BREAKING NOW: Detectives Arrive at Danielle Van Dam Residence for 4:00 P.M. Announcement.

KOGO News Radio 600 ^ | February 28, 2002 | KOGO

[FresnoDA]

BREAKING NOW, KOGO........Unmarked Police Car just arrived at Van Dam's residence, breaking now.....reporter says very grim faced.....expecting that reason for visit is warning VD's of positive ID.

DA HOLDS NEWS CONFERENCE THIS AFTERNOON
Authorities expect to announce today that the body of a young girl found dumped off a road in East County is, as law enforcement officials already believe, that of 7-year-old Danielle van Dam. Dental records will likely be used to make a positive identification. San Diego District Attorney Paul Pfingst said last night that all the evidence points to the body being that of the second-grader who had been reported missing on Feb. 2. ``We believe that Danielle van Dam's body has been found,'' he said during a news conference with San Diego police Chief David Bejarano. Susan Wintersteen, a family friend, said this morning that the Van Dams are ``going through unspeakable pain and loss right now.'' But she said that the discovery of the body ``has provided them with the closure that they so desired."
Stay tuned to KOGO for live coverage of the DA's news conference this afternoon between 4pm and 5pm.

[Freedom2specul8]

WHere did I say it's ok to leave doors unlocked? I do know of people who ACCIDENTLY forgot to lock the door and felt stupid the next day. However you are incorrect, I have never said what you are attributing to me. Sorry..must be someone else. Also, you don't know if there was a deviant sexual lifestyle...maybe you should wait until the rumors are addressed..IF the "national enquirer" mentality is addressed.

Have you ever ate at the restaurant called "hooters"? Have you ever glanced through an x-rated magazine? Do you know people who do? I'm just curious... phyllis shafley wrote a book on pornography and believes that it increases violent sexual crimes. Do you agree? What are the chances of a ''voyeur'' becoming a sexual predator? Do you believe in the bible? I do. It's a sin to be voyeur..yet it's done daily..both knowingly and unknowingly.... and the people posing are sinning...it's a sin to tempt someone into being a voyeur too. I agree that deviant lifestyles increase the risk of being a victim... but not just sexual deviant lifestyles...

[MizSterious]

These dynamics will make the trial interesting to follow. A case like this could make or break a run for DA, one suspects.

[Freedom2specul8]

As a former smoker, I can and will say that breathing in smoke is a deviant lifestyle. I did not lump smokers in with sexual predators. Reread what I wrote. I said ALL deviant lifestyles bring forth RISK. Whether that DEVIANT LIFESTYLE is LEGAL, ILLEGAL, SEXUAL OR NOT...deviant lifestyles bring forth RISK.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

A case like this could make or break a run for DA, one suspects.

Yes it can. This will receive huge publicity and the prosecution will be scrutinized as much as anything else.

[Amore]

Re: your #217:

I can’t agree with the 1st ½ of your post. I don’t perceive the arrest of Westerfield as being “swift” at all, and certainly not “amazingly swift.” Once they had the blood evidence from his home, I think an arrest was quite logical. Maybe things are different in California, but the timing of the arrest seemed normal to me. In fact, the second part of your post indicates, consistent with what you say, that the arrest was SLOW, because the police twice went to him to see if they could arrest Westerfield and he said no, they needed more evidence.

[HoHoeHeaux]

Yes BVD did say that...."And it's not me." But they way I took it, was that she felt that it was horrid that the killer knew where her daughter was, and she, who gave birth to her, nurtured her, loved her, did not know. How dare someone else KNOW where she was.

That was my take on her comment, for what it's worth.

[Freedom2specul8]

Have you never heard of one-night stands and alcohol? It lowers the defenses, reducing inhabitions...oh yeah, alcohol and drinking in public to the point of being loose, tipsy or even drunk DOES carry with it a higher risk of being a victim than say, having a drink at a local restaurant with the family.

Hanging out at bars brings forth the risk of a drunken sexual predator following you home.

Speaking of deviant lifestyles..It's a proven fact that crime around strip bars is higher then elsewhere in cities. Bars are really not a good place to be.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

If you read carefully, I didn't say the "arrest". I very deliberately said, "the fingering". We knew he was the "ONLY" suspect very early on.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

That was my take on her comment, for what it's worth

Again, we see things differently and there is nothing wrong with that. I prefaced my comment by acknowledging my prejudice.

[MizSterious]

What peculiar questions. Yes, I think pornography contributes to serious problems, from rape to deviancy. Yes, I think voyeurism is terribly wrong. No, I don't bother with the "mens" magazines either. But since you mention sin and the Bible, perhaps you should read the 10 Commandments, noting the portion about not coveting another man's wife; also the various sections on adultery. As a Christian, yes, I am biased, but I often think if we followed the rules set down for us from even before Moses, the world would be a much better place.

[Freedom2specul8]

IN other words, deviating from a normal lifestyle can and does increase one's risk of becoming a victim. BTW, I know of news reports were a person running out to the all-night store to grab a pack of cigarettes DID become a victim of carjacking. I know of a person who got carjacked just running out after 10 pm to get gasoline for their truck. I'm not trying to insult you...just trying to get you to see outside of the box. People take chances. Common sense would say "buy cigarettes and gas during normal, busy daylight hours"...

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

If you truly believe that your comparisons are reasonable, it is difficult to find common ground on which to speak.

I dare say that most people would not agree that these things are on the same level. Your posts are trailing into absurdity.

[Freedom2specul8]

I believe there is some where in the bible where it says to not gossip and to not judge based on gossip too.

[Amore]

If you read carefully, I didn't say the "arrest". I very deliberately said, "the fingering". We knew he was the "ONLY" suspect very early on.

You're quite right, I misread you, sorry 'bout that. I thought the contradiction I saw was odd, since you've seemed quite logical in past posts.

Now to address myself to what you really said: I don't find that surprising either. WE don't know why they focused on him so quickly, but I'm sure they had a very good reason for it. As someone said, the dogs might have led them there; Mrs. VD, tho she's not telling US the facts, may have pointed the finger, all sorts of possibilities. It's pretty normal to focus on a prime suspect quickly. Crimes that don't point in a specific direction fast tend to not get solved.

[Freedom2specul8]

You guys are judging based on gossip. That is absurd. Me mentioning deviant lifestyles..or broadening the subject of deviant lifestyles isn't absurd. I'm trying to point out what can cause a person to become victimized. Criminolgy 101.

Chandra levy lived a bit of a deviant lifestyle...and she paid for it with her life. But, everyday, people have affairs and assume that they will not die because of it.

[MizSterious]

Your main objective seems to be to twist words. One suspect from reading your posts that you might support these people and their lifestyle. If not, consider what you write, and you'll see how someone might come to that conclusion even if you don't say it outright. Twisting words, however, will not change many minds. Some of us have that annoying habit of using common sense while observing the world around us. We see no point in saying there's nothing wrong in Sabre Springs, when we can obviously see that there is. (Did you by any chance ever work for infamous emperor? You know, the one who, it turned out, had no clothes, despite all the spin to the contrary?)

[SkipLethal]

Well, this doesnt have much to do with this case, but...... 5 years ago I moved my family out of Portland, Maine, to a wooded little town about an hour away. My kids have a big yard to play in. I go to bed every night with my doors unlocked. And I have a locked gun safe full of fun and games for anyone who chooses to test those unlocked doors. Again it doesnt have anything to do with this case, but there are options available for those who feel uncomfortable or live in area that you need to lock your doors. Move to the woods. Let your neighbors see you moving your weapons into your home. Tell then in conversations you are armed. Seek out neighbors who work in law enforcement or town affairs, and let them know who you are. Word will get out. Im not saying you should be a survivalist. But lok at it this way. Say old Westerfeild lived across the street from me, and next door to the Van Dams. He sees them swinging, partying all night, etc. Then he eyeballs my backyard, where Im practicing shooting my compound bow. Which one is he choosing?

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

You guys are judging based on gossip

What are you judging on? Are you privy to indisputable facts or are you relying on what you hear, as are the rest of us?

[dsb]

May justice be done swiftly, may the killer be dealt with accordingly, and may mercy not enter the mind of God when the task of judgement arises for this monster.