Ep 2. Chandra Levy

It Takes a Killer is a true crime series that delves into the minds and motives of notorious murderers. In season 1 episode 2, the case of Chandra Levy is explored.

Chandra Levy was a 24-year-old intern at the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Washington, D.C. who went missing in May 2001. She was last seen alive on April 30th, when she canceled her gym membership and sent an email to her mother. When she failed to show up for work the next day, her parents reported her missing.

The investigation into Chandra's disappearance was complicated by a number of factors. She was having an affair with U.S. Congressman Gary Condit, which he initially denied. Condit was never named as a suspect in Chandra's disappearance, but the media frenzy around their relationship and his evasiveness with police caused the case to become a national news story.

Despite extensive searches and investigations by law enforcement, Chandra's body was not found until over a year later, in a remote area of a park in Washington, D.C. Her cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma to the head, although no murder weapon was ever found.

The episode explores the theories surrounding Chandra's murder. Some believed that Condit was involved, especially after it was revealed that he had asked a flight attendant to sign an affidavit saying they had spent the night together when he was in Washington, D.C. around the time Chandra disappeared. However, no evidence was ever found to link him to the crime.

Others believed that Chandra's killer might have been an undocumented immigrant who was active in the area around the time of her death. A man named Ingmar Guandique, who was living in the United States illegally and had a history of attacking women in the park where Chandra's body was found, was eventually charged with her murder. He was found guilty and sentenced to 60 years in prison in 2011, although his conviction was later overturned and he was granted a new trial, which ultimately resulted in his conviction being vacated.

The episode also examines the impact of Chandra's murder on her family and the legacy she left behind. Her parents led a campaign to improve public safety in parks and other public places, and her case prompted changes to D.C. law that made it easier for law enforcement to access cell phone records in missing persons cases.

Overall, the episode provides a comprehensive overview of the investigation into Chandra Levy's murder and the wider impact it had on the community. It offers insight into the challenges faced by law enforcement when investigating high-profile cases, as well as the lasting impact of violent crime on victims' families.