Account for Danielle's search still has $24,000 (What about money promised to Laura Recovery?)

Union Trib ^ | March 31, 2002 | Kristen Green

[FresnoDA]

Account set up for Danielle's search still has about $24,000

Van Dams undecided on how money will be used

By Kristen Green
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

March 24, 2002

After Danielle van Dam was abducted from her Sabre Springs home, neighbors, friends and even strangers volunteered to help out. Some put up fliers in storefronts around the county, and others joined the search party. But many also opened their checkbooks.

As of Friday, more than $33,000 had been donated by people from New Jersey to Oregon.

During the search for the 7-year-old, donations totaling more than $10,600 flowed into an account in Danielle's name. And since the discovery of her body in rural East County nearly a month after she was reported missing, an additional $22,800 has been deposited.

"We didn't go open an account and ask for money," said family friend Bill Libby, who handled donations for the van Dams. "I opened the account because people wanted to donate money."

Initially, the family expected to use the donations to pay for search expenses, like posters and fliers. After Danielle's body was found, the family Web site said additional donations would be used to pay memorial expenses.

But Libby said the family's expenses have been limited because of numerous donations, from fliers to cremation fees. So far, the van Dams have spent $4,200 of the donations to buy banners, posters and buttons.

And they are writing a $5,000 check to the Laura Recovery Center, which coordinated the search for Danielle.

The family hasn't decided how to use the remaining $24,000.

"I'm sure in due time that they will turn their attention to the appropriate and productive use of those funds, but right now they're really still dealing with the loss of their daughter," said family spokeswoman Sara Muller Fraunces.

Close friends have suggested the van Dams take their time considering how the money will be used. Libby has said the funds could be used to pay for counseling for the family, and the van Dams are considering establishing a local foundation to conduct searches for missing San Diego children.

After Danielle's parents realized she wasn't in her bed the morning of Feb. 2, people began donating money to cover search expenses. Libby tried to open an account at Wells Fargo on behalf of the van Dams.

But the account had to be set up by a nonprofit organization, and a family friend who attends Community Bible Church in Scripps Ranch asked the pastor if the church would sponsor the account. Even though the van Dams aren't members of his congregation, the Rev. Barry Minkow agreed.

Minkow, who was convicted of securities and bank fraud in the late 1980s and served a 71/2-year prison sentence, doesn't have access to the van Dam account, church treasurer Bruce Brown said.

Brown said he is the only person who can withdraw money from the account, taking requests for checks directly from Libby, who acts on the van Dams' behalf.

[FresnoDA]

March 31, 2002 UPDATE

As of yesterday, not one dime has been given to the Laura Recovery Center as promised per sources in San Diego....

Paging Bill Libby, please explain.....

Shameful actions.......

[FresnoDA]

PING...) ) ) SHOW US THE MONEY, VD's!!!

[FresnoDA]

Interesting....Douglas Pierce has made several provocative statements about his visit to the VD house, just days after the disappearance.

These recent statements seem to be even more puzzling....comments from VD freepers please.....

"Van Dam Suspicions"

Douglas Pierce recent comments on Websleuths......

He was the man who entered the Van Dam residence shortly after the crime and was horrified at what he saw. He noticed the Van Dams rehearsing lines, saw the blue PJs being folded and was overall shocked at the behavior of the parents.

Why would he lie in a case involving murder/kidnapping. This would involve criminal charges pertaining to perjury if he were called as a witness, tampering with evidence, obstruction of justice, etc.

Here is SOME of what he had to say.

- The page saying "Daddy please love me" had been torn out and was in damon's nightstand in the master bedroom

-The journal had been placed in the bookshelf and Brenda had to find it for Pierce to look at.

-The last entry there was "I am thinking of a shady place, blue sky and green grass, a safe place."

-Her journal was titled:Goodwill Ambassador

-On 2/6/02 While in the VD house, Pierce heard PR people say "What are we going to do about Brenda and Westerfield?"

-When Pierce left the house that day, he said the VD's knew she wasn't coming back.

-Danielle's room was sealed after 2/6-2/7. Only dog gate and door was open prior. He was allowed to go in.

-Pierce speculates that "We will learn Danielle was killed in her room"

- In reference to the $10,000 he offered. Damon replied to him "My boys are worth more than $10,000."

Pierce said "My organization can only help with that much. I am confused, your boys are being protected today Right?"
(there was no comment)

"It's Danielle that is missing, Right?"

Pierce said a hush went over the whole house.

-Damon was verbally abusive and treated Brenda like crap. He was very controlling, aggressive and threatening.

- While in the home that day Brenda's dad said Danielle was dead... he doesn't know why he said it... maybe out of angst.

-Damon has 2 totally different personalities. His control is silent.

In the 7 hrs DP was in the house, Brenda 4 times and Damon 3 times, referred to Danielle in past tense "She Was....."

He also said to go to www.mcf.tv on Saturday, to post more information. This is the website of his organization.

Now, are people going to question this man's account...

(who had nothing to do with the case, and would only be stepping into serious criminal charges by lying)...

and believe the words of Damon and Brenda who have contradicted each other under oath, have their own guests contradicting their testimony, have multiple eye witnesses contradicting their testimony, have given multiple stories in interviews, etc.

AND THIS IS THE VICTIM'S FAMILY??!! I would expect such behavior from the Defendant.

You can believe who you want. It's a free country. But I am just laying out what was said. I am just the messenger here on this one.

Now for my 2-cents:

From Damon's DIRECT ACCOUNTS (all versions taken together), there is about a 30 minute window of opportunity open for this crime to have been done by "an intruder".

I will not post why this is, because I do not know who is reading and do not want to furnish any "study material".

Damon is guilty. That is my opinion. And DW was an unfortunate victim by going about his normal routine, and having Damon point his behavior out as "suspicious". Then distributing flyers within miles of where the body was found, so as to guide the search over there. Remember, it was "on a hunch" that they decided to look on Dehesa Rd.

Just like it "was suggested" by someone to investigate DW.

Close to 200 prints were found in the RV. This sounds like a playplace for neighborhood kids. It was there so long, DW was forced to remove it to a remote location. Most likely concerned parents who knew kids used it as a "fort" or as a hide-and-go-seek place.

DWs jacket was rumored to be over the back of the driver's seat. That was where he kept it. Blood was found on the lapel and the curtain above the steering wheel.

For a child with frequent nosebleeds (Danielle, as BVD attested to) and plenty of time to leave a speck of blood, this is not unusual at all.

The trip was his normal behavior.
The drycleaners were his normal cleaners. He was known by first name there.

Damon left the side garage door open after he dragged Danielle out so as not to get her DNA on him. Into the Van. Upon returning home he went in the front door and forgot he left the side garage door open. He did not close it, because he would not want a bloody handprint/DNA on the door knob.

Brenda found the side door open. This was true.

But this would not allow time for an intruder and Damon knows that.

Brenda's true alarm light story did not allow time for DW, because DW had an alibi at that time.

So Damon made up the later alarm breach to show a window of opportunity. And to say "the alarm light story has been misreported". Which is BS. They gave two separate DIRECT QUOTE accounts!

So he then had to make up the 2nd alarm light. Which kept moving later and later. In the AMW interview, it was as late as 3:45am!

Then the ol' "magnet and screwdriver test" to show "even if there WAS no alarm breach in the morning after I'd walked by Danielle's room 4 times in letting the dog in/out, he STILL could have gotten in with a child's magnet and screwdriver... yeah... that's it."

Anyway, I could go on and on about this. But there are too many things to list and I am tired of typing.

I am sure this will receive flack and others will agree.

It's just my opinion.

By the way, here's a pic of the streetlight on the street:

But these Pierce observations are very incriminating in my book. Since I do not trust the VDs one bit, and see that Pierce has a strong incentive to not lie (criminal charges, etc.), I believe what he is saying and claiming to all the world.

To lie about such a thing is very serious indeed.

[MizSterious]

The van Dams have a lot of class. Most of it low, but lots of it nonetheless.

[EggsAckley]

The Van Dams are the number one suspects, in my opinion. SOMETHING is wrong with their story/behavior.

[MizSterious]

"He noticed the Van Dams rehearsing lines, saw the blue PJs being folded and was overall shocked at the behavior of the parents."

Why were the blue pyjamas being folded at the VD house? Didn't they belong to one of Danielle's friends? Wasn't that the story? And why, oh why, would the parents have to rehearse lines? At that point, there really was only one thing to say, if they truly believed their daughter was kidnapped and being held somewhere: Please bring our baby back! I defy any of you to show me a grieving parent of a kidnapped child who ever read from a script! Possibly the Ramseys, but I have not ever seen anyone else do this.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

I believe Pierce also. My personal belief is that David Westerfield and Brenda were having an affair. I bet Danielle had been in his home and motorhome several times before, maybe stopping by with Brenda to talk or being told it was okay to play there. I think Damon VD is a total abuser and is the one who killed Danielle, accidentally or purposefully. I think he knowingly set up Westerfield. I think Westerfield panicked while on his trip when he turned around and saw her body and knew he'd been set up.

At these pre-trial hearings, I've been watching the glances and overall body language of these three. It's like they all know something. Westerfield looks at them, especially Brenda, like "How can you do this and when are you going to tell the truth?" It's really scary how easily anyone could be set up these days.

[MizSterious]

"- In reference to the $10,000 he offered. Damon replied to him "My boys are worth more than $10,000." "

FresnoDA, what do you think of this peculiar statement? Damon trying to get more reward money out of Pierce? Or something else...? Odd!

[demsux]

The family hasn't decided how to use the remaining $24,000.

Maybe prepay some dues at the CB swingers club????

[jacquej]

I agree with the suspicion of the Van Dams, especially Damon. Too much simple "evil" in that houesehold, in my humble opinion, and I think the boys should be removed from their custody on the sex and drug use alone. I do not buy this "lifestyle" garbage, and think that parents who lose visitation rights over cigarette use prove my point.

I can't see Westerfield as guilty of doing this, as I don't see a motive. He has no prior record, the evidence is so circumstantial, and his behavior is not that of an intelligent man trying to avoid suspicion.

But, that said, I am hoping that the trial goes ahead as scheduled in late May, as I want to hear the evidence. If "CourtTV" doesn't carry this one without commercials, I will be very upset.

I have no clue about the veracity of Douglas Peirce, but find his treatment by the press very confusing...

[Freedom2specul8]

Doctors always tell you to not make huge decisions when under extreme stress. Burying what's left of your little daughter is extreme stress..so I don't see a problem, yet...if they've not made a decision within 3 months or so, then I would say..hey, where's the decision.

[Freedom2specul8]

The page saying "Daddy please love me" had been torn out and was in damon's nightstand in the master bedroom

Proof?

[Freedom2specul8]

GAG~

[demsux]

I still bet DVD knows the delhesa road "bike trail" site and DW doesn't.

[tetelestai]

The page saying "Daddy please love me" had been torn out and was in damon's nightstand in the master bedroom

Wasn't Brenda the one who showed this to DP? Could she have been trying to tip him off? I.e. was/is she being blackmailed and or abused by DVD? Wild speculation, I know.

[Jaded]

I don't think the body was in the RV after she was killed. David was home loading the RV when she was discovered missing, before that it was something like 20 miles away. This was while DvD was running around asking neighbors if they'd seen her because she was known to sleepwalk. DvD had more to lose than DW. Apparently they knew of each others less than savory proclivites. It becomes much easier to believe that a twice divorce, balding 50 year old living in a neighborhood with children would commit this crime than a seemingly wholesome family man.

That's another thing. If they knew she sleepwalked and the door was open why not check? The magnet thing doesn't make sense either. The sensors are on the inside of the door, you have to open the door to get to the sensor it beeps before the magnet is put on it. There were no magnets found on the doors. Just in DvD's imagination.

There is minimal DNA evidence in the RV and none in the SUV. What's up with that? Remember that the police took DW's shoe to get prints. He could have seen what Damon did and Damon knew it and that was why he flipped out. How do you explain I'm sneaking around my neighbor's house to f* with them or just the wife? Or at least David prowling is tossed out on another forum.

I also disagree with the argument that the police framed him. Everything they have found thus far can be explained simply, but only when the truth comes out about Brenda. To some degree without the truth about Brenda. There are in excess of 100 unidentified prints. Did the police quit trying to identify them when they found the one they needed to make their case? Not to split hairs, but that's really not framing it's stopping prematurely.

Show me real proof.

[Jaded]

Because Pierce refuse to fall in line. It's that simple.

[Jaded]

Maybe she got tired of being pimped out by DvD.

[rolling_stone]

Just as a point of information to the best of my recollection, there were 200 latent prints collected in the case, not just the motorhome. 18 People gave known prints for comparison. Six prints, Three sets of two each were matched in the MH, Danielle Van Dam, Danielle Lelac and Jennifer.

And Kim how many times do I have to post to you the info about the torn pages in the nightstand?

[Jaded]

Well it was posted on his website ALONG with the complaint filed with CPS. In most states it is ILLEGAL to make FALSE REPORTS TO CPS. He sets himself up for criminal and civil charges. Don't think so.

Maybe he was feeling reckless like David and decided to throw his life away so you could question is motives. /sarcasm off.