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I'm waiting for those transcripts to appear on the U-T site, as I didn't get to hear as much of the testimony as you folks did. But let me also say I'm hearing all kinds of different "conclusions" that the bug man was supposed to have made. Some people are saying he agreed with the prosecution as a bottom line; others are saying he said Feb. 16th at the earliest. So I see I'll have some reading to do this weekend!

However, if he did say that, bottom line, Feb. 16th was the earliest she could have been there (or even 10 days earlier than that--DW was under constant surveillance since the 4th), then I really have to say he could NOT have done this crime, period, that's it, all she wrote folks.

However, I haven't heard much said about the area and the weather. I don't think the weather would have had as much of an effect on the flies as Dusek et al would have us believe.

Here's the thing about the flies in that area that I think we should keep in mind. They keep saying it was a "rural" area like that should make a difference. It doesn't. Even in rural areas, there are wild critters. Wild critters defecate, and where they do, flies congregate. Foliage rots. Hikers and mountain bikers (it was on a well-known mountain bike trail) drop food. Food draws flies.

They mentioned the housing development a mile or so away--but didn't mention the golf course that is much closer. There is a clubhouse there, and they throw out garbage. Golfers snack, and leave crumbs or even toss whole chunks of food in the trash. This draws flies. And there was the illegal dumping--along with the tires and mattresses, there could have been food items as well. All drawing flies. And flies love to live in tires--along with mosquitos.

To say a fly wouldn't find this body for weeks seems unlikely to a non-expert like me. Just try it sometime. Go out in the country, get as far away from civilization as you can. And count the minutes (maybe seconds) until you notice a fly or several flies. You can hear them buzzing all around you in some pretty remote places. The only time I have not seen flies was in the dead of winter in Vermont.

Places with mild climates like San Diego should have a proliferation of flies at that time of the year. It might have seemed cool to locals, but it was still warm enough for flies.

And another question..... did I hear the body had mummified?

How long does that take?

If you go back to the previous thread, I posted my thoughts on what the bugman said.

I was transcribing the bugman's testimony, so, (1) I listened very closely, and (2) I was doing so with an open mind.

Instead of just hearing what I wanted to , then ignoring the rest, or chatting online, I was forced to listen and type only. It gives a better picture.

Anyway, my conclusion was similar to yours, and some other posters.

He said the BODY couldn't have been there any later Than about Feb 16th, due to fly evidence. He also said they were 1st generation flies. More evidence it hadn't been there or exposed to the elements long.

He also said, due to LACK of beetle grubs, that there was a HIGH PROBABILITY it wasn't there BEFORE Feb 16th.

He said it WAS UNUSUAL, not finding ANY beetle grubs on the body, and not finding any MAGGOT MASS in the BRAINCASE.

This, was unexplainable, to him.

There were factors brought up (such as was the body contained for a while after it was dumped, which prevented the maggots,beetles, etc from invading), that could have affected his conclusions. The LE's and Examiner said there was NO EVIDENCE the body had been COVERED.

SO, bottom line, looks like the body was there after Feb 16th, but this guy is basing this on the fly EVIDENCE, and the LACK of beetle evidence. SO, proofwise, it is still not %100 percent.

The jury , depending on how open minded they are, could have taken the bug guy's info either way.

On the SND there are pages for Bug Succession, Feb Weather at El Cajon (Dehesa), on the Info Page there are links to Forensic Entomology...and a lovely song under Take Away

Stealth Ninja Dave

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the Dehesa site near the Singing Hills Golf Course? Providing plenty of irrigation, I'm guessing to support flies even in a drought?

The whole weather thing promoted by Dusek was destroyed by one question from Feldman on redirect. The weather condictions would not change the experts opinion that the body was dumped within a few days of 2/16 and that there is no way to explain the absence of insect evidence that would permit the establishment of an earlier date for the disposal of the body. In other words, there is no way DW could have disposed of the body. Someone murdered Danielle, but it wasn't David Westerfield.