Westerfield Police Interrogation Tape Released
Convicted Child Killer Hints He Wanted To Kill Himself
POSTED: 8:54 am PST January 8, 2003
UPDATED: 5:49 pm PST January 8, 2003
SAN DIEGO -- During a police interrogation captured on a newly released videotape, convicted child killer David Westerfield hinted that he wanted to kill himself, 10News reported.
"My life is over," Westerfield said on the tape. The 42-minute tape, recorded on Feb. 5 at police headquarters and released Tuesday by the San Diego County District Attorney's Office, shows Westerfield sitting in a small room, facing two San Diego homicide detectives. During the interrogation, Westerfield is slumped in a chair, looking haggard while fielding questions about the disappearance of 7-year-old Danielle van Dam. "Things are falling apart around you," Detective Michael Ott told him on the tape. "They've already fallen apart," Westerfield responded. "As far as I'm concerned, my life is over. The life that I had, the life that I was living is over." "But you can't blame anybody for that but yourself, Dave," Ott said. "And I have no problem with that," Westerfield said. The exchange was the closest Westerfield came to admitting that he kidnapped and murdered Danielle, the second-grader who lived two doors away in Sabre Springs. The videotape was not seen by the jury that convicted Westerfield. Judge William Mudd ruled before the trial that some of Westerfield's statements couldn't be used against him because detectives violated his rights. Later, during the videotaped interrogation, Westerfield suggested that he be left alone in the room for a few minutes with one of the detectives' guns. "That's silly," Detective Mark Keyser responded. "Why is that silly?" Westerfield asked. On the videotape, Westerfield also denied any interest in child pornography, rejected the suggestion that he's a voyeur and asked for a lawyer numerous times toward the end of the interrogation."When I first got the Internet, I wanted to document. There was a big controversy about kids being able to access porn on the Internet, OK. I wanted to be able show myself or be able document what was possible. Now, I admit some of that stuff I was downloading for my personal use, for my interest. But I guarantee to you the children wasn't something that I was interested in looking at," Westerfield said. The two detectives pleaded with Westerfield to reveal the location of Danielle's body, but Westerfield never gave the information. "Let's get Danielle back, proper burial, and let her go to heaven in peace," Ott said on the tape. "Then we can work on you and figure out what you're going to do with the rest of your life." Later on the videotape, Westerfield, who still hadn't been placed under arrest, began asking for a lawyer, saying he was tired and hadn't showered or changed his clothes in almost two days, according to 10News. "You're asking me to admit to something and as far as I am concerned I didn't do it," Westerfield said. At one point on the tape Westerfield complained about being "abused" and said that "nobody is looking out after David's rights." Mudd ruled on Monday that the videotape and a variety of other transcripts and documents should become public, prompting the release of the video by the District Attorney's Office. The judge sentenced Westerfield to death on Friday. In August, he was convicted of kidnapping and killing Danielle.
![]() WESTERFIELD TRIAL DANIELLE VAN DAM 1994-2002 E-mail: daniellevandam @yahoo.com Send mail to: P.O. Box 501515 San Diego, 92150 |
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Previous Stories:
- January 6, 2003: Westerfield Transcripts Unsealed
- January 6, 2003: David Westerfield Back In Court
- January 3, 2003: Westerfield Sentenced To Death Penalty
- January 3, 2003: Van Dams File Lawsuit Against Westerfield
- December 16, 2002: Westerfield Lawyers Argue For Life In Prison
- November 22, 2002: Van Dams Speak Out About Delay
- November 22, 2002: Judge Postpones Westerfield Sentencing
- November 21, 2002: What You Didn't Know From The Westerfield Trial
- November 18, 2002: DA Responds To Westerfield Request
- November 14, 2002: Westerfield Lawyers Seek To Postpone Sentencing
- October 9, 2002: Woman Files Suit Against Westerfield
- September 27, 2002: David Westerfield's Home Sold
- September 26, 2002: Woman Gets Job Back After Smoking Pot With Van Dams
- September 19, 2002: Westerfield Transcripts Released
- September 19, 2002: Van Dams Share Thoughts With 10News
- September 18, 2002: Detectives: Westerfield Might Have Gotten Away
- September 17, 2002: Van Dams Call Westerfield A Monster; Thank Jury
- September 17, 2002: Report: Westerfield Lawyers Tried To Plea Bargain
- September 17, 2002: Westerfield Jury Foreman: 'It Was The Blood'
- September 16, 2002: Westerfield Jury Deadlocked In Penalty Phase
- September 13, 2002: Westerfield Judge: Death Penalty Constitutional
- September 11, 2002: Deliberations Will Wait For Ill Juror
- September 10, 2002: Westerfield Juror Hospitalized
- September 9, 2002: Experts: Westerfield Jury Difficult To Gauge
- September 9, 2002: Fourth Day Of Deliberations Under Way
- September 6, 2002: Jurors Ask For 10News Interview
- September 5, 2002: Jury Re-Hears Westerfield Niece Testimony
- September 5, 2002: Jury Deliberates Penalty For Second Day
- September 4, 2002: Jury Deliberating Westerfield's Fate
- September 4, 2002: Final Arguments Made In Westerfield Trial
- September 3, 2002: Family, Friends Speak Fondly Of Westerfield
- September 2, 2002: Westerfield's Children Expected To Testify This Week
- August 29, 2002: Defense Portrays Westerfield As Father, Friend
- August 29, 2002: Friends Testify On Westerfield's Behalf
- August 28, 2002: Van Dams Talk About Danielle's Life
- August 28, 2002: Girl Accuses Westerfield Of Molesting Her
- August 28, 2002: Experts: Death For Westerfield Unlikely
- August 27, 2002: Still Photographers Remain Banned From Westerfield Trial
- August 26, 2002: Westerfield Jurors To Watch Danielle Montage
- August 26, 2002: Westerfield Defense Fighting To Keep Witnesses Out
- August 23, 2002: Judge Mudd Boots Photographers From Courtroom
- August 23, 2002: David Westerfield Found Guilty On All Counts
- August 22, 2002: Westerfield Lawyers Gearing For Sentence Fight
- August 21, 2002: San Diegans React To Westerfield Verdict
- August 20, 2002: Westerfield Jury Still Talking It Out
- August 20, 2002: Westerfield Jury Enters Day 9
- August 19, 2002: Westerfield Jury: No Decision After 8 Days
- August 19, 2002: Westerfield Trial Jurors Back To Work
- August 16, 2002: Jury Goes Home; Asks For More Evidence
- August 15, 2002: Day Six Of Deliberations Offers No Verdict
- August 15, 2002: Jurors Continue Poring Through Evidence
- August 14, 2002: Westerfield Jury Into Fifth Day
- August 13, 2002: Westerfield Jury: Four Days, No Decision
- August 13, 2002: Judge Denounces Talk Show 'Idiots'
- August 13, 2002: Jury Asks For Westerfield Interview
- August 13, 2002: No Decision From Westerfield Jury
- August 12, 2002: More Westerfield Search Warrant Affidavits Released
- August 12, 2002: Westerfield Jury Resumes Deliberations
- August 9, 2002: Westerfield Jury Goes Home After Half-Day
- August 8, 2002: Westerfield's Fate In Jury's Hands
- August 8, 2002: Radio Producer Kicked Out Of Westerfield Trial
- August 8, 2002: Westerfield Trial Close To Finishing
- August 7, 2002: Feldman Decries 'Sinister Spin'
- August 7, 2002: Dusek: Westerfield 'Guilty Of Ultimate Evil'
- August 6, 2002: Dusek: Westerfield 'Guilty To The Core'
- August 6, 2002: Dusek: The Case Is Simple
- August 2, 2002: Westerfield Trial Close To Wrapping Up
- August 2, 2002: Westerfield Defense Set To Rest Case Tuesday
- August 1, 2002: Another Entomologist Takes Stand In Westerfield Trial
- July 31, 2002: Westerfield Trial: Bug Expert Challenges Defense
- July 30, 2002: Westerfield Jury May Be Sequestered
- July 29, 2002: Westerfield Trial Could Last Into Next Week
- July 25, 2002: Expert: Danielle Had Been Dead 4-6 Weeks
- July 25, 2002: Mudd Threatens To Kick Cameras From Courtroom
- July 25, 2002: Forensic Expert Counters Defense Bug Evidence
- July 24, 2002: Westerfield's Son Takes Stand
- July 24, 2002: Judge Mudd Gives Media Tongue-Lashing
- July 23, 2002: Westerfield Trial Takes Another Day Off
- July 22, 2002: Another Bug Expert Testifies In Westerfield Trial
- July 22, 2002: Westerfield Trial Resumes After 11-Day Break
- July 19, 2002: Runnion Murder Could Impact Westerfield Jury
- July 12, 2002: Motion To Unseal More Affidavits Denied
- July 12, 2002: Woman Loses Job Over Westerfield Trial
- July 11, 2002: Westerfield: Desert A 'Great Place To Dump A Body'
- July 10, 2002: Bug Expert Raises Questions About When Danielle Died
- July 10, 2002: Westerfield's Former Girlfriend Takes Stand
- July 10, 2002: Prosecution Presents New Fiber Evidence
- July 9, 2002: Questions Raised About Who Saw What, And When
- July 8, 2002: Witnesses: Westerfield, Van Dam Danced Together
- July 8, 2002: Witness: Brenda 'Dirty Danced' With Westerfield
- July 3, 2002: Westerfield Trial Focuses On Porn, Again
- July 3, 2002: Computer Porn Associated With Westerfield's Son
- July 3, 2002: Prosecution Wraps Up, For Now
- July 2, 2002: Dog Handler 'Bursting With Pride' After Westerfield Arrest
- July 1, 2002: Prosecution Asks For One More Witness
- June 28, 2002: Westerfield Defense Concerned Over Being 'Ambushed'
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