Chelsea King: Arrest of Sex Offender Doesn't Bring Missing Teen Home (PICTURES)

By: Edecio Martinez
Topics: Missing

(Personal Photo)

SAN DIEGO (CBS/AP) Will Chelsea King, a 17-year-old high school student from San Diego, be found alive?

Photo: Chelsea King

PICTURES: Chelsea King Missing
PICTURES: Chelsea King Vigil, Family Mourns

On Sunday, a massive search effort, including 1,400 volunteers and 100 law enforcement officers failed to find the straight-A student from Poway High School.

Meanwhile, 75 miles from her home, police arrested John Albert Gardner, a 30-year-old sex offender, who they believe might be tied to the case. Police found physical evidence against Gardner, San Diego County Sheriff William Gore told the Associated Press in an interview.

But so far, Gardner's arrest has not led to King.

Photo: Chelsea King

PICTURES: Chelsea King Missing
PICTURES: Chelsea King Vigil, Family Mourns

"Nothing will change for us until our beautiful daughter, Chelsea King, comes home," her parents Brent and Kelly King said in a statement released through a family spokeswoman Sunday night. "We will continue searching for her, and we ask that all of you do the same until she's back with us."

Photo: Chelsea King

PICTURES: Chelsea King Missing
PICTURES: Chelsea King Vigil, Family Mourns

King disappeared last Thursday after going for a run near Lake Hodges at Rancho Bernardo Community Park in San Diego, a popular regional park full of running trails. Her car, with her cell phone and iPod inside, were found later that night.

Her BMW was found in the park after she failed to return to her home in suburban Poway, Calif. on Thursday, sheriff's spokeswoman Jan Caldwell said.

Gore said the search for King and for further evidence would continue through the night and expand beyond the park.

"There are several searches going on around the county," Gore said. "We are going to refocus some of our search efforts."

That refocusing included deciding what to do with Gardner.

"This investigation is ongoing and specific criminal charges are still being determined," Gore said at a news conference.

Gardner was taken into custody at a restaurant in Escondido shortly after 4 p.m. Sunday and investigators searched his Riverside County home.

Investigators also suspect Gardner could be tied to a Dec. 27 assault on a female jogger from Colorado Springs, Gore said.

He was required to register as a sex offender because of a conviction for lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14, the Megan's Law Web site said.

It was not immediately clear whether Gardner has hired an attorney.

On the Internet, the search for Chelsea King has grown. A Facebook page generated more than 24,000 fans. A Web site was created at findchelsea.com.

Chelsea King is described as 5'5", 115 pounds, petite build and strawberry blonde hair. She was last seen wearing running clothes.

MEDIA
PICTURES: Chelsea King Missing
PICTURES: Chelsea King Vigil, Family Mourns

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by 1lexie1 March 3, 2010 9:17 AM EST

Castration may not prevent murder but every little bit helps until we find some kind of solution.

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by Boxers2Panties September 18, 2010 6:08 AM EDT: Very well said. I, like all parents across America mourn, the tragic loss of Chelsea King. What is so tragic is that it could have been prevented. How? Her attacked should have been surgically castrated earlier when a his sexual predilection for young girls first manifested.

I can speak with first hand experience, castration works. I spent over 20 years in a Texas prison branded a sex offender before evidence helped prove I wasn't guilty of a young girls sexual abuse and murder in a small town in Tyler, Texas in 1977. I arrived to Death Row at 20 years old accused of a sexual offense against a young girl. I had no where to run and no where to hid: I was immediately raped and "turned out" and had to spend the next 20 years in panties as a "prison girl" in exchange for protection. In a desperate effort to stop unwanted negative sexual thoughts brought on exclusively by the sexual abuse as a "prison punk," I attempted to remove my ***** and later my testicles. For nearly two years I didn't have a single hint of a sexual thought or urge.

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind whatsoever that surgical castration is both an effective deterrent and punishment to a perpetrator.


by erb0087 March 2, 2010 6:30 PM EST: by Noval53 March 1, 2010 11:58 PM EST
Young women in America today need to learn the "knife".

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I don't know about that, but they should be instructed in realistic self defense. (Tai Chi is nice, but not necessarily on the street.)

I recommend something like Krav Maga, the one used by the Israeli military.; Reply to this comment

by InterestedD March 2, 2010 4:36 PM EST

Are there any more current/recent pics of John Albert Gardner on the internet? May have some info on this guy but need to see a more recent pic. Can someone provide a link or two? My Googling has turned up nil...

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by erb0087 March 2, 2010 6:24 PM EST: Stitch this one together:

http://media.signonsandiego.com/img/photos/2010/02/28/
gardner_t180.jpg?6ec45598a0efd272cf6d6631efc8bbae7a2ee918


by erb0087 March 2, 2010 6:26 PM EST: Sorry, that appears to be the same as the one CBSNews has.


by longtree-2009 March 2, 2010 9:16 AM EST: why do people, especially females, continue to run alone and in desolate areas? as for sex offenders, what good does it do to let them out of prison, to make them register? sex offenders, violent or not, cannot be watched 24/7 by police or parole officers. the young girl is most likely dead. all of you out there, get a clue and stop jogging alone no matter where you jog, hike, bike, or whatever. wise up, it's your life you're putting on the line.; Reply to this comment

by all4science March 2, 2010 8:16 AM EST

yes i agree with all braintrust10; castrate him; castrate ALL SEX OFFENDERS......the BIBLE says if your eye sin, pluck it out......once a sex offender, almost always a sex offender, unless that thing is cut off, they will go around hurting women, girls and boys.

please stop thinking that THAT sort of thing will never happen to you (chelsea king's mother said that in an interview she din't think it would happen to her girl).......nowhere in America is safe *sometimes not even our own homes); please exercise common sense and live cautiously.....

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by newsterl March 3, 2010 9:10 AM EST: castration doesnt prevent murder!


by Noval53 March 1, 2010 11:58 PM EST: Young women in America today need to learn the "knife". Even a very small woman with a little training and a legal length blade can devastate any attacker with a good sharp blade; especially if the defense is unexpected. Women need to stand up and make such foul attackers pay dearly.; Reply to this comment


by Noval53 March 1, 2010 9:57 PM EST: Young women today need to learn the "knife". With a little training and a legal length knife; even a small woman can stop any attacker with a good sharp blade; especially when the defense is unexpected. Women need to stand up and make attackers like this pay dearly.; Reply to this comment


by ALBrainTrust10 March 1, 2010 9:33 PM EST: I'D SAY WATER BOARD HIM AND THEN WHEN HE CONFESSES....CUT HIS OFFENDING BODY PARTS OFF!; Reply to this comment


by ljdrcbs March 1, 2010 9:24 PM EST: According to the CBS new report this evening, the suspect being arrested had been written up by his psychiatrist stating he should be imprisoned. His Danger rating regarding rating him as a sex offender was a 2 of 1-10. I believe the paperwork trail that led this dirt bag out should be scrutinized and people held accountable to the public for letting this psycho out. It seems we haven't learned anything from other young people that have been torutured by these creeps. We have to hold the judge, parole board, attorneys and anyone else that looks for a loop hole to let these sex offenders out, accountable.; Reply to this comment


by poochie44 March 1, 2010 7:40 PM EST: I hope they find her and I hope she's safe. I also hope they don't let the basturd off again. Sex offenders should never have another chance to reoffend. They can't be rehabilitated and will keep offending until someone stops them. They are worthless on this earth and the only good thing for them would be death. We don't need them.; Reply to this comment