Police Use Old Murder For Clues In Van Dam Case

SAN DIEGO -- Investigators hope that an unsolved child abduction and murder case from 28 years ago may help them solve the disappearance of 7-year-old Danielle van Dam, 10News reported.

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It has been 19 days and there is still no sign of the Sabre Springs girl who vanished from her bedroom in the middle of the night.

Police say that they are now looking into the death of another 7-year-old girl, Patricia Kuzara, who was abducted and murdered while she was walking near her Poway home in 1974.

Sheriff's investigators say that they will use DNA from that case to see if their is any possible connection to Danielle's abduction.

Meantime, Danielle's parents, Damon and Brenda van Dam renewed appeals for volunteers to aid in the search for Danielle.

Organizers hope to search the desert again this weekend for Danielle.

The van Dam's say that a candlelight vigil will be held Thursday night and a community forum will be held Friday night to help the community make sense of Danielle's apparent abduction.

Damon van Dam says people need to know that what happened to his family could happen to anyone.

Earlier Wednesday, Governor Gray Davis issued a statement of support for the van Dam family.

"Sharon and I want the van Dam family to know that our thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult and painful time.

We are confident that San Diego area law enforcement officials are doing everything they can to find their little girl and bring her home safely.

We also hope that anyone with information regarding Danielle's whereabouts will call the police and offer their help. A small child is missing. A family is hurting and in need of everyone's support."

Crime scene investigators entered the van Dam home Tuesday to look for fingerprints.

Investigators have gathered more than 100 pieces of potential evidence from the van Dam home and the home and vehicles of neighbor David Westerfield, who is described as a "potential suspect."