In taped interrogation, Westerfield tells police 'my life is over'

San Diego Union Tribune ^ | January 7, 2003

[TomB]

In a videotaped interrogation with San Diego police detectives four days after Danielle van Dam was kidnapped, an exhausted David Westerfield says "my life is over," seemingly coming close to an admission that he murdered his 7-year-old neighbor.

"As far as I'm concerned my life is over, the life that I had, the life that I was living is over," Westerfield says in the interrogation conducted the evening of Feb. 5, 2002. Danielle was last seen the night of Feb. 1.

"But you can't blame anyone but yourself, Dave," answers one of the police detectives.

"And I have no problem with that," Westerfield replies.

In the tapes released Tuesday, Westerfield admits "unusual" sexual encounters with his wife, denies anything improper about his alleged use of binoculars to watch neighbors and says the child pornography found on his computer was simply something he downloaded along with a lot of other pornographic images and that he had no sexual interest in children.

Superior Court Judge William Mudd agreed Monday to unseal the videotape along with hundreds of pages of transcripts, documents and recordings in the Westerfield case, as well as transcripts of police interrogations and court hearings conducted in secret.

Some of the material – audiotape and videotape of Westerfield being interrogated during the early stages of the investigation – was released Tuesday afternoon.

The remainder of the material, which ranges from transcripts of closed-door court hearings to motions regarding potential evidence, will be released Monday, Mudd ruled.

The ruling Monday came three days after Mudd sentenced the former design engineer to death for kidnapping and murdering 7-year-old Danielle van Dam, his neighbor in Sabre Springs.

Monday's court hearing came in response to a request by The San Diego Union-Tribune, which has been seeking access to the information for months. The San Diego-based 4th District Court of Appeal has ruled that Mudd must release the information.

The San Diego chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists made a donation to the legal costs.

Westerfield, who attended Monday's hearing, is scheduled to be moved within days to death row at San Quentin State Prison outside San Francisco.

During earlier court appearances, Westerfield was always dressed in civilian attire, but he appeared in court Monday in a green jail jumpsuit. He sat in a holding area so he couldn't be filmed by a television camera.

[cyncooper]

Westerfield just said on the tape to Mo Parga that there were two questions that he answered no to that he changed his mind in the middle of the test that he wanted to answer yes.

These questions did not have to do with Danielle. One was had he ever hurt someone he loved (paraphrase).

I'll bet that's the part about "two questions" you were thinking of.

(He failed all questions with a 99-100% probability of deception regarding Danielle...as has been previously stated.)

[UCANSEE2]

BTW, I wanted to say that you seem to be one of the good examples of someone committed to belief that DW is guilty, but still keeping an OPEN MIND. Thank you.

[Rheo]

No....the one question he lied about....hurting someone...was regarding when he slapped his son one time...that did not register as deceptive, even tho he lied.

It was explained to him that was becuz he didn't care about that incident.

He was referring to the Danielle questions....he may have been referring to the two questions he was told he failed 100%, as opposed to the 99% of the others, regarding Danielle.

[UCANSEE2]

Something that occurred to me, and I wonder if anyone else feels the same way. That is, the voice I am hearing. I would never have matched that voice with that face, (DW).

[EllaMinnow]

I was surprised the first time I heard his voice, on that San Diego newsclip they played at the trial.

He's just a little older than my husband, but he looks a lot older. To me, his voice sounds younger than he looks.

[Freedom2specul8]

I am willing to listen and see if other theories have any weight. I have little respect for the folks who spread lies and personal attacks..about us. One is still doing it. Can't believe it. There is something wrong with a mind like that.

[UCANSEE2]

Is anyone listening to what RR is saying right now? hmmmmmmmm...................

[UCANSEE2]

That is exactly what I thought. Sounds much younger than he appears. (Isn't he supposed to be 50,51 ?)

[EllaMinnow]

I think he turned 50 last February, so he'll be 51 next month.

[Freedom2specul8]

HE basically agrees with us..that the lifestyles we choose, produces the consequences we get.

[UCANSEE2]

RR refuses to read the statement by Brenda because it would just be sensationalism. And with his prior statements about privacy of others, and the parents responsibility and consequences for their lives/actions, he rates respect for not reading it. (Since this is the most I have ever listened to RR, I have no previous history of his to compare to.)

[Rheo]

Yes....he was all set to read Brenda's statement to police..then Damon called in and said don't...Rick gave him a talking to....Now Rick says he isn't going to read it.

Says it is exploitive...everyone who was doing things to everyone..all the swinging details and sex stuff, etc.

Fine...but it makes it look like Damon influenced this..as he was going to read it before that.

Some portions of the statement will be sealed forever.

[Freedom2specul8]

I thought he said there was no new information in it..didn't he?

[cyncooper]

I heard it. He just said "I failed two of the questions".

[Rheo]

Didn't hear that part.

Curious as to why he thought it was good enuf to read before Damon called in.

He said that if anyone thought he was wrong about his swinging statements he made on 2/8...they need to read this because it is in there..in detail.

Considering we have never heard Brenda's statement to police..it would all be new.

I wanted to hear it...even if he takes out the sex stuff...don't care about that.

[cyncooper]

To clarify my last post to you. I just heard him talking (kind of chatting) with Parga (It's still Parga? I had to leave the room before) and I heard him talk about the polygraph just as you had described.

[Rheo]

I believe it is still Parga..and some gal named Cassy.

[Freedom2specul8]

Well, even if he doesn't play it, it'll probably be in the other websites in full content. I expect it to get ugly when everything is released. Gosh I hope the parents have prayed hard for the the Lord to help their children forgive them in the future when they get old enough to know what is really going on.

[Rheo]

Might take awhile..signonsandiego seems to be running behind....haven't checked to see if Courttv has any.

[Freedom2specul8]

ctv doesn't have it yet either.

http://www.courttv.com/trials/westerfield/index.html