Amber's Stepfather Explains His Rage

Police questioned David Cave for months after Amber Dubois disappeared

Amber Dubois’ stepfather says a trial for John Albert Gardner III would have been a waste of taxpayer’s money. Now he hopes this ordeal will somehow trigger change.

David Cave was questioned by Escondido Police for months in Amber’s disappearance.

“Opened my house, gave them my computers, opened my vehicles up for them, gave them all my corporate account information,” Cave said. “I said, ‘you guys investigate me, do what you have to do, but hurry up so you can find the right person’.”

He says detectives always treated him with respect, but until recently, never ruled him out as a possible suspect.

Now that the right person is behind bars, Cave says he feels a sense of closure -- but still, plenty of rage.

“The jerk does not realize how many people's lives he's affected and destroyed,” Cave said.

Now, his focus is on changing the state's law. He calls the death penalty "a joke."

“How many millions of dollars get spent a year by Californians on people who have been sitting on death row for 30 years, for 20 years for 10 years?” Cave said.

His plea is for legislators to take action and leave all the talk behind.

“Last time I checked, they worked for us,” Cave said.

Amber vanished in February 2009 with a $200 check to purchase a lamb she was to raise for Future Farmers of America. The check was never cashed.

The investigation produced few solid leads until Chelsea King disappeared Feb. 25 near the site where Amber went missing.

Gardner led authorities to the 14-year-old Escondido teen’s body on March 5 with the agreement that it couldn’t be used against him in court. Her bones were discovered March 6 in a rugged, remote area north of San Diego.

On Friday, Gardner pleaded guilty to kidnapping, raping and stabbing Amber one and a half hours after he met her. In the plea deal, he will avoid the death penalty and get two consecutive life terms without parole and a third life term with a minimum of 33 years. He relinquished his right to appeal.

On Saturday Cave had a tearful message for his stepdaughter.

”I love you Amber. I miss you and I love you and I'm going to keep missing your forever,” Cave said.

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