CA - Chelsea King (17) Rancho Bernardo (north San Diego County) #2

[mrsc72]

We've been wondering about Gardner's background, friends, etc. Yesterday someone said they'd found a John Gardner at Rim of the World High School in class of 1997. I guess he was right. I don't recall the poster's name, but KUDOS to you!

JMHO
fran



http://rimoftheworld.net/4893

Former Resident May Face Death Penalty (Update2)

Body Found at Lake Hodges Likely Missing Teenager

By G.T. Houts
Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Update 2 - Wednesday 4:05 a.m.

San Diego, CA - John Albert Gardner III - a former mountain resident - will appear in court today possibly facing the death penalty following the discovery of a body believed to be 17-year-old Chelsea King.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<full article at link>>>>>>>>>>>>

Interesting comments people have left. I hope everything will come out regarding this . RIP Chelsearayer:

 

[IzzyBlanche]

I don't want to speak for the other poster, but, instead of Amber, Megan and Jessica there were James, Robert, and John the males in charge of our government/courts/LE would be more concerned. They wouldn't stand for all these boys being abused and murdered. Since it is girls they don't see it as important. As Jane Velez Mitchell says, "the war on women".

Thank you. Yes, that is exactly what I meant.

 

[jjenny]

I don't want to speak for the other poster, but, instead of Amber, Megan and Jessica there were James, Robert, and John the males in charge of our government/courts/LE would be more concerned. They wouldn't stand for all these boys being abused and murdered. Since it is girls they don't see it as important. As Jane Velez Mitchell says, "the war on women".

Oh please. Boys can be abused and murdered too.
In fact a young teenage girl missing is likely to get more attention than young teenage boy missing.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

IzzyBlanche, I disagree.

snipped for space

You make excellent points. I guess there's no clear-cut answer, except perhaps a wood chipper.

 

[Texas Mist]

I don't know about y'all, but I'm offended & appalled at the photo pg 2 of the ABC GMA article today. :furious:

A pox on the editor that approved this, as well as the 'arteeest' that hodge-podged the monster's photo w/ dear Chelsea's.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/TheLaw/ch...e-combing-grave-clues/story?id=9995419&page=2

ABC will definitely hear from me on this.

 

[passionflower]

:Welcome-12-june: to all newbies that have joined.
I'm sorry we had to meet this way.

Dear Mods, will we have a separate thread for this RSO JAG???
so we can sleuth him?

Why was he in 'special ed'.................emotional problems????
or actually low IQ???

Was JAG always in trouble? Grade school on?

(Bundy and Damer did their first kill at 13 yo...........IIRC

Does he have siblings?

Friends??

Why don't we have any news on him??? :banghead:

 

[Lewydawg]

UnionTrib article on a girl who knew JAG 10 yrs ago:

A 23-year-old reveals to her Rancho Bernardo parents that she had a relationship with the suspect 10 years ago.Ten years ago, John Albert Gardner III went on long walks with a girl in their Rancho Bernardo neighborhood, put his jacket around her shoulders when she shivered, touched his lips to hers.
He was nearly 21. She was 14.
It was her first kiss, but something she only told her parents about this week when Gardner was accused of raping and killing teenager Chelsea King down the street.

Linda Boltman, the mother of the now-23-year-old, agreed to an interview on the condition her daughter's last name, which is different from hers, not be used.

"She's devastated," Boltman said yesterday. "How would you feel if your first kiss was with a predator?" Gardner spent five years in prison for sexually assaulting one of Boltman's daughter's friends in 2000. After his release, he returned to their Rancho Bernardo neighborhood without Boltman or her daughter knowing it.

The daughter granted a brief interview to "Inside Edition," on the condition her name not be used and her face not be shown, but she is not doing more, Boltman said.

Her daughter kept the extent of her relationship with Gardner to herself until Monday night, Boltman said. Ten years ago, she would say she was visiting a friend, then walk around with him at night.

Boltman, who described her daughter as a straight-A student set to graduate from college in May, said her daughter told her she had been flattered by Gardner's attention.

The girl had braces and was tall for her age. She was surrounded by immature boys at school, and Gardner, then 6 feet 2 and 210 pounds, was anything but an awkward adolescent, her mother said.

He was clean-cut and could carry on a conversation, she said.

"He was the perfect gentleman," Boltman said of her daughter's description of that time.

"She just thought it was so cool that an older guy was interested in her and treated her like a lady and could talk to her," she said.
"All the important things to a girl that age."

That year, on March 16, 2000, Boltman's daughter accepted a ride to middle school from Gardner with her then-best friend. The other girl, 13, stayed in the car, returned to Gardner's mother's house and was later molested by him.

Gardner received six years in state prison for the incident. He served five and was released in September 2005. His last contact with city police, with whom he had to register as a sex offender, was in 2007, when he relocated to Lake Elsinore.

He also lived at an apartment complex in Escondido until six months ago, said a neighbor who would not give her name to protect her identity at work. Gardner lived there with a woman and two toddlers, and male and female teenagers would come over to play video games with him.

Boltman, 62, is upset that authorities never notified her daughter or anyone in her family about Gardner's release. At the time of his release, there was no requirement to notify witnesses.

That changed in 2008, when voters approved a crime victims' bill of rights act known as Marsy's Law. It created a notification system for victims, witnesses and others who requested information on an inmate's release, escape, death or criminal appeal.

Boltman, who lives a block from Gardner's mother's house on Matinal Road, is convinced that Gardner was more interested in her daughter than in the friend who was molested 10 years ago.
She said she cannot imagine her daughter's reaction if she had seen Gardner in the neighborhood after his release from prison.

Her voice breaking, Boltman explained how her daughter identified Gardner at a preliminary hearing in the case 10 years ago, and how difficult it was for the girl and the family.

"I'm very proud of my daughter," Boltman said. "That was so unbelievably courageous of her, and I still continue to be in awe of her. She's an amazing woman."

She said her daughter mistrusted older men until she realized she "was letting (Gardner) control her life and she said, `I'm not going to let him do that.'" Boltman said her daughter has tried to stay strong this week.

"She doesn't want this to affect her life and career and all the things she's doing now."

 

[passionflower]

Do we know if JAG had any marks, cuts, bites on him?
Also by the evidence found, LE must of known Chelsea was murdered
to say JAG was held for murder.
Amount of blood? body fluids?

 

[smart blonde]

Apparently, the message hasn't gotten through to girls/women that they CANNOT go jogging/hiking/walking in isolated areas. Do they think because they are physically fit, they can outrun or overpower an attacker? I don't get it!

I understand the sentiment, but I am angered (not at you, of course) on the principle of this idea.

Why must it seem as if the victims are doing something stupid?

Why can't we as a society finally get angry enough that we take back our streets, and parks, and jogging trails, and even our very homes, and say enough is enough!

I am so hurt and angry right now. I am so sick of these violent sexual predators/ rapists/ molestors/ murderers ruling our towns, cities, states, country. I am so angry!

I know the town that Chelsea is from. My ex-husband/ still friend/ daughter's father is from Poway. He went to Poway High School. I know the area well.

If a young woman can't even go jogging in broad daylight (Chelsea), if a teenager can't be guaranteed she will make it from her house to her school without disappearing (Amber), we should not be angry at the young women. We need to get furious with the predator first, and our broken judicial system a close second.

The courts need to stop releasing these violent predators- and start executing them. Period.

 

[SoCalMom]

We've repeatedly heard references of JAG being "from Lake Elsinore." It's becoming abundantly clear, he wasn't from ANYWHERE. He appears to have been transient, moving between and staying with various family members. While Lake Elsinore is the address he chose to report as his current address, other addresses include Escondido, Rancho Bernardo and Mira Mesa.

If lawmakers are going to allow RSOs to live among us, there need to be tight restrictions on what constitutes a residence (i.e. does the RSO have a lease or mortgage? A job in the area?), when and for how long they can be away from that residence, and requirements for reporting an absence. Curfews would help, and I would readily support permanent GPS tracking after the FIRST offense. LE needs to be able to track sex offenders ALL THE TIME, and once they have the ability to do it, they need to actually follow-through.

Alternately, if we can't track them and don't have the money to house them in our prisons, let's put them to work -- on oil platforms in the middle of the ocean, manned only by other sex offenders.

 

[powayparent]

Any RB people on scanners hearing what's going on at Pomerado and Highland Valley Road? I live at this corner and there are multiple cop cars, news crews, helicopters..all of the sudden. This is just across the freeway from Lake Hodges.

It was likely the single car traffic fatality on Highland Valley Road: http://www.10news.com/news/22725684/detail.html

 

[Harmony 2]

Believe me, I understand that women aren't safe anywhere. I've been a victim many times.

Jogging paths: Hunting Grounds for Rapists?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25625353/ns/msnbc_tv-msnbc_tv_commentary/page/2/

I have a 16 year old daughter, petite and sweet, so these stories hit home hard. Clint Van Zandt, a retired FBI profiler, provides the following 8 points to escape an abduction. Pass them along to your loved ones. Here are three and the other five are at the link: (scroll down)

How to Escape a Kidnapping

To escape a potential kidnapping, you must think in advance what you would do if confronted, this to insure you are ready to act as opposed to freeze up like "the proverbial deer in the headlights." Here are some points that anyone, child, man or woman should consider if the unthinkable happens and someone attempts to kidnap you:

1) Carry yourself as if you are savy citizen of the world. If your hands are full, if you appear lost or frustrated or otherwise carry yourself like an easy victim you may just be targeted for a crime, to include a kidnapping.

2) Never allow a kidnapper or carjacker to take you with them. Anyone who tries to take you to another location is more than a robber, and if he gets you to a remote location, he can have his way with you, including assault and murder. Make a stand where you are and do not, under any circumstances, allow your assailant to take you away with him.

3) If your assailant demands your purse, your wallet, and/or your car keys, give them to him. Consider throwing them on the ground in one direction while you run the other way. Make him choose between your money, your car, or your life. If walking with a friend, you should run away in opposite directions, making your assailant know that should he chase one of you, the other will escape and notify police, likely causing him to simply flee the area.

http://clintvanzandt.newsvine.com/_news/2009/08/17/3160211-how-to-escape-a-kidnapper

 

[heartfortruth]

I don't know about y'all, but I'm offended & appalled at the photo pg 2 of the ABC GMA article today. :furious:

A pox on the editor that approved this, as well as the 'arteeest' that hodge-podged the monster's photo w/ dear Chelsea's.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/TheLaw/ch...e-combing-grave-clues/story?id=9995419&page=2

ABC will definitely hear from me on this.

OH, MY GOSH!!! That is one of the most INSENSITIVE, OFFENSIVE things I have ever seen from any media source whatsoever!!!
I am also shocked and VERY :furious:

 

[passionflower]

If he is guilty, then IMO, there should be no plea deals..............DPenalty!
or for bleeding hearts........all RSO's should be shipped to the Artic Circle and say fend for yourselves like in Survivor!!
Personally I am sick of them running our lives.
No one is even safe in their beds (Polly), playing outside in their yards, walking to school, jogging, being alone, nothing!
They are like the wolf in little red riding hood...............any age is not safe.......male/female children!

The grief for parents of victims must be unbearable to say the least.
IMO, I would come unglued and go after the animal myself...........sorry for rant

 

[smart blonde]

Hi everyone. I thought I would share this link, since I haven't seen it posted yet:

http://www.10news.com/news/22723155/detail.html

(Sorry if its already been posted)

Apparently Amber's mother had watched/followed Gardner (and other sex offenders in the area) after Amber's disappearance. The Escondido police didn't look into Gardner as a suspect. Obviously, we don't know yet if Gardner had anything to do with Amber's disappearance but its interesting at least.

This isn't in that story but was on the news tonight: Apparently the police had threatened to arrest Amber's mother for this "stalking."

This just breaks my heart all over again.

In my opinion, John Gardner should never have been released to the streets to begin with.

Amber's mother is desperate to find Amber, and.......

Forget it. I will just shut up. The post above says it all.

 

[Wise Old Owl]

I don't know about y'all, but I'm offended & appalled at the photo pg 2 of the ABC GMA article today. :furious:

A pox on the editor that approved this, as well as the 'arteeest' that hodge-podged the monster's photo w/ dear Chelsea's.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/TheLaw/ch...e-combing-grave-clues/story?id=9995419&page=2

ABC will definitely hear from me on this.

OMG OMG - I can't believe anyone would photo-shop something so vile, much less a media news outlet.

I went to the contact us link and send them a very strongly worded comment to remove that picture immediately and that they should fire whoever did that.

Oh how horrible - I pray her parents don't see that.

 

[SoCalMom]

I don't know about y'all, but I'm offended & appalled at the photo pg 2 of the ABC GMA article today. :furious:

A pox on the editor that approved this, as well as the 'arteeest' that hodge-podged the monster's photo w/ dear Chelsea's.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/TheLaw/ch...e-combing-grave-clues/story?id=9995419&page=2

ABC will definitely hear from me on this.

I just talked to the "Dot Com" unit at ABC. They called this a "valid concern" and will take care of it.

 

[soyesterday]

This just breaks my heart all over again.

In my opinion, John Gardner should never have been released to the streets to begin with.

Amber's mother is desperate to find Amber, and.......

Forget it. I will just shut up. The post above says it all.

OMG i'm so angry.....

 

[Curious Me]

Just caught the tail end of a news report on the local SD news that apparently someone left a big red spray paint message on JAG's parents home that said something like
"Chelsea's blood is on you. Move." I only caught part of the news flash and a second of the actual photo I think left on a garage door, and will have to see again to find out exactly what it said.

 

[Lindsaym]

If a young woman can't even go jogging in broad daylight (Chelsea), if a teenager can't be guaranteed she will make it from her house to her school without disappearing (Amber), we should not be angry at the young women. We need to get furious with the predator first, and our broken judicial system a close second.

EXACTLY. As someone pointed out above, boys are murdered by psychos, too. Yet when it happens to boys, we do NOT say, "Oh, when will boys learn it's not safe to go out alone in broad daylight in a public park?" So why should we say that when a girl is murdered?

To people who say: "That's noble, but it's common sense not to go out alone; going with someone else would have kept her safe" -- sure, had she not been alone, she might not have been killed. On the same hand, victims of car crashes would not be victims if they had chosen not to drive. I find both statements about as logical in terms of advice to give. No civilized society should be able to think that girls should not go out alone in broad daylight. And the difference between car crashes and what happened to Chelsea is that what happened to Chelsea was a deliberate act of violence. And that act, and the person who committed it, is where the blame lies. Period.

Well, and the fault ALSO lies with the justice system that let go of a man with a prior record -- whom experts warned would commit another crime. And some of it might also lie with a LE department that did not follow up aggressively enough on earlier assaults in this park, both through tracking down this guy AND by notifying the community that this particular area was being visited by a criminal with violent intent.

I hope this message is not viewing as pulling this topic off track. This case is just so tragic and I think the very last lesson to be learned from it is that girls should not go out alone at two o'clock in the afternoon!