SAN DIEGO -- Investigators found strands of blond hair similar to Danielle van Dam's in the bedroom, laundry and motor home of the neighbor accused of killing the 7-year-old girl, a police evidence technician testified Monday.

WESTERFIELD TRIAL Judge William Mudd Issues Death Penalty Sentence Hear Jury's Death Penalty Recommendation Watch The Jury's Verdict Being Read Share Your Thoughts DANIELLE VAN DAM 1994-2002 Watch Danielle Video Montage E-mail: daniellevandam @yahoo.com Send mail to: P.O. Box 501515 San Diego, 92150

The hair samples were sent to a DNA lab for analysis to see whether they came from the girl, said Tanya DuLaney, an evidence specialist for the San Diego Police Department.

Prosecutors in the trial of David Westerfield have not revealed the results of the DNA testing.

In a search of Westerfield's home in February, police investigators found five strands of blond hair in sheets and a pillowcase in his bedroom. The defendant has short, dark hair.

Investigators also found a strand of blond hair in a pair of Westerfield's boxer shorts in the dryer and three similar hairs in lint from the dryer that had been discarded in a trash can.

A search of the lint and Westerfield's motor home turned up more hair that might match Danielle's along with short, gray animal hairs similar to the hair of the van Dam family dog, a Weimerauner. Westerfield does not have a dog.

Some of the animal hair was sent to a laboratory for testing but there was not enough DNA to confirm whether they matched the van Dam dog, said Holly Ernest, a veterinary geneticist at the University of California, Davis, who analyzed the samples for the prosecution.

Superior Court Judge William Mudd said Monday he got a letter that will require a short hearing before testimony resumes in the Westerfield trial Tuesday.

Mudd asked prosecutors and defense attorneys to appear in his courtroom at 8:50 a.m., 10 minutes earlier than usual. He also asked them to keep copies of the letter secured in their offices overnight.

Mudd waved the letter in the courtroom, but did not disclose the contents.

A cold courtroom and tedious presentation of evidence apparently challenged the jury Monday.

Mudd told the panelists that he had asked the maintenance staff of the San Diego County Courthouse to run the air-conditioning system wide open, after last week's complaints about the courtroom temperature.

Mudd said he believed "all the bodies" in the room would combine to moderate the effects of the air conditioning.

Meanwhile, the minute detail of the testimony, combined with the frigid air, left eyelids drooping in the jury box and the audience.

At defense attorney Steven Feldman's suggestion, Mudd called the afternoon break 20 minutes early and extended the break five minutes longer than usual. Mudd said he noticed some sleepy-looking jurors.

Upon their return, Mudd observed, "You look like you've had your batteries recharged."

Upon hearing that, Feldman turned to the jury and humorously warned, "So have I."

Danielle was reported missing from her bedroom Feb. 2 and her nude body was found Feb. 27 along a rural road east of the San Diego suburb of El Cajon.

Jurors will tour the defendant's motor home at the end of the prosecution's case later this week, Mudd said. There will be no testimony when the jury visits the motor home.

Prosecutors have said they may finish presenting their case by the end of the week.