Person of Interest Freed in Yale Killing

(CBS/AP)  Police released a Yale University animal research technician on Wednesday after collecting DNA samples and questioning him in the killing of a graduate student who worked in the same lab.

Raymond Clark III was taken into custody Tuesday night at his apartment in Middletown, Conn., and was released into the custody of his attorney about 3 a.m. Wednesday, New Haven police said.

Police left the apartment Wednesday morning after searching the scene for hours overnight looking for evidence in the killing of Annie Le.

Clark has been described as a person of interest, not a suspect, in Le's death. Her body was found stuffed behind a wall in the laboratory Sunday, which was to have been her wedding day.

Overnight, state police officers sorted through items on a card table set up outside the apartment's door.

A tow truck took away a red Ford Mustang neighbors say was used by Clark.

"This is a case where there's a lot of evidence and they've now got to distill it into something pure," forensic psychiatrist Dr. Michael Welner told CBS's "The Early Show" Wednesday.

A resident of the complex, Rick Tarallo said he, his wife and 6-month-old daughter live in a unit next to Clark and his fiancee, Jennifer Hromodka.

He said the couple was "really quiet" and lived with an older man, whom he speculated was one of their fathers.

"He seemed like a good guy," Tarallo said of Clark. "They didn't strike me as someone who would try to kill somebody."

Tarallo said he was anxious about a murder suspect living next door.

Police started tearing down the yellow crime scene as daylight broke about 6:45 a.m. At that point there had been no sign of Clark's return to his apartment, and neighbors said they hadn't seen Hromodka in the area for days.

Dawn Brooks, a 36-year-old high school Spanish teacher, said she heard loud noises, including knocking sounds, when police served the search warrant on Clark's apartment Tuesday night. She said doesn't know Clark, but said he and his girlfriend were "pretty quiet people."

She said it was "scary" that he would be released after the DNA testing.

Investigators are hoping to figure out within days whether Clark can be ruled out as the killer.

More from the Crimesider blog on the investigation into Annie Le's murder

Will Suspect be Charged Today in Yale Student Annie Le Murder Case? Not Likely, Say Police
Photos: Yale Holds Vigil for Slain Student
Police Close in on Killer
Yale Says Goodbye to Annie Le at Candlelight Vigil
Annie Le Suspect Failed Polygraph, Says Police Source
Photos: Student Found Dead on Wedding Day

Clark's fiancee last year dismissed allegations in blog entries that he was having an affair, the New York Post reported Wednesday.

"He is a bit naive, doesn't always use the best judgement, definitely is not the best judge of character but, he is a good guy," Jennifer Hromadka, 23, wrote of Clark, who police took into custody Tuesday.

More on the Annie Le investigation at CBSNews.com

"The Early Show:" Yale 'Unnerved' By Murder
Yale Student's Slaying an Inside Job?
Cops: Yale Student Killing Not Random Act
Tragic Find In Search for Yale Student
"The Early Show:" Yale Student's Body Found

[hamiltoningrate]

MEDIA SLOW DOWN >>>> HOW WOULD YOU FEEL ???

I would hope that the police and the media take into consideration that they may be destroying this man's life, without cause. Why show his picture. ??

Remeb. Richard Jewell ? CBS and others had him hung but he was totally innocent. The poor guy.



////////We need RULES to limit the PRESS when they act like crazy animals---//////////// hypocrites, smelling ratings.

Who protects the innocent if not the PRESS ??

[CBSTV]

How is it that government acquired this person's DNA? Was it done voluntarily of by force?

[JVgirl]

They searched his apartment. They could have gotten his DNA from his toothbrush, hairbrush, comb or just about anything in his apartment without touching him at all!

[casionova]

Yeah the media already have this guy convicted.

Remember the LaCrosse guys accused of rape? Or Richard Jewell accused of bombing the park in Atlanta? The media frenzy ruined their lives with mobs calling for their heads, or in the case of the La Crosse guys mobs outside their homes calling for their castration.

No sign of those mobs when their innocence was established beyond doubt.

[democracy1]

No one has yet :"convicted" Clark. We need to wait to see what more evidence may be released before making any kind of judgement.

[bubbadubba]

"Tarallo said he was anxious about a murder suspect living next door."

Wrong he is not a suspect.

"She said it was "scary" that he would be released after the DNA testing."

Scary? I guess when the media has convicted someone of a murder without evidence I could see how a fool would think that way.

We need to get a handle on the way police grab people, declare them a "person of interest" and then the person's life is destroyed if they are innocent. This guy cannot go home now or someone will try and kill him.
IF the guy is found to be innocent I hope he sues everyone involved including his neighbors who were interviewed and neighbors who cheered the police for taking him away.
I hope the guy takes everything everyone owns in court including the police officers and the town.
The way police handle investigationsa and convict people in public and the media's involvement is a clear violation of the US Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Where is the ACLU on this issue?

[democracy1]

So, in your 1st post you say that he was"definitely a suspect". Now you are defending the same guy. You DO understand that most of the evidence is NOT being released to the media at this point since that might taint the investigation? Why don't you put a hold on the criticism until more evidence is released?

[JVgirl]

bubbadubba, in most states the police are allowed by law to hold someone I think either 24 or 48 hours without charging them with a crime and there's nothing that person can do about it because it's the law.

[erasmus111]

"Will SUSPECT be Charged Today in Yale Student Annie Le Murder Case? Not Likely, Say Police"

"Annie Le SUSPECT Failed Polygraph, Says Police Source"



"Clark has been described as a PERSON OF INTEREST, NOT A SUSPECT, in Le's death."


HUH? Which is it, a person of interest or a suspect?

I think it really has to be a little more than a person of interest. When you RUSH their apartment, haul them off to jail, do a massive search for HOURS, I don't know, it could be just me, but I'd say he was definitely a SUSPECT. Geez.

[erasmus111]

by GradyM904 September 16, 2009 11:19 AM EDT

You left your reply under the wrong post.