David A. Westerfield California

David A. Westerfield is an inmate on death row in the state of

California..

Crime

Westerfield abducted a 7-year-old girl, Danielle van Dam from her house next door. Her body was found three weeks later in a wooded area near San Diego.

Defendant  spent  the  weekend  after  Danielle’s disappearancedriving around in his motorhomeawayfrom his housein the Sabre Springs neighborhood of San Diego to various state  parks  outside  the  San  Diego  area.   

He  had  awkward encounters  with  rangers  and  volunteers  who  worked at  the Silver Strand state park near the city of Coronado.On Monday morning, defendant arrived in his motorhome at his  neighborhooddry  cleaner’s shortly after the business openedto have bedding and a jacket cleaned.  Although it was a cold  morning,  he  was  wearing  a  thin  T-shirt,  thin  shorts,  no shoes,and no socks.

An examination ofthe forensic evidence revealed that the jacket  that  defendant  left  at  the  dry  cleaner’s contained Danielle’s blood.  Danielle’s blood was also found on the carpet of defendant’s motorhome between the bathroom and the closet; her handprint, including several associated fingerprints,was on a cabinet above the motorhome’s bed.  Hairs consistent  withDanielle’s DNA   profile   were   found   in   the   bathroom   of defendant’s motorhomeand  at  his  residence  in  hiswashing machine,  dryer,  and  on the  bedding from his masterbedroom.  Fibers  matching otherslater found with Danielle’s body were discoveredin  defendant’s  motorhome,SUV, laundry, and bedding. Fibers similar to thosefrom the carpeting in Danielle’s bedroom were found by the bed, in the bathroom, and in the hall of defendant’s motorhome.  Hairs from the Van Dams’ family dog were discoveredon one of the comforters defendant dropped off at the dry cleaner’s, on the hallway carpet and bathroom rug in defendant’s motorhome, and in defendant’s laundry. 

Address

David A. Westerfield T77622

San Quentin State Prison Death Row

San Quentin, CA 94974

Links of Interest

Danielle's Legacy

People v Westerfield

Videos of Interest

Notes

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