Chelsea King Killing: Police Comb Grave for Clues
March 3, 2010— -- Investigators were searching the shallow grave where the body of San Diego high school student Chelsea King was found Tuesday, trying to gather every bit of evidence that will help put away the sex offender they say killed her.
King's devastated parents attended a vigil Tuesday night in their daughter's honor to thank the tight-knit community that has spent nearly a week trying to bring her home.
"One of the nicknames I always used to call my daughter is my angel, and she'll be my angel forever," Brent King said.
King's body was found by an FBI diver about 10 feet from the shore of Lake Hodges, a half mile from where she parked her car to go jogging in the park last week.
The discovery, San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said, "was made by one of the searchers. Looking from the water up the shoreline [the searcher] spotted something that looked suspicious, and investigated and ... by moving some small debris ... found Chelsea's body."
King's body was found six days after she went missing Feb. 25 and two days after police arrested John Albert Gardner III, a convicted sex offender whose DNA they said was found on King's clothing near where police believe she was abducted.
Gardner, 30, is being held on suspicion of rape and first-degree murder and is scheduled to be charged today in a San Diego court. Prosecutors may include special allegations that would make Gardner eligible for the death penalty.
Former FBI agent and ABC News consultant Brad Garrett said the location of the body likely means King was attacked shortly after she started her jog.
""This was probably a blitz attack. where he sees her jogging and attacks her," he said, adding that it's not uncommon for murderers to leave their victims near the site of the crime.
