30-year-old registered sex offender John Gardner appeared in a San Diego courtroom today for a status conference in his murder trial. Gardner was charged last week with the rape and murder of 17-year-old Chelsea King from San Diego…. who was missing for a week before her remains were found in a shallow grave near the shoreline of a local lake.
In court Gardner seemed quiet and cooperative and agreed to a delay in his preliminary hearing from next week to August 4th. His attorneys said they were behind on receiving and reviewing police reports and other paperwork, and needed more time. The Judge agreed.
Late yesterday the nearby Escondido Police Department announced they too were looking at Gardner in connection with the disappearance and murder of another young San Diego girl missing for more than a year, 14-year-old Amber Dubois. Her remains were discovered over the weekend in North San Diego County.
Authorities won’t say exactly why they’re looking at Gardner as a possible suspect in the Amber Dubois case…but there are similarities. Both Dubois and King disappeared while out by themselves and not too far from each other. John Gardner is a registered sex offender who lives in the area, so police would be looking at him anyway. There are probably other factors that that have yet to be revealed.
Gardner was convicted back in 2000 of molesting a 13 year old girl. According to court records, a psychiatrist recommended the the longest prison sentence possible under the guidelines, because he showed no remorse and was likely to endanger other underage girls. However he ended up serving just five of a six year shortened sentence.
Gardner has pleaded not guilty to killing Chelsea king.
No word in court today about the charges relating to Amber Dubois.
Judge David Danielson has issued a gag order on the case which prohibits anyone associated with the court trial from talking to the media.