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

[TravelingBug]

The Hideaway Restaurant in Escondio is right next to Lake Hodges, the same area where LE has spent the last several days searching. Do we have a Scott Peterson on our hands (going back to the crime scene). We know the mgr. said the SO had never been in the restaurant before.

19320 Lake Dr, Escondido, CA 92029

John Albert Gardner III, 30, of Lake Elsinore, was taken into custody in front of an Escondido business at 4:20 p.m. on Lake Drive near Rancho Drive in Escondido, Gore said.

I'd like to know what he was doing in that (not so popular) restaurant.

Mel

It's a very popular (with locals) restaurant, but it's on the opposite side of the lake from where they have been doing the major searches and where evidence has reportedly been found.

 

[Melanie]

Two places are saying there are LEO going door to door in Westwood. Not sure if that's true or not, trying to confirm with someone.

As in Westwood, Los Angeles??

Thanks, Mel

 

[glitterghost]

~~~WOW~~~

So I read and posted a comment this morning, stepped away from the computer all day, just log on and all of a sudden I see all this talk about a strange person leaving comments and an arrest!! I tried to catch myself up but reading backwards has gotten me confused. Can anyone give a synapsis on what has occured this afternoon/this evening?

 

[TravelingBug]

Link to press conference around 7 pm

 

[trigger]

Two places are saying there are LEO going door to door in Westwood. Not sure if that's true or not, trying to confirm with someone.

It was just on the radio, doing door to door searches to see if anyone has seen anything. This is just sickening.

 

[Sharedspirit]

If they are still going door to door, maybe he wasn't acting alone and there is still a chance they could find her alive. Praying for a miracle here!

 

[TravelingBug]

As in Westwood, Los Angeles??

Thanks, Mel

No, Westwood the neighborhood on the south side of Lake Hodges where the park is and where evidence was reportedly found.

 

[Melanie]

It's a very popular (with locals) restaurant, but it's on the opposite side of the lake from where they have been doing the major searches and where evidence has reportedly been found.

Thanks. Must be a local haunt, as the web gives it mixed reviews. So if it's on the opposite side of the lake, would it be a place where he could see what was going on?

Thanks so much.

Mel

ETA: Can you tell I don't get to that area much! Lord a mercy....

 

[RunningonEmpty]

I'd like to know what he was doing in that (not so popular) restaurant.

Mel

Obviously he thought he could "hide" at the hideaway - very clever - NOT.

 

[TravelingBug]

Thanks. Must be a local haunt, as the web gives it mixed reviews. So if it's on the opposite side of the lake, would it be a place where he could see what was going on?

Thanks so much.

Mel

ETA: Can you tell I don't get to that area much! Lord a mercy....

Very unlikely.

Posting a map in a minute

 

[TheMentalist]

Maybe this offender is not working alone. Perhaps he was meeting up with someone at the resturant or in the vicinity. Or maybe he this offender specializes in express kidnappings as well as being a sicko himself. I think after reading about Amber that there is a link there. I think law enforcement and the feds are going to bust out another big story shortly. Im waiting for the other shoe to drop.

 

[Sharedspirit]

Was't the FBI called in very early on? Maybe they were already watching this guy? Just me thinking out loud.

 

[TravelingBug]

Here's my map now updated.

The orange cop guy is where the arrest happened.

The green circle is the waterfall area at the south part of the lake where there was significant activity the past two days.

you can barely see the yellow $ sign just below the green circle. That's where all the LEO were today and where the other attack happened.



Remember, you can click to see it up close on flicker and then zoom in

As always, the blue car is about where her car was parked.

 

[cluciano63]

maybe since she was not found at the sight of the evidence he did take her someplace else...and it is POSSIBLE that he had not had a chance to do anything before he saw the park being swarmed with police? and has her hidden someplace alive? on the other hand, the massive police presence could have caused him to panic if he had not already acted...
i hope whatever evidence they have found or do find is definitive...and not something for a defense attorney to explain away if he is guilty...

 

[RunningonEmpty]

On a more positive note, it's amazing the guy stuck around, and SO CLOSE TO THE SCENE. Hopefully this means we will find Chelsea very soon.

 

[cluciano63]

ps-i hate the thought of the coach telling the girls just a week ago not to run alone, if this is true as indicated in an earlier post...but teens do tend to think they are indestructible, sadly...

 

[TheMentalist]

Didnt I read that they had found some evidence that they thought may have drifted or washed up from another area in the park ...werent they talking about this early on? Is there a current on that lake and does anyone know which way the current runs?

Also I am not familiar with this park is it a state park or a federal park? I know the newsmedia kept saying that the resources brought to bear in this missing persons case was unprecedented. Anyone who might know please advise.

 

[cluciano63]

i figured they must have found something of his with something of hers...there must be so many lost, tossed items in any area of that size, i just assumed they found some incriminating items together...

 

[TravelingBug]

Didnt I read that they had found some evidence that they thought may have drifted or washed up from another area in the park ...werent they talking about this early on? Is there a current on that lake and does anyone know which way the current runs?

Also I am not familiar with this park is it a state park or a federal park? I know the newsmedia kept saying that the resources brought to bear in this missing persons case was unprecedented. Anyone who might know please advise.

It's operated by the City of San Diego Water Dept.

The response had more to do with the way it was handled from the get go - the immediate response of parents and working with AT&T immediately to have her records within minutes of realizing she should be home, them pushing the Sheriff to respond (Poway is far better than many places response wise), huge public outswelling of support which got attention to the case within hours, etc.

 

[TravelingBug]

KUSI 9/51 at 10

Family trying to remain hopeful that she will be found. That is their ultimate goal.

Deputies have been searching his parents home near Lake Hodges in the last few hours. They are also invesigating the previous assault as probably related, and stressing possibly, a tie to Amber Dubois.