Chandra Levy: Parents’ Heartbreak On Day Their Daughter Was Found

Chandra Levy went missing for over a year, thanks to bumbling D.C. cops — with her body finally being discovered the same day that her heartbroken parents sat down with Oprah Winfrey! The inside story follows — with The National ENQUIRER exposing more shocking secrets in Investigation Discovery's "Chandra Levy: An American Murder Mystery," premiering Monday, September 4 on TLC at 8 p.m. EST. An exclusive early release is available now on ID’s TV Everywhere platform, ID GO.

Robert and Susan Levy had agreed to guest on "Oprah" in May 2002 — marking a year since the D.C. intern had disappeared on May 1, 2001. But just a half-hour after doing Oprah's show, they received the heartbreaking confirmation that the skeletal remains of Chandra had been found in Rock Creek Park!

"I can hardly speak," Susan told The ENQUIRER shortly after Chandra's body was identified. "I'm in so much pain." In addition to the nightmare of her missing daughter, however, the Modesto, Calif., resident had also had to deal with claims that her hometown congressman, Gary Condit, was having an affair with her daughter!  

Sadly, friends reported that Chandra had been found just as Susan was finding the strength to carry on after a heartbreaking Mother's Day spent with her son Adam — but still wracked with loss over her missing daughter. "That was when she hit rock bottom," said the insider.

"And by the end of Mother's Day," the source continued, "she was filled with strength. She told me that she held Adam, and looked into his eyes, and decided then and there that she owed it to him to start leading a normal life again." But little did Susan Levy know that her newfound energy would be rocked to the core less than two weeks later.

"And by the end of Mother's Day," the source continued, "she was filled with strength. She told me that she held Adam, and looked into his eyes, and decided then and there that she owed it to him to start leading a normal life again." But little did Susan Levy know that her newfound energy would be rocked to the core less than two weeks later.

Shortly before they learned the devastating news, Oprah had asked the couple: "If you knew what happened, Mrs. Levy, would that bring you some relief?" Susan had replied: "We believe somebody out there knows the truth, and I am like a lion mother — my family needs to know the truth. We need to bring our family together. I am angry and I want my daughter home."

Less than a half-hour after Oprah's TV crew had gone, Washington Metropolitan Police Chief Charles Ramsey called, his voice cracking with emotion. "Susan answered, and when the chief identified himself she put him on the speakerphone in their kitchen and called for Bob," a longtime family friend said.

"They held hands as Chief Ramsey gave them the news that in their heart of hearts they prayed they'd never hear: A body had been discovered, and he believed it was Chandra's." Forensics tests soon proved that Ramsey was correct, and Chandra had been found.

"Chief Ramsey went into a very technical, detailed explanation of what his investigators were doing," added the friend — but the find would only lead to more heartbreak. As reported by The ENQUIRER, local authorities would end up making it impossible for a private forensics team hired by the Levys to examine their daughter's remains.

The couple would then have to endure a trial where Ingmar Guandique, an illegal alien from El Salvador, was found guilty of Chandra's murder — and later released after a witness was found to have committed perjury! Learn more disturbing secrets about the death of Chandra Levy as The National ENQUIRER partners with Investigation Discovery for "Chandra Levy: An American Murder Mystery," premiering Monday, September 4 on TLC at 8 p.m. EST. An exclusive early release is available now on ID’s TV Everywhere platform, ID GO.