DA: 'We have the person' in Kevin Miller, 5, fatal hit-and-run crash

Plains Township and Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County- A search warrant filed early Friday evening provided a first glimpse into an emotionally tolling investigation, as police have searched around the clock for the driver of a car who struck Kevin Miller, a five-year-old boy who died December 21 shortly after being rushed to the hospital.

The crash happened two weeks ago Friday night. Police have said thousands of tips were generated in search of the suspect vehicle, initially described as a red four-door Grand Am with a sunroof.

Thomas Letteer, 22 of 9 Mack Street, Plains Township, has been named a person of interest. A car located at the home owned by his parents was seized and impounded. The car, a 1999 red four-door Pontiac Grand Am with a sunroof, had dents and scuff marks on the front passenger side. The car also appeared to have a new headlight.

Asked about how the Miller family was doing in light of the developments in the case, Stefanie Salavantis, her eyes welling up, offered this to reporters: "I fully believe we have the person that caused this accident and was involved in this hit and run, killing little Kevin Miller."

The search warrant strings together interviews that conflict with statements initially supplied by Letteer when he was first contacted by investigators on December 23, according to court documents.

Salavantis said Letteer is cooperating with her office. A phone call to Basil Russin, his attorney, was not returned Friday evening.

Early Friday evening, Letteer and some of his family members yelled at gathering members of the media, as police kept watch over the Grand Am parked outside 9 Mack Street.

Letteer later left the area in a black Grand Am. Letteer seemed to mock reporters while pulling away, waving bye.

According to the search warrant, when police spoke to Letteer on December 23, he told them he had driven his father's red Grand Am to a party in West Wyoming and then to his girlfriend's apartment in Pittston Township. The search warrant claims Letteer told police he never went to Wilkes-Barre.

But other interviews conducted by police raised inconsistencies and contradicting statements by Letteer, according to court documents.

A person, only identified as Witness #2, said on December 23, she picked up Letteer's girlfriend, Abigail Tarver, from Delaware Water Gap. The search warrant says Tarver told Witness #2 that "Tom Letteer was drunk and came to her house on Friday night (12/21/12)." The search warrant continues, "Witness 2 stated that Tarver further told her that Letteer hit someone and killed them. Letteer told Tarver he thinks it was the five year old boy reported in the news."

On Friday, Tarver told police in an interview that Letteer called her a few minutes before 11 p.m. the night Kevin Miller was killed.

Police said Miller was struck at 10:50 p.m..

The search warrant says Letteer was on his way to her apartment in Pittston Township. Tarver told police that Letteer arrived 10 to 15 minutes later, said he had been at party and had a few beers, and that he made no mention of possibly being involved in a fatal hit and run.

After learning that a witness had provided information to detectives, the search warrant claims Tarver then sent a text message to Witness #2  that read, "I can't f**king believe you."

Eyewitness News was unsuccessful in reaching Tarver for comment. Nobody answered the door at her Pittston Township apartment.

A neighbor, who spoke on the condition we use only his first name, said Letteer was a regular guest at the apartment. In fact, when Eyewitness News showed up at the Oak Street residence, the black Grand Am Letteer had left his parents' house in was parked outside.

"Bob" said he questioned Letteer about his red Grand Am this past weekend. Bob said he had just cleared snow from the driveway when he says he noticed dents and scuffs on the front passenger side of the vehicle. Bob claims Letteer wrote off his concerns, explaining police had already ruled out his vehicle. But Bob said this past weekend, the passenger headlight was broken. When the vehicle was impounded on Friday evening, it appeared to have a new headlight.

Letteer has not been taken into custody.

Efforts to reach the Miller family on Friday evening were unsuccessful.