Amber Dubois’ parents received the grim news that their daughter who has been missing for 13 months has been found. On Friday night the parents were hopeful their daughter was still alive as the Escondido Police Department searched Kit Carson Park for clues to the missing teenager.
That all ended today as Escondido Police Chief Jim Maher said, “The discovery was made in the early morning hours Saturday in a very rugged and remote area of Pala. Escondido police and Sheriff’s homicide detectives were following a lead in the case when they made the discovery.”
The remains found near the Pala reservation and Pala Casino, were positively identified using Amber’s dental records Saturday afternoon.
Maher, Sheriff Bill Gore and FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Keith Slotter, did not answer any questions at the brief press conference held at the Escondido Police Department. Maher explained the remains were part of an ongoing police investigation and there were three separate agencies working the Amber Dubois and Chelsea cases.
“The entire community, everybody who helped out with the search effort, and above all our huge volunteer corps, they are the most dedicated people and without them we couldn’t have done anything,” said the visibly upset father Moe Dubois.
When asked if the reward for information leading to Amber’s disappearance would be in play, Sheriff Gore declined to answer leading to more questions as to how the skeletal remains were located.
The local convenience store in Pala, yielded chatter that Amber was most likely found because John Gardner, who is charged with Chelsea King’s rape and murder wanted to get out of the death penalty.
However, the San Diego Union Tribune is reporting that the tip came in the form of a concerned resident. “The entire Chelsea King event emotionally pulled at somebody who had this information,” said Bill Garcia a PI hired by the Dubois family. “They’ve seen the community in a lot of pain. Someone who had been afraid to say something finally came forward.”
A half-hour drive north of Escondido would be Amber’s final resting place. Her skeletal remains were recovered off Pala-Temecula Road in the rocky hillside of a bustling highway located between two casinos.
The Sheriff’s deputies were parked along the highway in nondescript SUVs, but were easy to spot because the officers were standing outside their vehicles. Ask if the crime scene was up or down, they pointed up a mile-long road into a wooded section of the hillside. Once their cover was blown, the Sheriff’s Department called Caltrans to place crime scene tape along the roadside and clear two members of the media.
The Escondido Police Department announced more details would be forthcoming at another press conference tomorrow.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner
Comments
Hmmm, someone has known for a long time where Amber was buried, but just now came forward? This should be good. How does one keep a secret like that? Is this Gardner's relative or friend? Is it one of those two young men who came by Thursday morning to paint over the message left for Gardner's family in RB? I still think it has something to do with Gardner. Hope they can tie him to it otherwise we still have a killer on the loose.
Thank God the Dubois family finally has closure. Rest in Peace Amber and Chelsea.
Castrate all sex offenders. The system here in SD failed Amber and Chelsea. Yes, we need to hold all those responsible accountable. As a mother, this sickens me to no end.
Could also be a different, real culprit providing a "tip" to the police to lead them to Amber's body, hoping that the discovery of her body in such close of a time to Chelsea's will lead people to believe that Gardner was the culprit.
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!