Chelsea King, 17, Missing 2-25-2010 Rancho Bernadino CA (BODY FOUND)

[no rose colored glasses]

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/mar/06/deeply-troubled-picture-emerges-of-suspects-life/  Very interesting article about Gardner's background, it appears that he has two sisters.

Granted I do not know all any of the details that caused JAG's mother to divorce JAG's father. However, based on this article, it seems that his father wanted to be a part of JAG's life and his mother would not allow that. It is probably a good thing that his father is deceased and does not have to see what his son has become.

I agree. And I sure would like to know about his mother and working in the mental health field. Was she trying to help him on her own?

[SuzieQ]

Two teens dissapear- Two different police responses:


 SAN DIEGO — The disappearances of 14-year-old Amber Dubois and 17-year-old Chelsea King illustrate a sad fact: not all missing children cases are treated the same.

Chelsea disappeared Feb. 25, last seen in a park with running clothes. The case sparked a search involving about 1,500 law enforcement officials and thousands of volunteers. It ended five days later when a body was found in a shallow lakeside grave.

Amber was walking to school when she vanished a year ago just 10 miles north of the site where Chelsea was last seen. Leads went nowhere. The news media showed little interest.

After prosecutors charged a convicted sex offender in Chelsea's death, a search for Amber has intensified. On Saturday, police drained a pond for a second day at Kit Carson Park in Escondido to search for evidence of Amber, Lt. Craig Carter said.

Perhaps the biggest determinant in getting the attention of law enforcement and reporters is whether there are signs of foul play that may put other children at risk. The skill of a victim's family at working with the media and mobilizing supporters also helps decide which cases capture public interest.

There are 115 non-family child abductions a year in the United States — an average of more than two a week, according to the latest Department of Justice figures from 1999. But only a handful get anywhere near the attention that followed the disappearance of Chelsea King.

FBI dive teams scoured Lake Hodges for Chelsea, the Marines dispatched a C-130 plane and an unmanned aerial vehicle circled above. Law enforcement officers came from as far as Santa Barbara, more than 200 miles away.

CBS News - Chelsea King Suspect's Past
 San Diego County Sheriff William Gore was at the scene the same night Chelsea's father found her 1994 BMW parked at Rancho Bernardo Community Park and stayed throughout much of the round-the-clock search.

Signs of foul play quickly emerged. In addition to the locked car, a California Department of Justice spokeswoman said authorities found Chelsea's semen-stained clothing, leading them to arrest convicted sex offender John Albert Gardner III outside a restaurant in Escondido.

Gardner, 30, spent five years in prison for molesting a 13-year-old neighbor in 2000. He has pleaded not guilty to Chelsea's murder and the attempted rape of another woman in December.

Susan Plese, a spokeswoman for the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, said no one was available Friday to discuss the scale of the response to the King case compared to other disappearances. Experts said evidence of foul play was probably key.

"Any evidence that confirms foul play will definitely bump up the visibility," said David Finkelhor, director of the University of New Hampshire's Crimes Against Children Research Center. "If there's a homicidal maniac in the community and there's a threat to you and your kid, that always increases the fever about a case."

Maurice Dubois said a spate of early reports that his daughter had been seen hampered his efforts to draw attention to the case. None of those sightings panned out and instead fueled speculation that Amber was a runaway rather than a crime victim.

Amber was last seen walking on Feb. 13, 2009 with a man about 200 yards from Escondido High School by a woman who used to drive her to middle school, her father said. Another neighbor reported seeing her about 300 yards from school. Yet Amber never appeared on school surveillance cameras.

Amber, a member of Future Farmers of America, left home with a $200 check to buy a lamb. It was never cashed.

"The circumstances were completely different," Dubois said. "The evidence that they found on Chelsea led them to believe that they needed to find her immediately. There was never, ever any evidence found on Amber."

Children from wealthy families tend to generate more attention, said Finkelhor, partly because the parents seem to be more adept at working with the media and building networks.

Chelsea's parents, Brent and Kelly King, patiently and skillfully worked with the media through their anguish, aided by a volunteer public relations professional. In interviews, they gave Chelsea's life story: the oldest child of long-married parents, straight-A student, French horn player in the youth symphony, avid long-distance runner, tireless volunteer for school and community activities.

Chelsea's friends at Poway High School turned out in droves.

"Right before I broke the news (of the body discovery), they were telling stories about her — funny things she said, silly things she did," said Paula Bunn, a counselor at the Chelsea King Volunteer Center. "You could tell she was very loved by her friends."

Ernest Allen, executive director of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, said he was immediately drawn to Amber's case because she did not appear troubled and was so excited to go to school that day to buy her lamb. Still, reporters and TV producers kept asking about speculation that she was a runaway.

"What I hear all the time is, 'It's just a missing kid. Tell me why this one is different,'" Allen said. "The ones that get the attention are the ones that are clear and unequivocal" foul play.

Ironically, it was Chelsea's disappearance that sparked intense interest in finding Amber. Her parents, who are separated, are now besieged by reporters and Escondido police say they are seeking potential links between Amber and Gardner.

"I believe it's going to proceed at a much more accelerated pace now," Dubois said.

A woman reported Thursday night that her daughters told her in May that they found a bag of what looked like human hair, but she didn't make the connection to the search for Amber until Chelsea vanished.
Edit by MB : Add link to post per SuzieQ :  http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-national/20100304/US.Missing.Teen/

[SuzieQ]

Forgot the link.

http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-national/20100304/US.Missing.Teen/

[Shell]

According to former district attorney Paul Pfingst, Gardner's parents can't be charged.    This is hard for me to swallow, you know your son has his address listed at another address because he is a RSO, but it is okay for him to live at a different address, no it is not  And thank-you for the map, it puts it into a better perspective the area where both Amber and Chelsea went missing from. And I also don't believe for one minute that the police are out searching Kit Carson Park, because of some little kids finding some hair in a bag months ago, imo, something else bigger is going on.

I agree. They worked through the night and are draining the pond, even though they said they found the bag and either nothing was in there, or nothing of evidentary value..(sorry, I forgot exactly what was said)

[Shell]

In the news report showing JAG's arraignment, I looked for signs of scratch marks on his face and arms, and did not see any.

They are doing a search at Kit Carson Park for Amber. Some children found a bag of hair a while back and told their parents and not much was thought of it until after Chelsea went missing and found dead. They located the bag and it did not have an evidentary value. They are continuing to look in the park.

So I just had a thought.... I know a little of people post comments on news stories that attack the family or provide information that is untrue to mislead the search effort. But if the comment about someone seeing a guy matching JAG while hiking on Mount Woodson is true.... I was thinking.... this is VERY close to Kit Carson park where the children saw the bag of hair. Is there anyway that JAG knew he was going to be caught and wanted to go to the place Amber might be to make an attempt to collect an evidence or hide anything before so he would not be connect to both crimes. Maybe he even went to visit that site... I wonder if they ever followed through a checked out Mt. Woodson.

I wonder if there are any reports coming in of people remembering seeing him at Kit Carson Park. There is an elementary school on the edge of that park. Kids walk home through part of that park. It is very overgrown. That park is where kids in the area practice and play all outdoor sports. They are either cutting the brush back now, or they plan to cut it back. They mentioned getting groups of boy scouts and volunteers together to help cut it back.

[Shell]

Park Features

    * Beautiful walking / hiking trails
    * 5-acre arboretum: The Iris Sankey Magical Garden
    * 3 ponds: Tree Lake, Duck Lake, and Sand Lake
    * Tot lot / playground
    * Shaded picnic areas with tables / barbecues available on a reservation basis
    * Covered picnic shelter available on a reservation basis
    * Open turf areas
    * Lighted youth baseball and softball fields
    * Lighted adult softball fields
    * Lighted soccer fields
    * Lighted tennis courts
    * 3,000 capacity outdoor amphitheater
    * Queen Califia's Magical Circle sculpture garden
    * Eucalyptus Leaf Court public art piece
    * Sports Center complex with pro shop, 22,000 square-foot skate park, 2 full-size covered roller hockey arenas, 1 full-size soccer arena, and 1 "mini" soccer arena
    * Girl Scouts of America Program Center, located at the north end of the park



KIT CARSON PARK
3333 Bear Valley Parkway • Escondido, CA 92025
(760) 839-4691

Open from sunrise to sunset.

[Shell]

Klaas

  check email please

[labubske]

JOHN ALBERT GARDNER      
1944 - 2008
John Albert Gardner was born May 1, 1944, the son of John and Esta Adams Gardner. He died Sunday, November 2, 2008, at Crawford County Memorial Hospital in Denison, Iowa, at the age of sixty-four.


John was born in Los Angeles, California, and graduated from Hawthorne High School in Hawthorne, California, in 1962. On June 20, 1966, he was united in marriage to Deanna Culver in Las Vegas, Nevada. The couple made their home in southern California and were blessed with the birth of two children, Christie and Cathleen. Their marriage ended in 1971 and John resided in Culver City, where he met Catherine Osborn and was married to her on August 18, 1980, and this union was blessed with the birth of one son, John; and two beautiful step-daughters he considered his own. He then remarried Deanna on September 15, 1990, in Reno, Nevada. The couple settled in the Palmdale and Lancaster area in California until moving to Granbury, Texas in 2005. On April 11, 2007, they moved to Denison.

Music was his passion. In California he was a member of Big Mama & Company where he was the rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist. Other activities he enjoyed included fishing, going to the beach, playing on the computer, collecting stamps and playing tennis. He was especially fond of caring for his five dogs.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a half-sister, Patricia Noel and a half-brother Gayle Murray. Survivors include: his wife Deanna; two daughters: Christie Derksen and her husband, Larry; and Cathleen Pascuzzi and her husband, Tino; and one son, John Gardner Jr; two step-daughters, Sarina Crowe; and Shannon Gorman; fourteen grandchildren; and one sister Barbara Langley and her husband, Tom; other relatives and friends. Memorial services were held at 6 P.M., Wednesday, November 5, 2008 at the Huebner Funeral Home in Denison, Iowa. Pastor Rick Torres officiated the service. Christie Derksen served as vocalist, singing "Amazing Grace". Other service music included "In The Garden". The family invited everyone to join them for fellowship and lunch at the Simple Truths Ministries Church, following the service. The Huebner Funeral Home in Denison was in charge of arrangements.

[klaasend]

JOHN ALBERT GARDNER      
1944 - 2008
John Albert Gardner was born May 1, 1944, the son of John and Esta Adams Gardner. He died Sunday, November 2, 2008, at Crawford County Memorial Hospital in Denison, Iowa, at the age of sixty-four.


John was born in Los Angeles, California, and graduated from Hawthorne High School in Hawthorne, California, in 1962. On June 20, 1966, he was united in marriage to Deanna Culver in Las Vegas, Nevada. The couple made their home in southern California and were blessed with the birth of two children, Christie and Cathleen. Their marriage ended in 1971 and John resided in Culver City, where he met Catherine Osborn and was married to her on August 18, 1980, and this union was blessed with the birth of one son, John; and two beautiful step-daughters he considered his own. He then remarried Deanna on September 15, 1990, in Reno, Nevada. The couple settled in the Palmdale and Lancaster area in California until moving to Granbury, Texas in 2005. On April 11, 2007, they moved to Denison.

Music was his passion. In California he was a member of Big Mama & Company where he was the rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist. Other activities he enjoyed included fishing, going to the beach, playing on the computer, collecting stamps and playing tennis. He was especially fond of caring for his five dogs.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a half-sister, Patricia Noel and a half-brother Gayle Murray. Survivors include: his wife Deanna; two daughters: Christie Derksen and her husband, Larry; and Cathleen Pascuzzi and her husband, Tino; and one son, John Gardner Jr; two step-daughters, Sarina Crowe; and Shannon Gorman; fourteen grandchildren; and one sister Barbara Langley and her husband, Tom; other relatives and friends. Memorial services were held at 6 P.M., Wednesday, November 5, 2008 at the Huebner Funeral Home in Denison, Iowa. Pastor Rick Torres officiated the service. Christie Derksen served as vocalist, singing "Amazing Grace". Other service music included "In The Garden". The family invited everyone to join them for fellowship and lunch at the Simple Truths Ministries Church, following the service. The Huebner Funeral Home in Denison was in charge of arrangements.

Thanks!  So John Gardner and Catherine Osborn were married less than 10 years. 

[Shell]

Thanks for posting that obit Labubske... 

[labubske]

no problem...it does give some extra info about how everyone  is related...most was already known.  Now, my question is did he attend the funeral?  How long was he there if so?  Did he harm anyone while there?  He seems to have an urge to do these things...I did briefly look around the area and there are three missing girls during that time...but, they don't seem to fit the profile based on their race...but they are in the same age range. 

[klaasend]

This photo of Lake Hodges was emailed to me by someone who's relative goes hiking in the area.  They took the photo for us.  I've marked where Chelsea's body was found.  Thought it would be good to have some prospective with an actual current photo:

[labubske]

oh i just noticed that the obituary didn't post the picture with it...when I posted it.  It did include a picture.

[klaasend]

oh i just noticed that the obituary didn't post the picture with it...when I posted it.  It did include a picture.

Do you have the obit link?  I'll look for it too.

[no rose colored glasses]

Thank-you for the picture 

[klaasend]

I think I have the photo marked correctly.  In any case it's a nice photo of the area so we have an idea how isolated it was.

[labubske]

oh i just noticed that the obituary didn't post the picture with it...when I posted it.  It did include a picture.

Do you have the obit link?  I'll look for it too.

Hi, thanks...I thought that I had saved it but guess not.  I found it through Legacy.com...I know that I have it somewhere...but, for some reason my history isn't showing up...I will have to check the settings!  The newspaper website is http://southwestiowanews.com/shared-content/search/index.php?search=go&o=0&q=john+gardner&d1=10-20-2008&d2=11-20-2008&s=relevance&r=Subject%2CAuthor%2CContent&l=20.  Thanks again.  I will keep looking on my computer.

[Northern Rose]

Woman describes encounter with Gardner at RB park (with video)

RANCHO BERNARDO, Calif. (CBS - John Albert Gardner may have returned to the scene of the crime hours before he was arrested on Sunday. That's according to a new witness who's talking to News 8.

Becky Sangha's chilling account of coming face to face with Chelsea King's accused killer started as she drove into the park. She spotted an inebriated man stumbling up an embankment, who later accosted her along a trail.

"To realize you were that close to someone that evil is something that doesn't sit well inside you," Sangha said.

The Escondido resident was finishing a Sunday afternoon walk along the trail bordering Lake Hodges with her five-year-old daughter and four dogs when she came face to face with Chelsea King's alleged killer.

"I heard the crackling in the bushes first," she said.

She says the man appeared drunk and was dressed in a red shirt and black pants, wet from the waist down as if he'd just come out of the lake. He started to advance toward Sangha and her family.

"His body was kind of forward and he was walking very quickly and directly toward us. It made me uncomfortable. I got alarmed," she said.

The man came as close as 10 or 15 feet as Sangha gathered her daughter and dogs and hurried away, she said.

"I kept eye contact with him the whole time. He finally sat down, but he kept watching us," she said."I don't know what his intentions were that day."

But her instincts were confirmed that night when she saw on the news that John Gardner had been arrested for Chelsea King's murder.

"I jumped out of bed and I said that's the guy, that is the guy who made me feel so uncomfortable. That's him," she said.

Sangha contacted authorities, and on Monday took search teams to the locations she'd spotted Gardner. The next day Chelsea's body was discovered near the lake in a shallow grave.

"It made me feel sick, especially having my daughter with me that day. My gut reaction was to get her out of bed and keep her close to me," Sangha said.

Authorities told Sangha she did two things that could potentially have saved her life - the fact she made and maintained eye contact and that that she was accompanied by her dogs.

Sangha says she's dedicated to making public parks safe for everybody to enjoy.

As part of the effort to raise awareness about park safety, a special event called "Finish Chelsea's Run - Take Back the Parks" is scheduled at Lake Hodges on Saturday, March 20 at 9 a.m.

http://www.cbs8.com/Global/story.asp?S=12093983

[mizjay]

Wow  that woman was lucky that she had the dogs with her.. and she was brave to keep the eye contact

After reading so much on the other thread, guess being stumbling down drunk wouldn't raise any red flags in the household, in fact just the opposite, it would prolly get him a high five   

[no rose colored glasses]

Wow  that woman was lucky that she had the dogs with her.. and she was brave to keep the eye contact

After reading so much on the other thread, guess being stumbling down drunk wouldn't raise any red flags in the household, in fact just the opposite, it would prolly get him a high five   

Wow, and that would explain why he was caked in some mud when arrested.