TOW TRUCK DRIVER CLAIMS WESTERFIELD TALKING TO SOMEONE: Phone Records Trace Westerfield's Movements

KNSD NBC ^ | June 13, 2002 | KNSD NBC

[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.

[Jaded]

It's not unusual for David Westerfield according to some who have known him for a goodly amount of time.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

From all the speculation we had previously heard about the TTD, his testimony was anti-climactic at best.

Big time backfire, if you ask me. His demeanor was such that he seemed to not care about the truth or understand the gravity of his testimony with a man's life on the line.

Again, pretending I am a juror (aren't we all??...lol), TTD neither came across as truthful nor as if he cared very much about accuracy.

[Rheo]

I did not find any evidence testimony regarding her hair found in MH...a poster awhile back had said something about the damning evidence of her hair and blood in the sink....I cannot find anything that addressess that in the testimonies....is there testimony that I missed regarding this or was that just a Nancy Grace statement??

[Rheo]

Keith Sherman, the MH storage man, said his brother in law called him to ask if he wanted a MH stored there....the bro in law must know DW...do we know who he is?

[Rheo]

That should read son in law....NOT bro in law

[Jaded]

The hair came out in a "leak" before the trial started. Presumably if it is there we will see it along with the 3 hairs that were found in the ball of dryer lint found in the trash can in the garage. I will check my dryer lint from now on.

I have never heard of any blood other than the 3 samples taken from the RV. Maybe some time this week Dusek will quit his parade of WW's (worthless witnesses) and get on to his acutal evidence.... maybe not.

Note to Mr. Dusek: Are we going to see evidence? Ever?

[Rheo]

I didn't see testimony regarding the lint ball either..was that a leak too or did I miss it?

[Karson]

I didn't see testimony regarding the lint ball either..was that a leak too or did I miss it?

I'm almost certain we heard that in opening statements.

[Karson]

In post #492....Any speculations on how the prosecution will explain the 2-3 millimeter, smeared drop of blood on the drivers curtain at the front of the cab?

I'm wondering if they are going to say that DW had Danielle's blood on his hand when he closed the curtain in the front of the MH. Maybe?

[Rheo]

But we haven't yet heard a witness testify to it, have we?..I imagine they only put on the minimum amt out witnesses at PH and we will hear from more who performed tests.

[Rheo]

minimum amount of..correction on above post

[cyncooper]

Hair in sink and lint comes from opening statement at this trial and was info not known before (not a leak). It has not been testified to yet, of course.

[Rheo]

Forgot to tell you..I was wrong about the mirrored closet doors in Danielles room being offset so the perp probably wouldn't have seen his image...ooops!

[cyncooper]

Friendly argumentative question here: What about the objective facts he testified to? Fact: DW was stuck in sand in a spot it was not unheard of, but kind of unusual for motorists to be. Fact: Once extricated, DW took off leaving his property (ramps/levelers) behind?

I do not draw a conclusion from voice testimony. I believe he thought he heard DW speak and stopped what he was doing and went up to him and said "what?", but that does not mean DW said anything and wouldn't explain if it was an exclamation to himself or something else.

I am not saying the above facts are sinister by themselves, but when talking about the truthfulness of the TT driver he did impart some facts that will be part of the story.

[Rheo]

Ok thanks...I'll quit looking for it then.

[Karson]

Do you think they are stalling on the DNA testimony, possibly waiting for more test results? Or do you think they are waiting until closer to the end of their case thinking it will have more impact on the jury? Isn't it true that we remember the most recent things we've heard. It's hard for me to 'read' the prosecution's strategy so far.

[Karson]

So, you think the perp probably would have seen his image in the closet mirrors?

[cyncooper]

I heard some pundits say forensic evidence may begin next week. I would guess they're reporter on the scene may have a source for that. We'll see!

[cyncooper]

they're=their (sheesh)

[Rheo]

Looking at the picture again...it's possible...curious as to if the closet door on the left was open or closed when she was discovered missing...but that would have to be BVD's testimony as she entered first and looked for her...hers is not the most realible testimony!!