March 3, 2010
It was a Thursday afternoon in the San Diego, California suburb of Poway. Nothing seemed unusual when 17 year-old Chelsea King parked her car in the Rancho Bernardo Community Park parking lot. The Poway High School senior was going on jog. An avid runner and member of her school’s cross-country team, she ran the trails around the park often. She ran on that Thursday afternoon of February 25 with everything ahead of her, but as Chelsea looked ahead to graduation and college, someone else was determined to demolish her dreams.
Chelsea King's disappearance
Chelsea did not return home that evening. When her father, Brent King, found her locked car in the parking lot of the lakeside park, he knew she was missing.
Word spread quickly through the community about Chelsea’s disappearance. Thousands of volunteers searched the area about Lake Hodges through the weekend for the missing girl. Described as bright, smart, funny, both friends, families and strangers banded together to find the beautiful, young girl.
Arrest of sex-offender in missing California teen case
John Albert Gardner III, 30, was arrested Sunday after evidence linked him to Chelsea King’s disappearance. Gardner was registered sex offender. In 2000, Gardner pleaded guilty to charges for molesting a 13 year-old girl. Following 5 years in prison, Gardner’s parole ended in 2008. Police also believe Gardner may be linked to a December attack on a young, female jogging in the same park.
Missing teen's body likely found
Tuesday afternoon, a body was found that the sheriff says is a “strong likelihood” that the body is Chelsea King’s. A diver found the body in a shallow grave on a wooded tributary of Lake Hodges. On Tuesday night thousands of people joined Brent and Kelly King in a candlelight vigil at St. Michael’s Catholic Church.
Gardner charged in Chelsea King case
Criminal charges for the murder of Chelsea King will be pressed against John Gardner on Wednesday.
