

BARBARA HANCOCK, SON WANTED FOR KIDNAPPING: Thank you.

VAN SUSTEREN: Barbara, when was the last time you saw your son?

HANCOCK: Saturday, Saturday morning.

VAN SUSTEREN: Did he say anything, give you any indication there were any problems going on in his life, in terms of girlfriend or baby or anything like that?

HANCOCK: No. Me and his step dad went over to see him Saturday and we seen him and his girlfriend, and there wasn't no sign or anything that they was going to do this. And she acted like that she just had some bad issues about herself with me talking to my son. She just acted like she didn't want my son to come around me much at all.

VAN SUSTEREN: All right. So I mean, the baby that everyone's looking for, that's not your son's child, is it?

HANCOCK: No, ma'am, it's not. They don't have no children at all.

VAN SUSTEREN: All right. Your son has a child with someone else, is that right?

HANCOCK: Yes, ma'am.

VAN SUSTEREN: All right. Now, in terms of Renee and your son — do you like Renee?

HANCOCK: Yes, I do. But I wasn't expecting for this to happen...

VAN SUSTEREN: What were the troubles that she seemed to...

HANCOCK: ... and why she had — you know...

VAN SUSTEREN: What were the troubles that she seemed to be having with you and with your son?

HANCOCK: It looked like jealousy.

VAN SUSTEREN: Do you know why she didn't have custody of her child?

HANCOCK: No, ma'am, I do not.

VAN SUSTEREN: Did you know that she had a child?

HANCOCK: Yes, ma'am. My son, Christopher Luttrell, told me that she had visitations with her child. And he would usually come over to me and his dad's house while she had visitations with her kid.

VAN SUSTEREN: Did you find it unusual that the mother of a 10-month-old would not have custody of her child and would have to have visitation?

HANCOCK: Yes, I kind of find it unusual.

VAN SUSTEREN: Did you inquire of your son, like, you know, what's going on that she doesn't have her son, or her daughter?

HANCOCK: Well, I kept asking him and asking him, and he wouldn't tell me much at all, just only the details that she didn't have her kid and she only had visitation to see the baby.

VAN SUSTEREN: Do you have any reason to believe that your son or the mother of this child would hurt this child?

HANCOCK: No.

VAN SUSTEREN: None at all?

HANCOCK: No.

VAN SUSTEREN: Now, the reason you wanted to come on is because you thought that if your son sees you on television, he'll call in, is that right?

HANCOCK: Yes, ma'am. And I don't believe that my son would hurt this child. No, I don't.

VAN SUSTEREN: Do you think your son would hurt this social worker?

HANCOCK: I really don't know. I would kind of find it unusual, but if Renee would tell him to do something, my son probably would do it. But it was kind of unusual to think about it, yes. I don't think he would.

VAN SUSTEREN: Barbara, thank you very much. And I hope your son sees you and I hope he calls the police immediately. Thank you, Barbara.

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