John Gardner sentenced to life for killing Amber Dubois and Chelsea King

After the parents of his two murder victims made anguished and angry comments about their loss,    registered sex offender John Albert Gardner III was formally sentenced Friday to life in prison without the chance of parole.

The families of Amber Dubois, 14, and Chelsea King, 17, spoke in a San Diego County Superior Court of the bright, innocent lives that were violently destroyed by Gardner.

The courtroom was packed with family members, investigators and reporters -- many of whom had tears in their eyes.  One of his victims, who managed to get away from him during the attack, also addressed the courtroom.

The Dubois family played a home video showing an energetic teen who was a member of the 4-H Club in high school and who loved spending time with her grandmother and keeping in touch with friends on the Internet.

The King family also played a video and spoke of their daughter as a perfect child, an honors student destined for college and a career helping others.

Gardner sat at a table in green prison clothes, looking down, tears rolling down his face.

Gardner, 31, pleaded guilty last month to murdering the teens, both during rape attempts. He admitted strangling Chelsea and stabbing Amber. As part of a plea bargain, he was spared the death penalty.

Amber disappeared in February 2009 while walking to class at Escondido High School. King vanished a year later while jogging near Lake Hodges. A pair of panties found on the jogging path two days later led investigators to Gardner, whose DNA was in a state database after his five-year prison sentence for attacking a 13-year-old girl.

After his arrest for the King murder, Gardner admitted killing Amber and led investigators to her remains northeast of Escondido.

In a television interview while in jail, Gardner said he was seized by an uncontrollable rage and could not stop when he began attacking the two victims. He blamed a life full of disappointment and maltreatment.

Both families have called for changes in how the criminal justice system treats sex offenders. The King family, with the backing of a state legislator and Gov. Schwarzenegger, has called for a “Chelsea’s Law” that would give life sentences to sex offenders who attack minors, and also requiring a lifetime of GPS monitoring for sex criminals.

Amber’s mother and father have criticized the system for letting Gardner out of prison early and for not putting him back behind bars when he was found to be violating his parole, among other things, by living close to a school.

Chelsea's father called Gardner “a creature.” Amber's father said Gardner was an animal-like “predator” that should never have been let loose.

The case has also occasioned confrontation between the local media and both the court system and law enforcement agencies. The King and Dubois families have pleaded with the courts and law enforcement to restrict the information provided about the attacks. Superior Court judges have required court hearings before releasing search warrants, normally a routine event.

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, Escondido Police Department and county medical examiner have all declined to release documents about their investigation, the arrest of Gardner and the autopsies done on the victims. Dist. Atty. Bonnie Dumanis has asked officials not to discuss the case with reporters.

Such official silence has left unanswered the questions about how diligently the Escondido police searched for Amber and what considerations led Dumanis to decide to accept a plea bargain.

Before Dumanis’ request to be silent, Escondido police told the North County Times that they had had several contacts with Gardner before and after Amber's appearance and apparently knew he was a sex offender but did not consider him a suspect.

A search warrant filed after his arrest indicated the Escondido police stopped Gardner just days after Amber's disappearance a few blocks from Escondido High after a woman reported that he was following her.

In his interview with KFMB-Channel 8, Gardner said the idea of a plea bargain was brought to him by his attorneys and that he had not requested it.

In his interview with the television station, Gardner said, “I hate myself, I really do. There is no taking back what I did, and if I could, yes I would. Are you kidding me?

"But I was out of control. If I was able to stop myself in the middle of it, I would have, and I could not. I was out of control."

-- Tony Perry in San Diego

Photo: Fox 5 San Diego

Comments

[Hollywood Dog]

Don't fret. I am sure some criminal defense advocates such as those associated with a local university will take up Gardner's cause and file appeals to have him released sometime in the future.

Hypothetically, the case could wind up in the Supreme Court and justices such as the the "wise Latina" or soon to be confirmed "I don't have any judicial experience" Kagan can order him released.

Don't be surprised to see this low life, homicidal maniac hunting for his next prey in your neighborhood sometime in the future.

[your's truely]

It seems that after every murdered girl or person they come up with a law. Why can't they get it right the first time.

[Tee]

The plea deal was the only way to get him to cop to Amber's murder. In that respect, I too am satisfied with the outcome.

Besides, death row is a ridiculously long process that burdens the state with appeals and future trial dates and drags out the agonizing torture for the families.

This truly is the best our laws can provide at this time. It's done.

[Michelle]

Disguisting. He should never have been let out of jail in the first place. I think rapist, murderers, child molestors, sex offenders, they should all be put to death. I HATE when people say "They can be rehibilitated". No, they can not. They are sick in the head and no amount of counsling can fix it.

If law makers would stop being so damn concerend with criminals "rights" and realize they are CRIMINALS, they do not deserve any rights, than stuff like this would stop happening. Innocent children would not be victimized. Families would not be torn apart. Criminals have taken away the rights of the innocent, WHY should they have any rights at all?

The justice system makes me ill.

[jennifer C]

Does California really want the worst of the worst locked up, like this prime example. Or do you want to lock up people for personal problems like drugs. They say that 1 in 100 people become incarcerated in their lifetime.

I personally would like to see the prisons just take these types, types that can't be rehabilitated and that they be kept there as long as they need be to protect our citizens.

[Smokey Da Weedy]

out of control? more like out of your mind! i think life in prison is better then the death penalty anyday...

[Gene Venable]

People who urinate in a hypothetically public place are considered sex offenders. Do you really think they should be put to death? Our laws need to be fixed.

[TedLATimes]

I'm glad they didn't kill him... the death penalty sicken me... it's a relic from the past.

This guy... what he did was very very wrong, but I'm more satisfied with this outcome than I would be if they had killed him.

[Frustrated]

If the law is hard on criminals, murders, law breakers, etc. perhaps these people will think twice or thrice before committing a crime! I think it's time for draconian laws to take place. Put those on life sentence to death! After all, they're dead men/women walking in the prisons anyway. What's the point of sustaining their lives...? It's a waste of tax payer money!!! That money can go to education, library, fire control, etc.!

[gail powell]

I was there today and as you can imagine, it was a very emotional and heart-wrenching afternoon. I think the families kept themselves composed and delivered powerful statements. Hopefully, closure will soon follow-as best as can be expected. The work of the Chelsea's Light Foundation will now kick into high gear-it is imperative that we get as many signatures possible for the Chelsea' s Law petition and here's hoping our friends in the Los Angeles community will be willing to sign in memory of these 2 lovely girls lives that were lost to this devil.

[Robert Dominguez]

Yes, I agree that this type of criminal cannot be rehabilitated. He admitted that he could not control himself. Some child molestors and rapists have committed their repeat crimes HOURS after their release from prison. Yes, the drive, the fixation, the fantasy, the adventure, the lust, the persuasion of ownership, the sexual arousal that is akin to that of an amoral animal will not allow a man like Gardner to prevent himself from doing what he did. Nevertheless, I do believe in miracles. But I am positive that they will not be accomplished by secular therapists, counselors and assorted behavioral diagnosticians. They have their functions, but rehabilitation and miracles are not included. Miracles are performed by God, and they happen every day.