Sheriff says Samantha's killer may strike again

Sheriff Michael Carona

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(CNN) -- Authorities in California are searching intensely for whoever raped and killed 5-year-old Samantha Runnion after kidnapping her from her home in Stanton. They believe the suspect is a man who has assaulted children before and is very likely to do so again..

Orange County Sheriff Michael Carona spoke with CNN anchor Bill Hemmer from Santa Ana, California, about the latest in the case.

CARONA: I can tell you that we have a number of investigative leads that have come in. The media has been good about getting the information out to the public and the public has been magnificent about sharing what they know with us.

We've been following up on those leads throughout the night. We have a number of substantial leads that we're working, as well as our forensic teams looking at all of the data that we picked up out at the crime scene and from the autopsy of Samantha.

HEMMER: You had some very strong words yesterday, at times suggesting this might be a serial rapist. You went so far as to say it might even be a serial killer. On what do you base those two suggestions?

CARONA: One of the blessings in this investigation is that the Orange County Sheriff's Department and local law enforcement has been able to partner with the FBI. When we found Samantha's body in Riverside County, we were able to take digital photos, take some of the physical evidence and electronically transmit that to Washington, D.C., to the FBI.

Their profilers worked through the night and gave us a pretty good description of what we were looking for in a suspect, which is why it was important for me and for my colleagues in the FBI to put out we have a sexual predator, perhaps a serial sexual predator and perhaps even a serial killer.

HEMMER: You also said a substantial amount of evidence was found at the crime scene. I'm curious to know how substantial, without giving up too much right now, and how that may help you right now in your search for this person that many have called an absolute animal so far today?

CARONA: Well, I think the description of our suspect as an animal is right on point. I will tell you that he acted impulsively and in doing so he left a lot of evidence at the crime scene in Stanton, where the kidnap took place. He also left a lot of physical evidence for us at the crime scene where Samantha was murdered in Riverside County.

We have collected all of that. We're working with our forensic laboratory here in Orange County and our counterparts with the FBI. We're digesting all of it, but we're very excited about what we've come across and we believe that's going to help us put the puzzle together and bring this man to justice.

HEMMER: This might be, as we look at a description of the suspect right now, sheriff, this might be a better question for maybe an FBI investigator, but listen, you're a father. You're a sheriff out there. And one thing that absolutely confounds us is in the first place, how do you commit sexual assault, sexual assault against a 5- year-old and then carry it to murder after that? Is there any way for you to allow us to get inside the mind of a person who would carry out such an act like this?

CARONA: I don't know how you get in the mind of somebody that commits an act like this. I will tell you, though, that working with not only the FBI, but a number of the support crew that we have on this investigation, psychologists and psychiatrists, that the profile that we've been able to see, the actions that this man took place are consistent with a sexual predator, somebody who has now gone to a fever pitch in his sexual appetite. And I am sure you can get inside his mind with somebody who is much more intelligent than I.

But as a cop, all I can tell you is I really don't care what's in his mind. I just want to make sure that I get him in custody so that he doesn't hurt somebody else.