Feds back off anonymous tip on Levy

A family photo of Chandra Levy

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The FBI said late Wednesday it has no immediate plans to search the grounds of a military installation in Virginia for the body of Chandra Levy, the 24-year-old woman who vanished without a trace three months ago.

The FBI said it is investigating the credibility of an anonymous tip that Levy was buried in a parking lot under construction at Fort Lee, near Petersburg, Virginia, and then covered in concrete.

"At this time, the FBI is attempting to determine the validity of that tip. If the tip is deemed credible, appropriate investigative steps will be taken. At this time, there are no plans to conduct a search in the Fort Lee area," said FBI spokeswoman Mary Johlie.

In Modesto, California, Levy's parents told reporters as they left home for the evening, "We don't know anything." A lawyer in the office of the Levys' Washington attorney, Billy Martin, apparently called earlier to tell them he had checked with law enforcement officials about the tip and that "there is nothing to this," according to sources close to the family.

VIDEO Levy's aunt says Chandra often confided in her about Condit. CNN's Bob Franken interviews Linda Zamsky (August 1) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   AUDIO Chandra Levy's mother comments on a conversation with her daughter 1.4 MB / 1 min AIFF or WAV sound   MORE STORIES Condit's fund raising unaffected by Levy story     EXTRA INFORMATION Key players   Interactive timeline   Profile: Gary Condit     RESOURCES Message board: The case of the missing intern

Fort Lee, an Army post about 116 miles south of Washington and home to a wide-range of facilities, also issued a statement saying no search was planned. "Fort Lee is prepared to cooperate with the FBI as they investigate an anonymous tip. No search of Fort Lee is anticipated at this time," it said.

Authorities and others familiar with missing people cases urged caution -- that most such tips never pan out.

"You know there are a number of challenges here. The first thing that we have to recognize is that there are a lot of evil, mean, despicable people in America that have fun doing this type of dirty deed ... a false tip," said Peter Banks of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

"It must be emphasized this is but another of many unconfirmed tips circulating about the disappearance of Ms. Levy," a statement from the District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department said.

D.C.police said the tip came from a phone call to WeTip Communication Solution, a California-based company where tips can be reported anonymously on its toll-free lines or Web site, www.wetip.com.

The tipster described the area around Fort Lee and "a possible time schedule as to when and where the body was disposed of," said David Eckert, the site's program development director.

"If it was a hoax, it was quite elaborate, and they went to some lengths to describe the surrounding areas," Eckert said.

The Internet site that received a tip about Chandra Levy.

The caller spent more than 20 minutes on the phone, and site passed the information along to authorities investigating Levy's disappearance. Miriam Brownell, chief operations officer of WeTip, told CNN: "We don't try to make a determination of whether [the tip is] important or even correct. We just pass it on to the police."

Brownell said the transcription of the phone call was three pages long, single spaced, and included details about how Levy allegedly died. "This alleges that the body has been shrink-wrapped and put in the parking lot where the cement was over it," she said.

Brownell said the Web site has received numerous tips about Levy's disappearance, but she described this one as "extremely interesting and very complicated."

"Most of our tips are serious, but there are crazies too," she said.

Levy, a former U.S. Bureau of Prisons intern, was last confirmed seen on April 30 at her Washington health club. Records from her computer indicate she was apparently in her Dupont Circle apartment the following day.

Much of the media interest in the case stems from Rep. Gary Condit's relationship with Levy. Condit, 53 and the married father of two, has acknowledged only a friendship with her, but police have said he admitted an affair to them, and Levy family members have said Chandra talked of an affair.

Levy's parents reported her missing on May 6, launching a massive search that included several weeks of police recruits combing parks in the D.C. area for clues.

As police have openly spoken of their frustration and lack of leads, Levy's family has talked increasingly of her relationship with Condit. Her mother disclosed Tuesday that Chandra had confided to her that she was romantically involved with Condit.

Condit, a conservative Democrat who represents the district that includes the Levys' hometown, was one of roughly 100 people police interviewed in connection with Levy's disappearance, which authorities initially treated as a missing persons case. He has never been a suspect in the case.