Posted on 03/12/2002 6:35:18 PM PST by FresnoDA
Testimony: DNA, fingerprints from motor home link Westerfield to Danielle
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Thousands of computer porn images, videos reported foundBy Jeffrey J. RoseSIGNONSANDIEGO March 12, 2002 SAN DIEGO DNA from bloodstains on David Westerfield's jacket and inside his motor home matched that taken from underwear belonging to Danielle van Dam, and fingerprints taken from the vehicle matched those of the dead 7-year-old girl, police specialists testified Tuesday. The testimony came at a preliminary hearing for Westerfield, a 50-year-old self-employed engineer who lived two doors away from the van Dams in Sabre Springs. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, kidnapping and possessing child pornography in connection with Danielle's death. Jeffrey B. Graham, a fingerprint analyst for the San Diego Police Department, said fingerprints taken from a cabinet next to the bed in Westerfield's motor home matched Danielle's.
"There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Danielle made those prints," Graham said. Investigators believe Danielle was abducted from her bedroom the night of Feb. 1 and taken over the weekend to the Silver Strand near Coronado by Westerfield in his motor home, who then drove to the desert and back to the beach again. If convicted, Westerfield could face the death penalty. Her naked, severely decomposed body was found off Dehesa Road by a volunteer search team on Feb. 27. Graham said he obtained full handprints from the hands of Danielle's body, which though mummified when found were rehydrated with embalming fluid following an autopsy Feb. 28. Fingerprints taken from the motor home matched those prints, Graham said. Annette Peer, a police DNA analyst, said DNA from a bloodstain taken from the carpet in the motor home and more taken from a bloodstain on a jacket Westerfield left at a dry cleaner Feb. 4 matched that of a yellowish stain on underwear taken from Danielle's bedroom. Peer further testified that the DNA was consistent with DNA from offspring of Brenda and Damon van Dam, who both gave "reference" samples for testing. In other testimony Tuesday: A police computer specialist testified that some 64,000 pornographic images and 2,200 MPEG-format videos were found on computers and computer disks taken from Westerfield's home. Detective James M. Watkins, a computer forensic examiner for San Diego police, said some of the sexually explicit images portrayed bestiality, bondage and what appeared to be underage females. Watkins estimated the number of pornographic images involving minors at fewer than 100. Watkins said he also had discovered eight photos of a girlfriend of Westerfield's and her young teen-age daughter, with some of the photos of the daughter in sexually suggestive poses. Under questioning by Westerfield's attorney, Steven Feldman, Watkins said he could not determine whether Westerfield had obtained or viewed the pornographic images or whether it was someone else who had access to the computer, including Westerfield's 18-year-old son. Police Detective James Hergenroeather said he spoke with Julie Mills, an employee at Twin Peaks Cleaners on Pomerado Road in Poway, where Westerfield reportedly took several items to be cleaned the morning of Feb. 4, including two comforters, comforter covers and a zip-up jacket. Hergenroeather said Mills told him that she had known Westerfield for several years as a customer, and that he seemed unusually upset that morning. Police forensic specialist Karen LeAlcala said she had gathered evidence in the case, including fingerprints from the motor home, which was impounded by police, and items taken with a search warrant from the cleaners. Feldman peppered LeAlcala with questions on how the fingerprints were gathered, who had access to the motor home, what steps were taken to avoid contaminating the evidence, and on her experience level and education all in an apparent quest to call into question the believability of the evidence. LeAlcala said one of the items taken from the cleaners was the jacket. The jacket later was found to have the bloodstain matched in DNA testing by Peer. The hearing, which began Monday, is the first opportunity in court for prosecutors to document their evidence against Westerfield. The hearing is scheduled to resume Thursday. |
I don't know what can be described as "sexually sick". I suppose making love to dead bodies is, but whips and chains and watching porno tapes have been around for a long time, Republic.
It isn't for me, but have you ever watched any of those HBO series, where they show an adult man, being handcuffed and by a woman wearing leather shorts, who is flogging him with a whip? Not getting to graphic with this, but I laughed my butt off when the dominatrix said "You bad boy, shall I give you another?"...then he beggs her, and SMACK, she hits him again. It woudn't turn me on...but obviously it does to SOME people and HBO was there filming it for America to watch.
The prosecution wants to paint Westerfield as a pedifile...it goes to "motive". They haven't shown it yet.
Now, I have to admitt, the blood found on his jacket doesn't make him look innocent. AND IT IS A BIGGIE..So, that will send this to trial, IMHO.
sw
It's one of the few scenarios that makes any sense whatever.
Perhaps everything we're looking at here can be easily explained as something entirely innocent. But since they evade every question, it really opens the door to speculation. Right now their very silence seems to add to the problem. The more you add up the numbers--time lines, stories, lifestyles--the less surprising it would be if the van Dams "shared" their daughter with some of their swinging friends.
Remember DW's statement that when he was at the bar, he went with a friend named "Gary?" My vote for 2nd guy at swing-fest: Gary.
Actually, in San Diego, people are saying just that. It has been said that she's a dominatrix (if that's how you spell it--anyway, the "whip-er" as opposed to the "whippee"--and of course the story caused a lot of "whoop-de-do").
sw
Uhmm....remember dear, this started out as a "STEALTH" thread. Project "STEALTH" ended at post 17. To avoid the bright lights of the Admin Mod. I took the position required to survive now at Free Republic.......KUMBYAYA!! LOL
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