CA - Chelsea King (17) Rancho Bernardo (north San Diego County) #1

[Curious Me]

When he was arrested, he had caked mud up to his waist on him.

 

[Elphaba]

10News report at 11 pm:

OMG, they found his DNA on Chelsea's panties found in the park. He took her someplace after, but left that evidence! He's not talking, and is denying everything presented to him. They're searching his parent's home where he was staying. Is Chelsea alive?

I think the murder charge answers that for us... but we can hope for miracles...

 

[TravelingBug]

When he was arrested, he had caked mud up to his waist on him.

THAT is bizarre since he had just been in the restaurant.

 

[blossomfish]

I swear, I think WS is the only site so far that knows about the murder and rape charges, because it isn't showing up on Twitter chatter or anything within the social networks.

I just watched the 11 news on KFMB News 8 San Diego and they confirmed the charges (murder and rape) and said he (John Gardner)will be arraigned on Wednesday. They mentioned he used to have an auto shop business in the 90s.

 

[TheMentalist]

10News report at 11 pm:

OMG, they found his DNA on Chelsea's panties found in the park. He took her someplace after, but left that evidence! He's not talking, and is denying everything presented to him. They're searching his parent's home where he was staying. Is Chelsea alive?

She doesnt have any panties. My guess would be no. I doubt he would take her anywhere without her clothes on. If he had caked mud on him did he drown her and weight her down in the lake? Perhaps this is a big clue to her wherabouts.

 

[DairyGirl]

10News report at 11 pm:

OMG, they found his DNA on Chelsea's panties found in the park. He took her someplace after, but left that evidence! He's not talking, and is denying everything presented to him. They're searching his parent's home where he was staying. Is Chelsea alive?

She must have been alive when he took her. I can't see him being able to carry a body that far. I pray there is some way she is alive.

 

[Invisible]

I saw this person in two different places. First walking with a black garbage bag Northeast toward the parking lot on the Northern-most finger of Lake Hodges. I then saw him 10-15 minutes later headed in the opposite direction (without the bag) on the hiking/biking trail just a few minutes from Hernandez Hideaway.

Did you report this to LE?

 

[Ghostwheel]

They aren't going to say she is not alive, but they most likely have evidence that shows she probably is not, yet there is still a chance she could be alive. (such as large amounts of blood, or other bodily fluids which would indicate unconsciousness or death). That is why they were in a hurry to search the house, etc. If she is unconscious or bleeding and hidden somewhere, every second counts.

 

[Sharedspirit]

10News report at 11 pm:

OMG, they found his DNA on Chelsea's panties found in the park. He took her someplace after, but left that evidence! He's not talking, and is denying everything presented to him. They're searching his parent's home where he was staying. Is Chelsea alive?

He probably meant to go back for the evidence, but didn't have time because she was reported missing so soon.

 

[TravelingBug]

It's now on twitter that KGTV said murder and rape charges so the news is going to travel soon.

 

[TheMentalist]

Dna would not last in the water very long. The panties bra and shoe must of been dropped or something when he was disposing of her clothing.

 

[Melanie]

Seems like this would be a good time to listen to the audio feed... here is the link again:

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/audio/?ctid=219

Mama bear is on. I'm listening to the SD Sheriff's site. Is that okay?

Melanie

 

[LilysMom]

It's now on twitter that KGTV said murder and rape charges so the news is going to travel soon.

Oh, this is so awful. Talk about rocking a community. We'll rally for her parents.

 

[Elphaba]

It is heartbreaking that yet, again, another SO has harmed an innocent child...

 

[TheMentalist]

The missing pieces of the puzzle are coming together now. I believe the shoe, bra and panties were found the next day after she went missing before the rain came. That would explain why the focus was shifting to the lake. Also would explain why the Feds were involved...an abduction/kidnapping. That is why this investigation went into high gear so quickly.

I cant imagine he would try to carry her out of the park. Although he is a big guy and probably capable it would arose too much suspicion. I think the lake probably holds the answer. How extremely devastating. I wonder if his dna was already on file from his lewd act on a child under 14 that made him a part of the Megans Law of Sex Predator Registry.

***Also, if you have ever got in a muddy lake and sunk into the low points that mud is extremely hard to wash off of a person. It usually takes a few washings to get it off of you completely.

 

[darlin gal]

New article about the murder/rape charges
http://www.sandiego6.com/news/local...-Bernardo-jogging/zTLAKar0XUGyf78trbfHvg.cspx

 

[TravelingBug]

Oh, this is so awful. Talk about rocking a community. We'll rally for her parents.

Yup!

As I posted [ame="http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4866257&postcount=297"]those pictures[/ame] earlier today, I did so in part for any locals who are here reading or lurking as a reminder.

Just as we rallied around those who lost all their things, as hard as that is, we will rally even more around this family who it seems likely lost their beloved daughter, worth infinitely more than all of those temporary physical possessions.

 

[blossomfish]

The charges are confirmed in this article as well.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/feb/28/lake-elsinore-man-arrested-poway-teens-disappearan/

I am very sickened by all this and I am praying for Chelsea's family.

 

[LilysMom]

Yup!

As I posted those pictures earlier today, I did so in part for any locals who are here reading or lurking as a reminder.

Just as we rallied around those who lost all their things, as hard as that is, we will rally even more around this family who it seems likely lost their beloved daughter, worth infinitely more than all of those temporary physical possessions.

They are asking that we all wear blue tomorrow in support. You probably already heard that though.

 

[TravelingBug]

More details about how things unraveled and the search came to be on Thursday:

King said late Thursday that he came home from the gym about the same time his wife, Kelly, was returning from the grocery store. It was about 5:30 p.m.

“My wife asked me if I had heard from Chels. I said, ‘No, I figured you had.’ Right then, we looked at each other and had a panic.”

Chelsea is the kind of daughter who always checks in, her father said. If she was going to be late, she would let them know.

“We quickly called a few of her friends and asked if they had heard from Chelsea because we hadn’t,” King said. The friends hadn’t heard from her.

“We then had a mom share with us how to do the AT&T reverse autophone, which I’d never heard of before, and you can identify where a phone is based on the AT&T Web site.”

The Web site showed a general geographical location.

“I started searching,” he said. While driving from his northern Poway home, his wife called and told Brent she wanted to call 911 and he agreed.

“We just both knew something bad was happening,” he said.

Brent soon found Chelsea’s BMW parked behind the Rancho Bernardo Community Center just south of Lake Hodges. He looked inside and saw her belongings.

“I then looked behind me and I saw a running trail, and in the deepest part of my heart, I knew she was out there,” Brent said.

“So I took off down the trail. I ran down about a mile yelling out her name as long as I could, several times and in several directions. By this time it was already dusk and the Sheriff’s Department had already shown up. So I ran back,” he said.