San Diego
A California jury this week recommended the death penalty for David Westerfield, who was convicted last month of killing his 7-year-old neighbor, Danielle van Dam. Danielle’s nude, decomposed body was found a month after she was snatched from her bedroom in February. Westerfield attracted suspicion when he took a trip in his motor home the day after the kidnapping. Police later found child pornography on his computer, but prosecutors said the “smoking gun” came when investigators discovered traces of Danielle’s blood and hair on Westerfield’s jacket, in his bedroom, and in his motor home. A judge will make a final decision on the sentence in November. Defense lawyer Steven Feldman said Westerfield doesn’t deserve to die. “He’s a good man but for one three-day weekend of terror,” Feldman said.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Air strikes in the Caribbean: Trump’s murky narco-warTalking Point Drug cartels ‘don’t follow Marquess of Queensberry Rules’, but US military air strikes on speedboats rely on strained interpretation of ‘invasion’
-
Crossword: September 14, 2025The Week's daily crossword puzzle
-
Sudoku medium: September 14, 2025The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
