2426: Danielle van Dam Case Study

Thursday, June 24, 2004
1:00pm – 4:30pm
Presenters: Lieutenant Jim Collins and Sergeant Bill Holmes

PRESENTATION DESCRIPTION

On February 2, 2002, 7 year-old Danielle van Dam was kidnapped from her home. There were no witnesses, no suspect information and few viable leads. Within two days the investigation focused on David Westerfield, a 49 year-old neighbor. On February 22, 2002, Westerfield was arrested by the San Diego Police Department for burglary and the kidnapping of Danielle. On February 26, 2002, Westerfield was arraigned on charges of kidnapping and murdering Danielle, with a special circumstances allegation. On February 27, 2002, Danielle’s body was found, in a remote area of the county, by volunteer searchers.

The defense counsel for Westerfield insisted on a speedy trial, putting a great deal of pressure on the San Diego Police Crime Lab and the San Diego County District Attorney’s office. 200 days after she was reported missing, David Westerfield was found guilty of the kidnapping and murder of Danielle van Dam. Westerfield is currently on Death Row, awaiting his execution.

Lieutenant Jim Collins was the primary coordinator of the investigation and Sergeant Bill Holmes was the supervisor of the Homicide team assigned to the investigation. The presentation will cover the patrol response to the missing juvenile call, search and rescue efforts by law enforcement and volunteers, the kidnapping and murder investigations, evidence and trial issues. The presenters will also discuss resources used, strategies that worked well, and lessons learned.

PRESENTERS BIO

Lieutenant Jim Collins has been a member of the San Diego Police Department for 32 years. He is currently in charge of the Robbery and Special Investigations Units. Jim was a lieutenant in the Homicide Section from1993 to 1998. He has also served as the Commanding Officer of the Special Weapons and Tactics Team, the Unit Commander of the Professional Standards Unit and numerous other assignments in patrol, investigations, training and administration

Lieutenant Collins is a member of the California Homicide Investigators Association, serving on the Board of Directors for six years and as President in 1999-2000. He is also a member of the International Homicide Investigators Association and served as the western United States Representative in 2000.

Lieutenant Collins has been a member of the California State Child Death Review Council since 1996 and had served as co-chair for the past three years. From 1995 to 2000, Lieutenant Collins co-chaired the San Diego County Suicide Homicide Audit Committee (SHAC) reviewing all homicides and suicides of youth between the ages of 8 and 19. SHAC identified risk factors in each case and made a determination if the death was preventable. He currently co-chairs the San Diego County Safety and Violence Task Force, which identifies, develops and promotes programs to reduce youth violence and increase youth safety.

Lieutenant Collins also serves on the Board of Directors for the Light For Life Foundation, Southern California, Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program. He gives presentations to law enforcement, parents and teens on suicide prevention.

Sergeant Bill Holmes is a 29-year veteran of the San Diego Police Department. He is currently a supervisor in the Robbery Unit but previously spent 11 years as the supervisor of Homicide Team IV. He has been a member of the California Homicide Investigators Association for the past 12 year. During his tenure in Homicide, Sergeant Holmes was in charge of several high profile homicide investigations.

In March 1993, Sergeant Holmes and his team were assigned the investigation of the murder of two boys, ages 9 and 13. The boys had been riding their bicycles and were missing for two days before their bodies were discovered in a brush hut, in an open field. Sergeant Holmes continued to work on the case for 10 years, even after all of the other team members had retired or transferred from the unit. In 2001, based on a CODIS hit, a suspect in the case was identified and arrested. The case went to trial in 2003 and the suspect was convicted of the murders, with special circumstances. In March 2004, Sergeant Holmes received the San Diego Press Club “Headliners” award for criminal investigation, for his work on this case.

In February 2002, Sergeant Holmes and his team were assigned to the Danielle van Dam investigation before her body was found.

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