Shovels, pickaxes found in murder case of sex offender accused of killing Calif. teen

Shovels, axes found in connection with teen death

LOS ANGELES — Authorities recovered shovels and pickaxes while investigating a registered sex offender charged with murdering a 17-year-old San Diego County girl, according to documents obtained by KFI radio.

Documents posted Thursday on the station Web site show San Diego County sheriff’s investigators found three pickaxes and 11 shovels in early March at a home where John Albert Gardner III was known to stay.

The documents have been sealed by a judge.

Five pairs of jeans, a T-shirt and shoes also were seized, but it wasn’t known if they had any bloodstains.

Authorities had been seeking rope, handcuffs, human hair, clothing or other objects bearing blood.

A phone message left for Gardner’s attorney Michael Popkins was not immediately returned. A judge has barred attorneys from talking publicly about the case

Gardner has pleaded not guilty to murdering Chelsea King, whose body was found in a shallow grave five days after she vanished in February on a run in a San Diego park.

He is also a suspect but has not been charged in the death of 14-year-old Amber Dubois. Her remains were found in a remote area north of San Diego.

Gardner served five years in prison after pleading guilty in 2000 to molesting a 13-year-old neighbor girl. Records obtained by The Associated Press revealed he later violated parole by moving too close to a school but was allowed to remain free.

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On the Web:

www.kfi640.com

(This version CORRECTS Corrects to say items were seized from house where suspect was known to stay, not his home)