Could photos from Seattle storage locker provide clues in serial killings?
Authorities in California wonder if thousands of photographs of women found in a Shoreline storage locker more than 30 years ago could point to additional victims of a notorious serial killer facing the death penalty.
By Christine Clarridge / Seattle Times staff reporter / March 11, 2010
Authorities wonder if thousands of photographs found in a Shoreline storage locker more than 30 years ago could point to additional victims of a notorious serial killer facing the death penalty in California for the murders of four women and a 12-year-old girl.
Police and prosecutors released the decades-old photos on Wednesday after amateur photographer and serial killer Rodney James Alcala, 66, was convicted by a California jury, which recommended the death penalty.
Authorities said they hope the release of the photographs will lead to the identification of the subjects and possibly reveal whether Alcala may have had additional victims.
Huntington Beach, Calif., police Detective Patrick Ellis said Thursday that he has already heard from one person who claims to know one of the subjects of Alcala's photos, a woman who has been listed as a missing person for decades.
Alcala was arrested in connection with the slaying of 12-year-old Robin Samsoe of Orange County about a month after the girl's body was found in 1979.
On Tuesday, a jury recommended death for Alcala for the murders of Samsoe and four women who were killed between 1977 and 1979.
(snip)
Jurors took just an hour to return the death recommendation after a six-week trial in which Alcala represented himself and took the stand in his own defense. Alcala also relied on a 1978 clip of himself as a winning contestant on "The Dating Game" in his rambling, and sometimes incoherent defense.
READ ABOUT DEMENTED SERIAL KILLER RODNEY ALCALA...
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011322181_serialkiller12m.html
HELP IDENTIFY THE PHOTOS OF MISSING GIRLS...
Authorities in California ask that if anyone has information about the people in the photos to please contact Huntington Beach police Detective Patrick Ellis at 714-375-5066, or e-mail pellis@hbpd.org.
"TAKING BITES OUT OF CRIME NEWS!" MURDERS, VANISHED, MISSING, MYSTERIES, FORENSICS, COLD CASE, MOST WANTED, CRIME TIP LINES
Friday, March 12, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
HOLMDEL, NJ: EX-MODEL CARINA SCHLESINGER KILLS DANIEL CRESCI, SELF
Former model kills boyfriend and herself in Holmdel tragedy
By Sue Epstein / Julie O’Connor and David Giambusso contributed to this report.
March 06, 2010, 10:00PM
No one had heard from Daniel Cresci for days — not his mother, his father or his friends. By Wednesday evening, they were worried.
In their search to find him, his younger brother and a friend said they drove to the house of his girlfriend, former model Carina Schlesinger.
As they approached her cottage in a rural section of Holmdel, they were overwhelmed by the smell of gasoline. In the darkness, Jonathan Cresci and Scott Broschart saw what looked like a candle flickering in a back window — and then flames.
It was only later they learned that the loud explosion that followed was former model Carina Schlesinger shooting herself in the head, Broschart, a longtime friend of Cresci, said in an interview yesterday.
Before committing suicide on Wednesday evening, Schlesinger, 36, had shot 29-year-old Daniel Cresci to death in her one-bedroom home on Red Hill Road. Then, she set the house on fire and shot herself, authorities said.
(snip)
Schlesinger had previously made headlines in 2004, when she was the victim of an attempted rape in New York City’s Central Park. She had been walking her Shepherd mix, Cookie, when assailant Tito Rodriguez grabbed her by the hair and ordered her to perform a sex act on him, police said.
Schlesinger and her dog fought back. The DNA tests conducted on the blood drawn by Cookie’s bites eventually led investigators to Rodriguez, who was ultimately sentenced to 125 years in prison.
READ STUNNING STORY OF CARINA SCHLESINGER MURDER-SUICIDE...
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/03/holmdel_woman.html
By Sue Epstein / Julie O’Connor and David Giambusso contributed to this report.
March 06, 2010, 10:00PM
No one had heard from Daniel Cresci for days — not his mother, his father or his friends. By Wednesday evening, they were worried.
In their search to find him, his younger brother and a friend said they drove to the house of his girlfriend, former model Carina Schlesinger.
As they approached her cottage in a rural section of Holmdel, they were overwhelmed by the smell of gasoline. In the darkness, Jonathan Cresci and Scott Broschart saw what looked like a candle flickering in a back window — and then flames.
It was only later they learned that the loud explosion that followed was former model Carina Schlesinger shooting herself in the head, Broschart, a longtime friend of Cresci, said in an interview yesterday.
Before committing suicide on Wednesday evening, Schlesinger, 36, had shot 29-year-old Daniel Cresci to death in her one-bedroom home on Red Hill Road. Then, she set the house on fire and shot herself, authorities said.
(snip)
Schlesinger had previously made headlines in 2004, when she was the victim of an attempted rape in New York City’s Central Park. She had been walking her Shepherd mix, Cookie, when assailant Tito Rodriguez grabbed her by the hair and ordered her to perform a sex act on him, police said.
Schlesinger and her dog fought back. The DNA tests conducted on the blood drawn by Cookie’s bites eventually led investigators to Rodriguez, who was ultimately sentenced to 125 years in prison.
READ STUNNING STORY OF CARINA SCHLESINGER MURDER-SUICIDE...
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/03/holmdel_woman.html
Monday, March 8, 2010
AMBER DUBOIS: FAMILY GRIEF, MOURNING, PUBLIC MEMORIAL
ESCONDIDO: Family, community mourn Amber Dubois
By SARAH GORDON - sgordon@nctimes.com
Posted: March 7, 2010 10:25 pm
Staff writers Teri Figueroa and Mark Walker contributed to this report.
After more than a year of rallying the public to bring 14-year-old Amber Dubois home alive, her family on Sunday retreated in grief at the news the missing girl was found dead. The community began its mourning, too.
Amber's skeletal remains were found north of the Pala Indian Reservation Saturday morning by police and sheriff's detectives following a tip, Escondido police Chief Jim Maher said Sunday at a news conference.
Amber's father Maurice Dubois and mother Carrie McGonigle learned the news Saturday evening, Maher said. They attended Sunday's press conference, but appeared too aggrieved to speak at length.
With wet eyes and a faraway look, a hunched Maurice Dubois briefly thanked volunteers who had helped search for his daughter. McGonigle stood by his side, also tearful.
Ever since Amber, a bookish freshman, disappeared without a trace on her way to school at Escondido High on Feb. 13, 2009, her parents have said they believed she was alive, most probably abducted by someone who was keeping her against her will.
Only last week, when 30-year-old registered sex offender John Albert Gardner was arrested on suspicion of killing 17-year-old Chelsea King near Lake Hodges, did they begin speaking openly about the possibility that Gardner, who lived in Escondido from 2008 until early 2010, might have killed their daughter.
READ STORY OF AMBER DUBOIS. STILL NEED TO FIND KILLER...
http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/escondido/article_f498c3d9-201e-525d-821a-6c4a7472e43d.html
By SARAH GORDON - sgordon@nctimes.com
Posted: March 7, 2010 10:25 pm
Staff writers Teri Figueroa and Mark Walker contributed to this report.
After more than a year of rallying the public to bring 14-year-old Amber Dubois home alive, her family on Sunday retreated in grief at the news the missing girl was found dead. The community began its mourning, too.
Amber's skeletal remains were found north of the Pala Indian Reservation Saturday morning by police and sheriff's detectives following a tip, Escondido police Chief Jim Maher said Sunday at a news conference.
Amber's father Maurice Dubois and mother Carrie McGonigle learned the news Saturday evening, Maher said. They attended Sunday's press conference, but appeared too aggrieved to speak at length.
With wet eyes and a faraway look, a hunched Maurice Dubois briefly thanked volunteers who had helped search for his daughter. McGonigle stood by his side, also tearful.
Ever since Amber, a bookish freshman, disappeared without a trace on her way to school at Escondido High on Feb. 13, 2009, her parents have said they believed she was alive, most probably abducted by someone who was keeping her against her will.
Only last week, when 30-year-old registered sex offender John Albert Gardner was arrested on suspicion of killing 17-year-old Chelsea King near Lake Hodges, did they begin speaking openly about the possibility that Gardner, who lived in Escondido from 2008 until early 2010, might have killed their daughter.
READ STORY OF AMBER DUBOIS. STILL NEED TO FIND KILLER...
http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/escondido/article_f498c3d9-201e-525d-821a-6c4a7472e43d.html
Sunday, March 7, 2010
SAN DIEGO: AMBER DUBOIS BODY FOUND NEAR PALA RESERVATION
Remains of Amber Dubois found in Pala
By Kristina Davis, UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
updated March 7, 2010 at 4:41 p.m
The skeletal remains of missing Escondido teenager Amber Dubois have been found more than a year after she vanished while walking to school one morning, authorities announced Sunday.
“The discovery was made in the early morning hours Saturday in a very rugged and remote area of Pala,” said Escondido Police Chief Jim Maher. “Escondido police and sheriff’s homicide detectives were following a lead in the case when they made the discovery.”
The remains, found north of the Pala reservation, were positively identified through dental records Saturday afternoon.
Maher, flanked by Sheriff Bill Gore and FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Keith Slotter, declined to answer any questions at the 5-minute news conference at the Escondido Police Department, citing the ongoing murder investigation. He said the investigation would be a joint effort between the three agencies.
“Any details, no matter how slight, would be inappropriate to reveal at this time,” Maher said.
Amber’s parents, Moe Dubois and Carrie McGonigle, expressed their thanks for the immense search effort.
READ THE UPDATE ON AMBER DUBOIS DISCOVERY...
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/mar/07/bn07amberpresser/?imw=Y
By Kristina Davis, UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
updated March 7, 2010 at 4:41 p.m
The skeletal remains of missing Escondido teenager Amber Dubois have been found more than a year after she vanished while walking to school one morning, authorities announced Sunday.
“The discovery was made in the early morning hours Saturday in a very rugged and remote area of Pala,” said Escondido Police Chief Jim Maher. “Escondido police and sheriff’s homicide detectives were following a lead in the case when they made the discovery.”
The remains, found north of the Pala reservation, were positively identified through dental records Saturday afternoon.
Maher, flanked by Sheriff Bill Gore and FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Keith Slotter, declined to answer any questions at the 5-minute news conference at the Escondido Police Department, citing the ongoing murder investigation. He said the investigation would be a joint effort between the three agencies.
“Any details, no matter how slight, would be inappropriate to reveal at this time,” Maher said.
Amber’s parents, Moe Dubois and Carrie McGonigle, expressed their thanks for the immense search effort.
READ THE UPDATE ON AMBER DUBOIS DISCOVERY...
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/mar/07/bn07amberpresser/?imw=Y