John Mark Karr's Computer Is Gone

But Officials Say 2001 Case Against Ex-JonBenet Suspect Will Proceed

(AP)  Efforts to prosecute one-time JonBenet Ramsey murder suspect John Mark Karr on child pornography charges should not be jeopardized even though his computer that allegedly contained the images was lost, Sonoma County authorities said Wednesday.

Authorities seized the computer from Karr's home in 2001 and copied the entire hard drive onto paper, including the five illicit images, said Sheriff's Department Lt. Dave Edmonds. He said authorities looked for the computer for the past two weeks, but have had no luck.

"We did an exhaustive search. We have probably hundreds of thousands of evidence items and we're certain at this point, through a couple of weeks of effort, that it's not misplaced inside of our property unit," he said.

Karr, 41, has maintained his innocence in the case.

On Tuesday, prosecutors offered Karr a plea deal that would waive three of the five child pornography possession charges against Karr if he pleaded guilty to the two remaining ones. Karr would get credit for time served, would be placed on probation for three years and would be required to register as a sex offender.

"I wonder if that was the impetus of the offer today," Karr's attorney, Robert Amparan, said. "It seems like a pretty embarrassing mistake for the Sheriff's Department to admit."

Assistant District Attorney Larry Scoufos denied any connection between the missing computer and the plea deal offer.

Karr first made headlines when he was arrested last month after making phone calls and writing e-mails suggesting he killed JonBenet, a six-year-old beauty queen, in her Boulder, Colo., home in 1996.

He was returned to the U.S. from Thailand only to have the Ramsey case collapse when DNA failed to connect him to the crime.

[kriseee11]

I think it's a wise choice to let him to be in jail for what he did since I am I true friend and his attroney I have to say that he is innocent and not Guilty and he was never nelgtful of Pasty Ramesy and like I sayed if he find's me by this comment I will call nine one one and I am not kidden about this either my parent's as well.

[whatever1978]

It would be best just to castrate child molesters and be done with it.

[apdepetris]

Great, this guy would get 3 years probation and would have to register as a *** offender. Bottom line - this creep will be back on the streets ready to harm other children. It disgusts me that the justice system is unable to keep these guys locked away. In recent years how many repeat offenders have we seen in the news. First they look at images of hildren. Then they act inappropriately and molest children. Then they escalate to killing children. Do we see a pattern yet?! If a person molests or rapes a child they should not be let out again period. They are not going to be rehabilitated. They are going to do it again. How many of these second- or third- (or more) time losers do we have to see to do something about it.

[mjv2944]

Put this low life and all the others like him away. They do not need to be allowed to roam the streets of any country. They cannot be changed no matter what the so called experts say. Go to a trail of one these pedators and see what they have done to the victim. It is a sad sight to see. I think he was afraid to be put in a Thailand jail.