The body of a missing 17-year-old California girl has been found in a shallow grave in an area where authorities had focused their search. The body of Chelsea King was found within a few feet from where one of her running shoes was found earlier.King disappeared Thursday while jogging in Rancho Bernardo Community Park near Lake Hodges.
"A positive ID has not been made, but there is a strong likelihood that we have found Chelsea," San Diego Sheriff William Gore told reporters. "This was our worst fear, that we would find her as we did today."
Authorities had concentrated their five-day search for the missing teen near the banks of Lake Hodges. Chelsea's locked car was found in the parking lot of the community park near the lake. Her cellphone was inside the car.
Suspect In Custody
Police arrested a registered sex offender in connection with King's disappearance three days after she vanished. Investigators said physical evidence linked John Albert Gardner III to her disappearance.
San Diego police Capt. Jim Collins said that evidence also linked Gardner to a Dec. 27 incident in which a 22-year-old Colorado fended off an attacker in the same community park.
Gardner served five years on a six-year sentence for lewd behavior with a minor. He attempted to sexually assault at 13-year-old. He accepted the plea deal and avoided an 11-year sentence. A psychiatrist had recommended the longer sentence because Gardner showed no remorse whatsoever.
Parents Devastated
Chelsea King was an honor student at Poway High school who was on the school cross country team and played French horn in the San Diego Youth Symphony. She also served as a peer mentor at her high school.
Her parents were informed that her body had been found prior to Tuesday's press conference.
"Obviously they are devastated and I ask that you respect their privacy during this extremely difficult time," Gore said.
See Also:
Body Believed to Be Missing California Teen Found
Earlier Article:
Sex Offender Arrested in Chelsea King Case
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Comments
As long as the extremely lenient laws in this country pertaining to violent crime. Crimes like rape and murder continue to be the rule. The rape and murder of innocent young women like Ms. King’s will continue. I’ve always been a staunch advocate of the death penalty. Only in cases where there is overwelming evidence. Because of modern day advancements such as DNA testing. Finding and convicting the perpetrator has become much more precise. I do not believe that the majority of Americans are against the death penalty. I do however believe that because crime has become such a lucretive business. All decisions having anything to do with crime and punishment are political. Let’s face it, the death penalty will never be used as it should be. Becaues of this, violent crime will continue to rise and there will come a day when there are more people in prison than are out. The financial costs of keeping these sub-humans in prison will add a tremendous amount to our taxes. Why should we go to the expense of keeping alive people who do not deserve to breath the same air we do? I’d like to see this once great nation return to the old days of western law. The days when they had public hangings and it didn’t take twenty five years after the murderer committed the crime. Before he or she paid for it. Only through swift and appropriate punishment will crime be reduced. “An eye for an eye.” Ever hear that phrase before? By the way, the correct translation for the biblical sentence. Thou shall not kill.” Is actually, “Thou shall not MURDER.” The Lord did not object to taking the life of murderers.
The “Lord” also murdered, according to the “good” book.
Apart from the many acts of genocide he is said to have perpetrated, I refer to the poor man he zapped, who had done nothing wrong except prevent the “Lord’s” stupid ark from falling to the ground.
“How dare he touch my ark!” said your “forgiving Lord” as he killed the man.
That said, I agree with everything else David says.
Once the authorities became sobsisters, crime began to rise. Now, it is pandemic, and can only be cured by drastic measures. Mollycoddling, kindness are seen as signs of weakness to be taken advantage of, and simply do not work.
Once a man has committed a heinous crime, he has voluntarily and knowingly severed himself from society and no longer deserves the benefit of society’s collective sympathy.
DNA has enabled the authorities to pinpoint miscreants beyond any possible doubt, so sentencing a man to death should never generate feelings of guilt. Rather, it ensures that the guilty will never again commmit another murder.
Most criminals are beyond redemption, no matter what the psychologists tell us. Reform schools are breeding grounds for future criminals.
Leniency is all the encouragement they need to commit further heinous crimes.
Prisons (penitentiaries) are not holiday camps. It is not in a criminal’s psyche to be penitent. He is sorry only because he was caught.
But what do we do? We reward them with three square meals a day, a nice warm cell with a radio and TV, fitness equipment to build up their muscles, sports events to take their minds off their predicament, library books, educational opportunities, and even arrange for celebrities to come in and entertain them — all for free. Prisons are sought not feared!
Make prisons places where no one in his/her right mind would ever want to be!
If the law would have done their job in putting this monster in jail or better yet give him death, Chelsea King would be alive today. I know you should be able to do what you want to, like jogging alone, but in this day and time you should not do anything by yourself. Cell phone in the car; no 38 pistol on her; everyone should arm themselves if they are going to do things by themselves and give the monster a run for their money. Chelsea was a young innocent young lady, thinking she was safe when in reality or acutality nobody is safe from the criminal element. They prey on the young, weak and infirm which usually means a child or woman. Buy a pistol and show the criminal element what for.
It strikes me as dumb the guy who judges God. Cant God do what He wants to whomever He wants? You speak words that are empty. You will be scared to death when the living God judges you. Pray you dont fall into the hands of the living God