Posted on 03/31/2002 1:52:12 PM PST by FresnoDA
Account set up for Danielle's search still has about $24,000
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He never shot anyone in his career. Last month, however, he had his gun in hand in the middle of a busy downtown freeway,
"People would be surprised at the number of times just getting someone a cup of coffee brings results; it's more difficult for you to turn down someone who is decent to you." facing an ex-con begging him to shoot. The matter was resolved peacefully.
Co-workers said Newman's forte was getting homicide suspects to talk. He became one of the best in the business at obtaining confessions.
"About 80 percent of all homicide suspects give incriminating statements during police interviews," Newman said. He would use those statements to get suspects to divulge more information.
No one in the VD home pointed a finger at DW. The police have maintained all along, that it was the initial interview on Monday, that made them suspicious of DW. Here we see and independant article on a different subject (police retirement) that the lead investigator is famed for his interviewing abilities. Wonder what his testimony at the trial will be?
10. February 8, 2002
(Imperial County dunes scoured for missing girl http://video.uniontrib.com/news/metro/danielle/20020208-9999_1n8saga.html February 8, 2002 )
Tow truck driver says suspect's vehicle was stuck in sand off road ...said he spent more than two hours midafternoon Saturday getting David Westerfield's motor home out of the sand
Conklin said he found Westerfield, who has been described by friends as an avid desert camper, in an area people do not normally take motor homes.
After the vehicle was freed, Westerfield was in such a hurry, he left behind the motor home's leveling ramps, Conklin said. He "just wanted to get out of there," Conklin said. "He just got on the highway and left."
I know this desert well," Conklin said. "This person did some things that were not normal at all."
12. February 9, 2002
Silver Strand rangers said Westerfield arrived at the $12-a-night oceanfront campground Feb. 2. A ranger knocked on his motor-home door to refund the overpayment between 3 and 3:30 p.m., and Westerfield drove off about 20 minutes later. rangers did not go inside the vehicle and did not see or hear a child. He did not seem nervous, said Chief Ranger John Quirk.
Police said they find it curious that earlier that same day, Westerfield, a frequent desert camper, became stuck in the sand in an area most campers know to avoid.
Conklin said that before noon Feb. 2, Westerfield hiked to an encampment of off-road enthusiasts and told a man he was stuck.
http://video.uniontrib.com/news/metro/danielle/20020210-9999_1n10search.html
Tow truck driver: A towing service owner in Imperial Valley mixed up his days when he said the motor home of a suspect in the Danielle van Dam disappearance became stuck in the desert Feb. 2, an investigator said.
David Westerfield, who has been the focus of the investigation into the disappearance of the 7-year-old San Diego girl, was stranded with his motor home Feb. 3, not Feb. 2. Danielle's parents reported her missing the morning of Feb. 2.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/644715/posts?page=56#56
http://www.thesandiegochannel.com/
Neighbor: Scratches and sweating, overly cooperative
Preliminary Trial Offers Additional Details
Trial Expected To Carry On For Several Days
Posted: 6:19 p.m. PST March 11, 2002
SAN DIEGO -- A scratched-up David Westerfield was "overly cooperative" when detectives questioned him two days after 7-year-old Danielle van Dam was discovered missing, according to preliminary hearing testimony Monday.
Detective Johnny Keene said Westerfield had numerous small scratches on his hand and arm when he was interviewed on his front porch the morning of Feb. 4.
Keene was the final witness on the first day of the hearing to determine if there is sufficient evidence to send the girl's accused killer on to trial. "In my opinion, he was overly cooperative," Keene said. "I've been doing this for 16 years. Typically, when we search people's houses, they don't point out places to look. Usually, they ask why we're searching their house." Keene said Westerfield pointed to a number of places in his "immaculate" home where detectives might want to look, including a stack of boxes and a trap door to the attic.
Westerfield also led detectives to a Poway "mountaintop" where he stored his motorhome and accompanied them to the Northeastern substation in Rancho Penasquitos for what turned into a stay of about eight hours, Keene said.
Keene also told the court that, when first questioning Westerfield, he noticed "numerous" scratch marks on his hand and above his wrist. Westerfield reportedly explained that he got scratched the previous day while digging his motorhome out of the sand along a narrow road in Borrego Springs, the second time the vehicle got stuck that weekend.
Keene also said Westerfield was "sweating profusely" as they spoke, even though it was a cool morning and they were standing in the shade.
You know that for a fact? Or just a guess from reading the article?
Douglas H Pierce steps over gate enters at least 6-7' inside, Brenda is moving things around on shelf and picks up a SILVER JOURNAL Brenda asks Douglas H Pierce" how about her Journal and the frog she slept with?"
Brenda picks two things closely associated with Danielle, how very normal and appropriate.
Douglas H Pierce said ....I start backing out of room I HAVE A HORRIBLE DARK DARK DARK feeling come over me. I became emotional, stuttered and stumbling over dog gate going to stair case. Now all three of us (not Damon) are standing at top of stairs Brenda, Douglas H Pierce, Brenda's sister,
It is Pierce who is getting all weird here, not anyone else. Given what he asked for, he is overcome with heebie jeebies.
Come on, this guy is not credible, he's just another fame chasing sicko/con man/drama queen who attemted to insert himself into a highly publicized case, a pretty common occurrence. There's a reason why CPS and the media have both chosen to ignore this cracked pot.
Hint: Cracked pots don't hold water.
Thanks for providing seperate source confirmation of the officer's experience and expertise.
Anxiety, worries grip missing girl's parents http://video.uniontrib.com/news/metro/danielle/20020207-9999_1n7girl.html February 7, 2002
"I visited Danielle's room and it was very emotional, very overwhelming," Pierce said. "There were all her favorite things waiting for her." The room is painted in Danielle's favorite colors, pink with purple trim. Alongside Danielle's bed was her favorite toy, a giant green frog that she hugged at night. A Barbie doll sat near a collection of stuffed toys. A journal was open to the last entry, penned last week about good will, Pierce said.
I was told he didn't become an outspoken critic until after rick roberts started trashing the parents..is that true?
A) I have been provided over 200 latent prints for comparison, yes.
Doesn't say that all 200 hundred were from RV, could easily be 200 prints from all sources in investigation.
cross exam by Atty Feldman
Q) But with regard to the fingerprints seized at the Van Dam residence you've not been able to make identification on any of those yet, is that correct?
OBJECTION beyond the scope
Judge-Sustained.....
We don't know what prints were found/identified at the Van Dams or not, because prosecution and the judge prevented an answer to the question.
Listen to this statement for yourself. For those who want it in print:
Officer: During the course of our investigation, the resident here, his name came up, as someone who had contact with the family. We've talked to him. He is cooperating with us. He's talked to us yesterday, he's talking to us today. We had some things we wanted to check in his house. He allowed us to go into his home and we are doing some things to process the scene and possibly eliminate him as a suspect.
Sorry, Val, this isn't "good interview technique." This is someone "whose name came up as someone who had contact with the family." So, the question remains, who is that pointed the police in Westerfield's direction?
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| Brenda van Dam, the mother of murdered 7-year-old Danielle, fought back tears March 14, 2002 as she described the frantic search for her missing daughter, but was defiant when grilled about her party lifestyle. Van Dam (C),who testified at a preliminary hearing in the high-profile child abduction and murder case, is seen with husband Damon van Dam(L) and friend Susan Wintersteen during an news conference at their San Diego home on Feb. 22. (Fred Greaves/Reuters) |
I don't think so. Rick Robert's started in on the first Friday following her disappearance, and Pierce was there on a Saturday, so Robert's had already started before Pierce's first visit.
Obviously Pierce's tune changed when Brenda and Damon figured out what a cracked charleton he was and summarily through him out. There are mentally ill persons who continually try to insert themselves into major cases. I wish a little LEO birdie would give us the inside dope on this character.
During the course of investigation, they got a list longer than your arm of names of persons who had contact with the family, duh SOP for LEO.
If they had been tipped to him, rather than just his name on the list of recent contacts, they would have put out an APB on the RV, rather than wait for him to return from his usual wknd trip.
He was going to be interviewed regardless of contact, because he lived in the area, and they visited what, 180+ homes? It was the initial contact interview that raised their suspicions, not a tip.
How is that different from your TRUSTED rr POLICE SOURCE?
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After Danielle van Dam was abducted from her Sabre Springs home, neighbors, friends and even strangers volunteered to help out. Some put up fliers in storefronts around the county, and others joined the search party. But many also opened their checkbooks.