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TOW TRUCK DRIVER CLAIMS WESTERFIELD TALKING TO SOMEONE: Phone Records Trace Westerfield's Movements
KNSD NBC ^ | June 13, 2002 | KNSD NBC

Posted on 06/13/2002 4:28:33 PM PDT by FresnoDA

TOW TRUCK DRIVER CLAIMS HE HEARD WESTERFIELD TALKING TO SOMEONE!!!

Phone Records, Witnesses Trace Westerfield's Movements

Witnesses On Day 7 Show Movements

 

POSTED: 12:56 p.m. PDT June 13, 2002
UPDATED: 2:41 p.m. PDT June 13, 2002

 

SAN DIEGO -- The prosecution in the David Westerfield murder trial called on a cell phone company employee and several campers Thursday to verify the defendant's whereabouts the weekend Danielle van Dam disappeared.

A series of calls from Westerfield's cell phone in early February appeared to mirror his rambling motor home trip to the beaches of southern San Diego County and the Imperial Valley deserts, Verizon Wireless representative Greg Sheets testified.

But on cross-examination, Westerfield's defense attorney, Steven Feldman, sought to show that the cell phone calls were not a reliable record of Westerfield's locations that weekend. Under questioning by Feldman, Sheets admitted that the records don't give precise locations and don't identify the user of the phone.

Westerfield is charged with kidnapping and murdering Danielle. He could face the death penalty if he's convicted.

The prosecution also called a series of witnesses who were at Silver Strand State Beach on Saturday, Feb. 2. Westerfield said he drove his motor home to Silver Strand that morning.

Beverly Jean Askey of El Cajon testified that her family was already at the beach when a motor home that she later learned was Westerfield's pulled into a nearby space sometime before 10 a.m. It was a nice, sunny day she said, yet no one came out of the vehicle.

"He just pulled up, he pulled the front window closed and I never saw anyone again," Askey said.

Two other campers said they saw Westerfield's motor home and noticed that it appeared closed up.

Earlier, Angela Elkus, a resident of the Sabre Springs neighborhood where the van Dams and Westerfield lived, answered questions about the motor home. She said she had seen children playing around the vehicle three or four times when it was parked on the street, but she said they were mostly older children. She also talked about a visit to the van Dam home after Danielle disappeared.

  Elkus said she had never been to the home before, but she brought food over for the family on the Sunday after the little girl disappeared. She said that the family's dog appeared "scared, shy, confused and perfectly still" when she came in the house, and it did not bark, she said. Legal analysts say prosecutors want to convince the jury that a stranger could have come into the house and taken Danielle without the dog barking.



TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: vandam; westerfield
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To: cyncooper
" Throw into the mix that Keith, the MH storage guy, stated that DW had *never* before come to pick up his MH and left his SUV at Keith's property. He also always took the trailer with him and his son drove the SUV away. There is a first time for everything, but habit and practice is something to consider when deciding if someone is behaving in an "unusual" way."

According to Keith, DW had taken it out 6-8 times. I don't know that one of six, or even eight, really sets a any kind of complete pattern.

JMO, but if we were talking one of a hundred, then there may be a clear pattern to consider.

461 posted on 06/14/2002 12:37:30 PM PDT by theirjustdue
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To: pinz-n-needlez
Thanks-----so whadya think of my comments? I remember when Dusek talked about not having vials of blood and I immediately flashed in my mind to poor Lang and VanAtter with OJ's blood in a vial! So I thought that was his way of saying the evidence that will be presented could not have been planted. BTW, total speculation alert: I was just reviewing some PH testimony and Danielle's earrings were purchsed at DisneyWorld over the New Year holiday. The van Dams returned home Jan. 2. Keith, the MH guy says last time DW had picked up MH was in Dec. IF anything to do with her earring is found in the MH there is no way it got in there while she snuck into play in it---no opportunity. I have heard nothing to indicate they found an earring back or something in the MH, but when reading the date it struck me. Back in awhile...
462 posted on 06/14/2002 12:38:32 PM PDT by cyncooper
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To: theirjustdue
Hopefully, they will ask the son why he didn't go that weekend as he had done the previous 6 or so times since Nov...was he not invited..was this odd....was he out of town..at a Superbowl party or what??
463 posted on 06/14/2002 12:43:36 PM PDT by Rheo
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To: cyncooper
Keith Sherman had stated DW took the MH out 6-8 times since in storage there as of 11/01...if DW's last time was Dec....all 6-8 times was Nov/Dec.....could that be the reason the son was always with...holiday season..out of school perhaps??
464 posted on 06/14/2002 12:47:39 PM PDT by Rheo
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To: Rheo
"Hopefully, they will ask the son why he didn't go that weekend as he had done the previous 6 or so times since Nov...was he not invited..was this odd....was he out of town..at a Superbowl party or what??"

Good point. I'm sure the son can fill in some details, even if DW never takes the stand.

I do remember it said (I believe in the taped interview of DW) that he was scouting for places he and his son could go on an upcoming 3-day weekend, so the son was apparently not available for this particular trip.

465 posted on 06/14/2002 12:50:53 PM PDT by theirjustdue
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To: Politicalmom
I've also registered on the new site. I don't quite understand it yet and I'm having a hard time keeping up with everything happening here on this thread, but I'm in. I was posting on the Smart case in Utah and got royally reamed in past days by the religious police. Looks like that new site has several missing persons threads. See ya there!
466 posted on 06/14/2002 12:55:03 PM PDT by Canticle_of_Deborah
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To: cyncooper
so whadya think of my comments? I remember when Dusek talked about not having vials of blood and I immediately flashed in my mind to poor Lang and VanAtter with OJ's blood in a vial!

I didn't consider that. My pet theory is that Damon killed her accidentally and then he and/or Brenda stashed her and framed DW. (I reserve the right to revise and extend my theory. :)

I was thinking that Dusek was covering some rushed testing using the pathtic excuse that they didn't have the body yet.

I'll think more on these theories, but life is picking up speed around here and my attention is getting pretty divided.

467 posted on 06/14/2002 1:11:34 PM PDT by pinz-n-needlez
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To: cyncooper
I'm interested in your discussion about the existence or not, of an earring back. Only time will tell.

However, I'm going to take a walk on a limb again here. Call me the eternal Westerfield optimist, but........... I would almost think even more toward framing if an earring back turns up. If that isn't right out of every crime drama we've seen, I don't know what it is.

Having raised two girls and now having three granddaughters, I can tell you (and you may agree) that earring backs do not come off that easily or that often. Try getting a back off a toddler or baby's stud.

I don't at all mean to say that it couldn't or didn't happen, but it would be just so convenient along with all the other peculiarities in this case.

Too much coincidence could start to defeat itself. Think about it.

First we have a chronology of speculated movements that begin with a mysterious entry into a home where any of the occupants would recognize Westerfield, if seen. That's just the beginning of the amazing risky journey. It's redundant to restate all that follows.

Then after more than a few events that don't really add up, we begin to be treated to a little bread crumb trail leading back to David Westerfield. If someone is trying to pin this on an innocent man, perhaps they will leave one crumb too many and the whole slice won't end up looking like the accused.

One never knows. This case is already about as twisted as it can get.

468 posted on 06/14/2002 1:38:15 PM PDT by Southflanknorthpawsis
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To: Southflanknorthpawsis;cyncooper
One of the search warrants issued listed an earring on it. This leads me to believe that they found the back in her room or bed. They really weren't expecting to find the front of it on her body.
469 posted on 06/14/2002 1:44:51 PM PDT by Jaded
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To: Jaded
One of the search warrants issued listed an earring on it. This leads me to believe that they found the back in her room or bed.

Oh....thanks for that info.

You are so good with these details, Jaded. Since I have a hard time keeping up with the minutia and my memory isn't the greatest, I truly appreciate it.

470 posted on 06/14/2002 1:54:45 PM PDT by Southflanknorthpawsis
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To: Southflanknorthpawsis
Danielle had pierced ears, or wore the faux earrings?
471 posted on 06/14/2002 5:11:55 PM PDT by fnord
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To: fnord
She had pierced ears.
472 posted on 06/14/2002 6:09:57 PM PDT by Jaded
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To: Politicalmom
Found a promising message board......

Please ping me

473 posted on 06/14/2002 6:28:09 PM PDT by Beach_Babe
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To: Beach_Babe
Can you post the link?
474 posted on 06/14/2002 6:47:17 PM PDT by jdontom
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To: Southflanknorthpawsis
I don't at all mean to say that it couldn't or didn't happen, but it would be just so convenient along with all the other peculiarities in this case. Too much coincidence could start to defeat itself. Think about it.

I think you've hit the nail on the head about why so many of us feel unease with this case, especially considering that this is a death penalty case.

Everything that has been presented by the prosecution agains DW so far falls under the heading of Denise's word, "creepy." But none of his actions have been illegal in and of themselves. Neither has anything he's done been threatening or endangering anyone.

There is still the forensic evidence, but the prosecutor will have a steep hill to roll that rock up, considering what he has presented so far.

And I wonder if the jury members are wondering, as I am, why doesn't the prosecution figure out some way to convey to me why the VD pizza brats were so quickly removed from the list of possible suspects.

I look forward to the defense phase. Especially the cross examinations, as it will take a lot of effort on the part of the prosecution to punch holes into the many possibile explanations that the defense can provide to the accusations.

475 posted on 06/14/2002 8:37:27 PM PDT by pinz-n-needlez
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To: Southflanknorthpawsis
mysterious entry into a home where any of the occupants would recognize Westerfield, if seen.

Hi----Remember, DW says himself at least twice (to media and to police) that he thought Damon was gone for the weekend and that there was a babysitter there Fri. night. About my speculation about an earring back. If the "real perp" wanted to frame DW, why not the whole earring? Who would think an earring back would be noticed or tied to Danielle in particular. I see Jaded's thought that the back may have been found in the bedroom at home and that is what I have thought, too, before re-reading the dates of earring purchase juxtaposed to recent testimony. It may very well be that is where it was found (in her room). I am looking forward to getting info regarding the search warrants, that's for sure.

476 posted on 06/14/2002 9:10:56 PM PDT by cyncooper
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To: Jaded
The search warrant for the earring....are you referring to the 2/5 warrant on DW's home?...or is there another one??
477 posted on 06/14/2002 9:34:21 PM PDT by Rheo
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To: jdontom
Free Republic Refugee Board
478 posted on 06/14/2002 9:38:16 PM PDT by Beach_Babe
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To: bvw;FresnoDA;spectre;Amore;UCANSEE2;Mrs. Liberty; demsux; MizSterious; Jaded; skipjackcity...
If I may add my 2 cents to this whole moderator banning business.

I see it this way. FR is a conservative political website. These Vandam threads are the most active and the abuse button gets hit way too many times. I think Jim and the Mods have been very patient with these threads and the whinners have overstayed there welcome.

479 posted on 06/14/2002 9:45:21 PM PDT by PFKEY
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To: PFKEY
J.O.A.K.
480 posted on 06/14/2002 9:53:31 PM PDT by FresnoDA
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