Progress Reports

These are the Baltimore City Police Department’s Progress Reports.

They are sourced from two MPIA requests made by different people and extracted from different parts of the BPD archives, which produced different collections of Progress Reports. Often they were duplicates but others were new or contained different information. Hard copies are scans of BPD’s paper archives, produced in the 2015 “15 459” MPIA (aka MP15) and are sometimes signed by the author or even by the approving supervisor(s). Lotus Notes copies are from the 2016 “Lotus Notes” MPIA (aka MPLN) generated from the BPD’s Lotus Notes database, originally in response to a 2014 MPIA request by Dana Chivvis from the Serial podcast team.
Bold dates are the date when the events occurred, and the dates shown in the links to each copy of the report are the “report date” when they were written or printed or updated, in the hard copies this is in the bottom right corner. For Lotus Notes copies it is recorded as a separate field, top right, and the printing dates are in 2014. The report dates are rarely the same as the events described but, surprisingly often, they are many days or weeks later.

February 1999 #

• 2/9/1999 Tuesday – Greg MacGillivary and Gordon Carew describe Leakin Park crime scene, Mr S (hard copy 2/12/1999) (Lotus Notes 2/16/1999)
• 2/10/1999 Wednesday – Greg MacGillivary and Gordon Carew describe autopsy (hard copy 2/10/1999) (Lotus Notes 2/10/1999)
• 2/11/1999 Thursday
  • Met with Sharon Talmadge, Crime Lab, on to discuss obtaining victim’s fingerprints; obtained partial prints from body, some latent prints from residence, contacted Special Agent Rick Dixon from DoJ Immigration and Naturalization Service to obtain prints from Hae Min Lee’s file (hard copy 2/16/1999) (Lotus Notes 2/15/1999)
  • Sgt Lehman and Det. William Ritz went to Woodlawn Station House in Baltimore County to interview Mr A, who had reported some suspicious behavior in Leakin Park off Windsor Mill Road. (hard copy 2/14/1999) (Lotus Notes 2/14/1999)
• 2/12/1999 Friday – Describes an eight hour search for Hae Min Lee’s car, the area searched and personnel involved. NCIC update also filed (hard copy 2/14/1999) (Lotus Notes 2/14/1999)
• 2/15/1999 Monday
  • Describes meeting with Mandy Johnson, aka “The Enehey Group”, who acted as a Private Investigator for the Lee family. Detectives recovered Hae’s diary from Johnson’s home in Annapolis. (hard copy 2/16/1999) (Lotus Notes 2/16/1999)
  • Describes interview with Yaser A at Pizza Hut (hard copy 2/16/1999) (Lotus Notes 2/16/1999)
• 2/16/1999 Tuesday
  • Spoke to Ms. Gregg at Woodlawn High School to obtain files of Adnan Syed and Hae Min Lee, told a subpoena would be necessary; met with Vickie Wash to request court order (Lotus Notes 2/19/1999)
  • Contacted Head of Security at Mr S’s workplace, asked for reports of events leading to report of Mr S finding body (hard copy 2/19/1999) (Lotus Notes 2/19/1999)
  • Contact with Mark Profili of BPD’s Crime Lab to arrange a meeting (hard copy 2/19/1999) (Lotus Notes 2/19/1999)
  • Spoke to Dr. Korell, Medical Examiner (hard copy 2/19/1999) (Lotus Notes 2/19/1999)
  • Contact with Detective John Rau of Baltimore County PD Computer Crimes Unit to discuss investigations on Hae’s computer (hard copy 2/19/1999) (Lotus Notes 2/19/1999)
  • Describes Homicide Lt Keel’s contact with commander of BCoPD Computer Crimes Unit required to continue forensic work on Hae’s computer – Rau to obtain Warrant (hard copy 2/19/1999) (Lotus Notes 2/19/1999)
  • Describes meeting with Security Nissan (hard copy 2/19/1999) [see also below, report with identical text but dated 2/17/99]
• 2/17/1999 Wednesday
  • Describes meeting with Mark Profili of BPD’s Crime Lab to advise him “of the facts of the case along with the evidence that was recovered” (hard copy 2/19/1999)
  • MD State Police refused request for helicopter search for Hae’s car (hard copy 2/19/1999); request granted by Baltimore County Aviation Unit (Lotus Notes 2/19/1999) [only LN version has additional information]
  • Requested help of Southwestern District 4×12 shift for assistance with search for car (hard copy 2/19/1999) (Lotus Notes 2/19/1999)
  • Visited Security Nissan and identified the type and color of the interior of Hae’s car, plus the likely brand of tires on Hae’s car (Lotus Notes 2/19/1999) [also see 2/16 above]
• 2/18/1999 Thursday
  • Contacted Mr. Kim (Hae’s uncle) to see if Hae Min Lee had a cell phone (hard copy 2/19/1999) (Lotus Notes 2/19/1999)
  • Interviewed Mr S (hard copy 2/19/1999) (Lotus Notes 2/19/1999)
  • Picked up Mr S for an interview (hard copy 2/19/1999) (Lotus Notes 2/19/1999)
  • Spoke with Mr D Garvin [assistant principal] at Woodlawn High School to see if Hae Min Lee had a locker (hard copy 2/19/1999) (Lotus Notes 2/19/1999)
  • Subpoenaed Adnan Syed’s cell phone records (hard copy 2/19/1999) (Lotus Notes 2/19/1999)
• 2/19/1999 Friday – Apparently spent writing progress reports!
• 2/20/1999 Saturday – Supplemented request to AT&T to include cell site locations for calls made from Adnan Syed’s cell phone, plus a directory of cell site locations (hard copy 2/20/1999) (Lotus Notes 2/20/1999)
• 2/22/1999 Monday
  • Attempted to deliver a subpoena on Coppin State College for Mr. S’s employment records but administration office was closed (Lotus Notes 2/23/1999)
  • Spoke with Mr R Graham about Hae’s cable show interview (hard copy 2/24/1999), (Lotus Notes 2/23/1999)
  • Visited Woodlawn to learn more information about Mr S’s address (hard copy 2/24/1999) (Lotus Notes 2/24/1999)
• 2/23/1999 Tuesday – Met with Sgt O’Shea of County police and collected his reports (Lotus Notes 2/24/1999)
• 2/24/1999 Wednesday
  • Interviewed Mr S again (hard copy 2/24/1999) (Lotus Notes 2/24/1999)
  • Spoke with Metro Crime Stoppers about flyers (hard copy 2/24/1999) (Lotus Notes 2/24/1999)
• 2/26/1999 Friday
  • Interviewed Adnan Syed (hard copy 2/27/1999) (Lotus Notes 2/27/1999)
  • Investigators met with Jennifer P who “provided little information as to the victim” (hard copy 2/27/1999) (Lotus Notes 2/27/1999)
• 2/27/1999 Saturday
  • Police asked security at park-and-rides to check for Hae Min Lee’s car (hard copy 2/27/1999) (Lotus Notes 2/27/1999)
  • Investigators interviewed Jennifer P at attorney James Fowley’s home and later the same day at Homicide offices (hard copy 4/27/1999) (Lotus Notes 4/27/1999)
  • Greg MacGillivary writes a longer progress report about the interview with Jennifer P, includes location of the car as 600 Edgewood Street (hard copy 3/15/1999) (Lotus Notes 3/15/1999)
  • Investigators went to Southwest Video [and Adult Boutique] in Arbutus to locate Jay Wilds, transported him to homicide, interviewed him about his knowledge of the homicide of Hae Min Lee, transported him home (hard copy 4/27/1999) (Lotus Notes 4/27/1999)
• 2/28/1999 Sunday
  • Greg MacGillivary writes a longer progress report about the interview with Jay Wilds (hard copy 3/15/1999) (Lotus Notes 3/15/1999)
  • Investigators found car at 300 Edgewood Street at the direction of Jay Wilds (hard copy 4/27/1999) (Lotus Notes 4/27/1999)
  • Investigators obtained arrest warrant for Adnan Syed, arrested him (hard copy 2/28/1999) (Lotus Notes 2/28/1999)

March 1999 #

• 3/1/1999 Monday
  • MacGillivary and Ritz transported ASA Mark Cohen [SAO Homicide Division Chief] to Adnan Syed bail review and then interviewed Krista M (Lotus Notes 3/2/1999)
  • A longer progress report about investigators’ interview of Krista M [report is erroneously dated 2/29/1999] (hard copy 4/27/1999) (Lotus Notes 4/27/1999)
• 3/2/1999 Tuesday
  • Investigators responded to Baltimore County and “interviewed several individuals who had information concerning the homicide of Hae Min Lee” (Lotus Notes 3/3/1999). [There are only records of interviews with Aisha, Debbie and Ann on this date (cover sheets only).]
• 3/3/1999 Wednesday
  • Met with ASA Vickie Wash and decided to obtain a search warrant for Adnan Syed’s car; delivered subpoena to Bell Atlantic Cockeysville; Ritz contacted Jennifer P; Ritz, MacGillivary and Wash plan to interview Jennifer P (Lotus Notes 3/3/1999)
• 3/4/1999 Thursday
  • Investigators interviewed Jennifer P in the presence of her attorney (hard copy 3/5/1999) (Lotus Notes 3/5/1999)
  • Investigators served at subpoena on Woodlawn High School for school records of Hae Min Lee and Adnan Syed (hard copy 3/5/1999) (Lotus Notes 3/5/1999)
• 3/5/1999 Friday – MacGillivary spent the day 3/5/99 “in an attempt to locate persons who had spoken to the suspect on the day of the murder” (Lotus Notes 3/7/1999)
• 3/9/1999 Tuesday
  • Investigators executed a warrant on Adnan Syed’s vehicle (hard copy 4/27/1999) (Lotus Notes 4/27/1999)
  • Investigators took a taped statement from Cathy-Kristi (hard copy 4/27/1999) (Lotus Notes 4/27/1999)
• 3/11/1999 Thursday – MacGillivary and Ritz interviewed Jeff J (Cathy-Kristi’s boyfriend) at the offices of homicide, and then “spoke with” Cathy-Kristi (Lotus Notes 3/22/1999)
• 3/15/1999 Monday – Investigators picked up Jay Wilds for another interview (hard copy 3/17/1999) (Lotus Notes 3/17/1999)
• 3/16/1999 Tuesday – Investigators served grand jury subpoenas on Saad Chaudry and Jennifer P to appear on 3/17, tried but failed to find Tayyib H, spoke with Bilal who will also appear on 3/17 (hard copy 3/17/1999) (Lotus Notes 3/17/1999)
• 3/17/1999 Wednesday – Investigators served grand jury summons at Cristina Gutierrez’s office and discussed strategy with Sgt Lehman and ASA Vickie Wash (Lotus Notes 3/22/1999)
• 3/18/1999 Thursday – MacGillivary and Ritz picked up Jay Wilds and took him on a ride along (Lotus Notes 3/19/1999)
• 3/19/1999 Friday
  • Investigators contacted BFI to inquire about possibility of recovering shovels, clothing, keys, wallet from Rite Aid, Caldor, Petsmart dumpsters, possibility unknown, should get answer by 3/24/99 (hard copy 3/19/1999) (Lotus Notes 3/19/1999)
  • Ritz obtained search and seizure warrants for the Syed’s residence on 3/19/99, to be served on 3/20/99 (hard copy 3/22/1999)
• 3/22/1999 Monday
  • Investigators executed warrant on Syed residence; items submitted into evidence through Crime Lab Technician Emmanuel Obot (Lotus Notes 3/22/1999)
  • Investigators went to Woodlawn and interviewed teachers, then met with Sgt Steven Lehmann and ASA Vickie Wash (Lotus Notes 3/22/1999)
• 3/23/1999 Tuesday – Investigators went to Woodlawn High School and interviewed Adnan Syed’s teachers (hard copy 3/26/1999) (Lotus Notes 3/26/1999)
• 3/24/1999 Wednesday – Investigator obtained warrants for Adnan Syed’s person and car (hard copy 3/26/1999) (Lotus Notes 3/26/1999)
• 3/25/1999 Thursday
  • Investigator executed warrant on Adnan Syed, transported him to hospital to seize blood and hair (hard copy 3/26/1999) (Lotus Notes 3/26/1999)
  • Investigator executed warrant on Adnan Syed’s car to remove carpet, headliner, and seat fabric (hard copy 4/27/1999) (Lotus Notes 4/27/1999)
• 3/26/1999 Friday – Investigators brought Debbie W. and Ann N. to Baltimore County police precinct at Woodlawn for taped interviews (Lotus Notes 3/27/1999)
• 3/29/1999 Monday – Investigators met with fingerprint and trace analysis unit, also met with state’s attorneys office to discuss plans for indictment (hard copy 4/20/1999) (Lotus Notes 4/20/1999)
• 3/31/1999 Wednesday – MacGillivary and Ritz attended Adnan Syed’s bail review with ASA Vickie Wash (Lotus Notes 4/12/1999)

April 1999 #

• 4/1/1999 Thursday – Ritz and Wash interviewed friends of suspect and victim in Baltimore County at the Woodlawn police precinct. (Lotus Notes 4/20/1999)
  • [Interviewees are, unusually, not named but report does mention section F, and this cover lists several witness statements which are now missing. Alternatively the interview date may be incorrect, as according to Ritz’s own interview notes on the same date, 4/1/1999, in the evening, he interviewed Nisha at her home with Vickie Wash (date confirmed by defense notes). No other record exists of police/SAO interviews on 4/1/1999. Acccording to another Progress Report, Ritz went to Silver Spring to interview Nisha on 4/9/1999 with Wash after interviewing several students at Woodlawn High School, not the precinct. Also see 4/9/99 below]
• 4/3/1999 Saturday
  • Investigators served subpoenas on news channels and Bell Atlantic for subscriber information for Phil’s phone (hard copy 4/17/1999) (Lotus Notes 4/17/1999)
  • Subpoena served to Channel 45 (hard copy 4/29/1999)
  • Subpoena served to WMAR Channel 2 (hard copy 4/29/1999) (Lotus Notes 4/29/1999)
  • William Ritz served subpoena on WJZ Channel 13 (hard copy 4/29/1999)
  • William Ritz served subpoena to WBAL Channel 11 (hard copy 4/29/1999)
  • William Ritz served subpoena on Southwestern Video for Jay’s work records (hard copy 4/29/1999)
  • William Ritz served subpoena on Nations Bank for Adnan’s bank records (hard copy 4/29/1999)
• 4/7/1999 Wednesday
  • Describes meeting with Vickie Wash, grand jury subpoenas issued to Imran H, Tanveer Syed, and Yaser A to appear the following day; document subpoenas issued to Southwest Video, Drug Emporium (both for Jay), The Heartlands (for Jenn), NationsBank (for Adnan); “investigator set out and served each of them” (hard copy 4/17/1999) (Lotus Notes 4/17/1999)
  • William Ritz hand delivered a subpoena for Jennifer P’s work records to The Heartlands, Elicott City (hard copy 4/29/1999)
  • William Ritz hand delivered a subpoena on Drug Emporium, 6501 Baltimore National Pike for Jay Wilds’s work records (hard copy 4/29/1999)
• 4/9/1999 Friday
  • Describes visit to Woodlawn with Wash to interview Rebecca “Becky” W, Nina P, Peter B, and Ja’uan G; followed by visit with Vickie Wash to interview Nisha in Silver Spring. (hard copy 4/17/1999) (Lotus Notes 4/17/1999) [Events may not have occurred on the same date. There is some corroborating paperwork dated 4/9 for the Becky, Nina, Peter and Ja’uan interviews, but the Nisha interview appears to have actually been on 4/1 – also see entry above.]
• 4/12/1999 Monday
  • Obtained grand jury summons for Tanveer Syed and were unable to serve it; spoke with Jay Wilds and advised him of interview time at 7am on 4/13; interviewed manager at Best Buy about employee schedules and receipts for 1/13 (Lotus Notes 4/12/1999)
• 4/13/1999 Tuesday
  • Describes meeting with Jay Wilds, meeting with Vickie Wash, grand jury (hard copy 4/20/1999) (Lotus Notes 4/20/1999)
  • Sgt Lehmann and Ritz transported Jay Wilds to Homicide interviewed him, transported him to Mercy and executed a search and seizure warrant for blood and hair, transported Wilds back home. Then investigators responded to the grand jury [date erroneously listed as 4/19/99] (Lotus Notes 4/20/1999)
  • MacGillivary faxed subpoena to Best Buy for journal rolls, records, and employment records for 1/13/99 (hard copy 4/29/1999)
  • MacGillivary faxed subpoena to Penn Sel [for number of Jennifer P’s pager] (hard copy 4/29/1999)
  • Describes that Sprint Spectrum was subpoenaed [Bilal] (hard copy 4/29/1999)
• 4/16/1999 Friday
  • Delivered subpoena on NationsBank for Adnan Syed’s bank records; investigators conferred with Vickie Wash (Lotus Notes 4/17/1999)
• 4/19/1999 Monday
  • Hastings delivered subpoena on NationsBank for Adnan Syed’s bank records ; investigator spoke to Agent Graul of HIDTA about a subpoena for phone records “for an individual connected to this investigation” [Bilal] (Lotus Notes 4/20/1999) [Note same subpoena was described as served in Progress Report about 4/13 and other dates.]
  • Investigators interviewed Jay Wilds and took him for collection of blood and hair and then responded to the grand jury. (Lotus Notes 4/20/1999) [Date is problematic because blood and hair collection took place on 4/13/99 according to Evidence Chain of Custody records]
• 4/20/1999 Tuesday
  • Describes that Ja’uan was interviewed (Lotus Notes 4/20/1999) (hard copy 4/29/1999) (Lotus Notes 4/29/1999)
  • Describes that Rural Metro Ambulance was subpoenaed (hard copy 4/29/1999) (Lotus Notes 4/29/1999)
• 4/29/1999 Thursday – Describes call from County Sgt Joseph O’Shea, reporting “Neighbor Boy” aka “E” incident (hard copy 4/29/1999) (Lotus Notes 4/29/1999)

October 1999 #

• 10/8/1999 Friday – Detective Anthony Vaeth accompanied ASA KC Murphy and Abe Waranowitz to 12 listed locations to determine which cell sites would pick up calls [per Waranowitz, Jay Wilds also came along, but this is not recorded on the memo] (Lotus Notes 10/11/1999)

November 1999 #

• 11/8/1999 Monday – Investigators met with members of Gutierrez’s team to display evidence prior to trial (Lotus Notes 11/11/99)

December 1999 #

• 12/6/1999 Monday – Investigator met with Gutierrez to show her evidence (Lotus Notes 12/11/1999)

January 2000 #

• 1/17/2000 Monday – Investigators attempted to contact M/P 21, friend of Bilal (Lotus Notes 1/17/2000)

March 2001 #

• 9/19/2001 Wednesday – Adnan’s car was released from the city yard to the registered owner (Adnan’s father, Mr Rahman) “after successful adjudication of the matter”. (Lotus Notes 9/19/2001) [Jury verdict was Friday February 25, 2000, sentencing was Tuesday June 6, 2000. It is not clear what was the reason for a 9 month delay releasing the car. There is no other paperwork, although a Vehicle Release form was used when Hae’s Nissan was released.]