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FBI: Cunanan could be anywhere

Cunanan graphic

Tight security planned for San Diego gay parade

July 23, 1997
Web posted at: 11:13 a.m. EDT (1513 GMT)

SAN DIEGO (CNN) -- Fear spread Wednesday that the suspected killer of fashion designer Gianni Versace was no longer in South Florida, and the FBI admitted he could be anywhere.

Hundreds of tips poured into an FBI hot line with reports of sightings of Andrew Cunanan -- the alleged 27-year-old gigolo turned spree killer -- in locations as disparate as North Carolina, New Hampshire and the West Coast.

None of the tips has resulted in a confirmed sighting.

City and state police in Lebanon, New Hampshire, spent two hours Tuesday looking for a dark gray Mercedes with Florida license plates following a phone tip from a sports memorabilia store that the man driving the car resembled a picture of Cunanan on an FBI wanted poster.

The man made a purchase in the store and was last seen heading north, the tipster said. Police were unable to locate the car or driver.

Cunanan's last known residence in the Hill Crest area of San Diego

Suspect's hometown watched

Authorities pledged tight security in San Diego for this weekend's annual gay pride celebration as residents worried that Cunanan might return home.

Police and FBI gave few details of their security plan for the parade and festival, but assured residents they would be watching on foot, bicycle and horseback. Plainclothes officers will also comb the crowd.

"We're going to have a police presence out there, but I'm not going to say how many or where," said Central Division Capt. Barbara Harrison during a Tuesday forum at the Lesbian and Gay Men's Community Center in San Diego.

Possibility of Cunanan resurfacing in San Diego very serious says Nicole Ramirez-Murray from Gay and Lesbian Times
icon 265 K/24 sec. AIFF or WAV sound

Asked if there was any merit to fears that Cunanan could show up, she said: "We have no information that he's coming back, but people should be aware of what's going on around them."

Attendance for the three-day event is projected to be about 250,000, including 100,000 for Saturday's parade in Hillcrest, a mostly gay neighborhood where Cunanan once lived.

Cunanan is on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list for allegedly killing Versace and four other men.

FBI: no list of targets

Police denied reports that they have a list of prominent San Diego residents whom Cunanan may be targeting. Lt. Jim Collins added that San Diego police are not investigating any cases with possible Cunanan links.

Organizers of the festival, who spoke at the forum alongside authorities, said they would not let apprehension over Cunanan stop revelers from showing their pride.

"Speculation that Andrew Cunanan may or may not come back to San Diego cannot mar this event," said Mandy Schultz, executive director of the weekend celebration. "You cannot be afraid."

The parade, San Diego's largest gay-pride event of the year, brings thousands of marchers and revelers dressed in everything from shorts to ball gowns.

Correspondent Jim Hill and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

 
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