Bug expert shakes central prosecution theory |
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Was David Westerfield already under police surveillance when Danielle van Dam's body was dumped along a roadside? A defense insect expert testified Wednesday at Westerfield's capital murder trial in San Diego that bugs recovered from the 7-year-old's autopsy indicate that her body was outside a much shorter time than prosecutors claim. In graphic and often disturbing testimony, forensic entomologist David Faulkner, who attended the autopsy at police invitation, told jurors that insects first infested the second-grader's corpse between Feb. 16 and Feb. 18. He said infestation can begin immediately after a dead body is dumped and can be set within 20 minutes. Danielle went missing from her bedroom the night of Feb. 1 and Westerfield was trailed by police around the clock beginning Feb. 5. Searchers found the body Feb. 23. Prosecutors have suggested that Westerfield, a 50-year-old engineer who lived across the street from the van Dams, killed Danielle and disposed of her body between Feb. 2 and Feb. 4. But Faulkner said "none of the maggots I looked at would indicate that" she was left outside before Feb. 4. Prosecutor Jeff Dusek suggested Faulkner's conclusions might be skewed by "extremely abnormal" weather temperatures in San Diego last February. Faulkner acknowledged that the record-setting heat, warm winds and lack of rain severely diminished the number of flies in the area. In fact, Faulkner said, he had never seen fewer flies than last February. But, the witness noted, whatever flies were in the area should have been drawn to the body and he found no evidence that they were present before Feb. 16. Because of Judge William Mudd's previously scheduled vacation, the trial will be in recess until July 22. |
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