San Diego house of convicted killer is sold

SAN DIEGO (AP) The house that was once owned by David Westerfield, who was convicted and faces the death penalty for killing 7-year-old Danielle van Dam, was sold this week for $435,000.

County records show the sale was completed Monday and bought by Dale W. Martin. He could not be immediately reached for comment early Friday.

Westerfield, 50, transferred ownership of the 1,900-square-foot house after his arrest Feb. 22 to the law firm of his lead attorney, Steven Feldman. The house had an original asking price of $484,900.

Westerfield was convicted last month of kidnapping and murdering his neighbor Danielle, who vanished from her San Diego home in February. Her nude, decomposed body was found nearly a month later along a road outside the city. Investigators were unable to determine the cause of death or whether she had been sexually assaulted.

A jury recommended that he be sentenced to death. Formal sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 22.

Despite a strong real estate market in San Diego, the house remained unsold and the listing expired Sept. 2. During the trial, Feldman stated that the victim's parents, Brenda and Damon van Dam, had verbally threatened potential buyers.

(Copyright 2002 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)