Thousands of people mourned tonight at Saint Michael's Catholic Church during a candlelight vigil in memory of Chelsea King. The vigil was just three hours following the press conference where Sheriff Bill Gore made the announcement that a body had been found that was believed to be the missing Poway High School senior Chelsea King.

It was a somber gathering where people who knew Chelsea and people who just came to help felt connected. Over the last five days 6000 people have gathered and searched the area in the hope that they could still find her alive.

Brent King, Chelsea’s father, with his wife Kelly, addressed the crowd for a moment, thanking everyone for the love and the support they had received over the past five days. He said, "One of the nicknames that I’ve always called my Chelsea is my angel," he continued, "She’s my angel forever." "I want to thank you," "Chelsea wants to thank you. Keep her spirit alive for us."

A man yelled from the crowd, "We love you," and Mr. King answered, "We love you, too."

This morning, hundreds of good Samaritans joined law enforcement personnel in fanning out over fields, swamps and marshes around Lake Hodges for a sixth straight day in a determined effort to find the girl.

Since Chelsea's family reported her missing Thursday evening, a number of law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, pitched in to find her, scouring the Lake Hodges area by foot, air and boat, using sonar for underwater searching.

The sheriff has said physical evidence led them to Gardner, but declined to elaborate. Chelsea's mother later told news stations her daughter's underwear had been found near where the girl went missing.

Detectives also have linked Gardner to another attack late last year on a jogger in the same northern San Diego park where Chelsea was last seen, according to SDPD Capt. Jim Collins.

The morning of Dec. 27, a Colorado woman in the San Diego area on a family visit was running alone in the area when a man tackled her and demanded money. The 22-year-old victim, who managed to escape after elbowing the assailant in the face, left town before she could work with investigators on a sketch of the assailant, according to Collins.

Authorities say they also are investigating whether Gardner might be responsible for the February 2009 disappearance of Escondido High School freshman Amber Dubois, who was 14 when she vanished while walking to campus.

A positive identification should be made on the body by Tuesday or Wednesday.

To view John Gardner's arraignment, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDCz9qeVlMo

To see a San Diego 10 News piece including the vigil and reports after they found Chelsea's body http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4as8LuOx4k

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A body believed to be Chelsea King found in shallow grave

SAN DIEGO - Searchers looking today for Poway High School senior Chelsea King, who disappeared while on one of her regular jogs last week, found a body believed to be that of the teen in a shallow grave at the edge of Lake Hodges.

"Although positive identification has not been made, there is (a) strong likelihood that we have found Chelsea," San Diego County Sheriff William Gore announced in the late afternoon, shortly after breaking the news to the parents of the 17-year-old student.

A registered sex offender, John Albert Gardner III, was arrested Sunday in connection with Chelsea's disappearance and was booked into county jail on suspicion of rape and murder.

Gardner, 30, is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday afternoon in a downtown San Diego courtroom.

A member of a law enforcement dive team found the body shortly after 1 p.m. on the south side of the lake, about 10 feet from the water's edge, Gore said.

"It's a heavily wooded area and not observable from the homes on the hillside or the park," he told reporters gathered at Rancho Bernardo Community Park, where Chelsea, an avid runner, disappeared Thursday afternoon.

The corpse was buried under a layer of earth and debris about a half-mile from where the girl had parked her car that day, according to Gore. He declined to say whether the body was clothed.

"I have just left the home of (Chelsea's parents) Brent and Kelly King, where I shared this information," the sheriff told news crews. "Obviously, they are devastated, and I ask that you respect their privacy during this extremely difficult time."

Word of the grim discovery began spreading in the late afternoon among the throngs of volunteers who had joined in the desperate effort to find Chelsea, a straight-A student and member of the San Diego Youth Symphony and her school's cross-country team.

Sheriff's officials abruptly postponed a planned 3 p.m. update on the case, then rescheduled the briefing for an hour later.

As the news broke, some of those who had been donating their energies to the search sobbed and hugged each other for support.

A silent candlelight procession for Chelsea was scheduled for this evening at St. Michael's Catholic Church on Pomerado Road in Poway. Organizers said they still intended to go forward with the 7 p.m. event, despite the tragic turn of events in the case.

This morning, hundreds of good Samaritans joined law enforcement personnel in fanning out over fields, swamps and marshes around Lake Hodges for a sixth straight day in a determined effort to find the girl.

About 1,600 volunteers looked for Chelsea on Sunday, while about 1,000 went out Monday, according to figures posted on her family's Facebook page, which they created following her disappearance. In all, search organizers estimate that about 6,000 volunteers helped look for her, including about 1,300

today.

Since Chelsea's family reported her missing Thursday evening, a number of law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, pitched in to find her, scouring the Lake Hodges area by foot, air and boat, using sonar for underwater searching.

The sheriff has said physical evidence led them to Gardner, but declined to elaborate. Chelsea's mother later told news stations her daughter's underwear had been found near where the girl went missing.

Detectives also have linked Gardner to another attack late last year on a jogger in the same northern San Diego park where Chelsea was last seen, according to SDPD Capt. Jim Collins.

The morning of Dec. 27, a Colorado woman in the San Diego area on a family visit was running alone in the area when a man tackled her and demanded money. The 22-year-old victim, who managed to escape after elbowing the assailant in the face, left town before she could work with investigators on a sketch of the assailant, according to Collins.

Authorities say they also are investigating whether Gardner might be responsible for the February 2009 disappearance of Escondido High School freshman Amber Dubois, who was 14 when she vanished while walking to campus.

According to public records, Gardner was convicted of assaulting and molesting an adolescent girl in 2000. The victim, a 13-year-old neighbor, said he repeatedly punched her in the face and fondled her at his mother's townhouse, which is about a mile from Rancho Bernardo Community Park. The girl said she had gone to the residence after Gardner invited her in to watch a movie.

Gardner was sentenced to six years in prison and served five before he was released in September 2005. He was on probation until 2008. He registered as a sex offender using his grandmother's Lake Elsinore address but reportedly had been staying with his mother lately.

Dr. Matthew Carroll, a psychiatrist who interviewed Gardner following the 2000 assault, described him as "callous" and lacking remorse, making him "an extremely poor candidate for any sexual offender treatment," according to court records.

"It is my opinion that (Gardner) would be a continued danger to underage girls in the community," Carroll wrote as he recommended the maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.

A memorandum from the District Attorney's Office said prosecutors asked for a six-year sentence to resolve the case without a trial and to spare the victim from testifying.

While awaiting his first court appearance in the alleged murder of Chelsea, Gardner was being held in solitary confinement "so he can be observed and (authorities can) make sure he doesn't harm himself or nobody else harms him," the sheriff said.

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A body believed to be Chelsea King found in shallow grave

At a press conference this afternoon, San Diego County Sheriff William Gore announced that a body believed to be Chelsea King was found at approximately 2 p.m. in a shallow grave along the Lake Hodges shoreline. "There is a strong likelihood that we have found Chelsea," Sheriff Gore told reporters after breaking the news to Chelsea King's parents.

They are not confirming that the body is Chelsea King's until the medical examiner confirms it.

It has been reported that the shoe which was found earlier was near the shallow grave that was discovered.

The area that the grave was found in was noted to be out of view of homes in the area and a place where someone would have cover to bury a body.

A candlelight vigil is still scheduled for tonight at 7 p.m. at Saint Michael's Catholic Church.

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According to various news sources, the body of Chelsea King has been found in Poway, in the area where they have been searching.

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Candlelight procession tonight; Gardner linked to attack on jogger; Past offenses include molesting 13-year-old girl

The search for Chelsea -- a straight-A student and member of the San Diego Youth Symphony -- entered its sixth day today. Volunteers have been asked to report to the Chelsea King Search Center at 11858 Bernardo Plaza Court.

Later today, a silent candlelight procession for Chelsea is planned at Saint Michael's Catholic Church at 15546 Pomerado Road in Poway. The procession is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. and proceed down Pomerado Road. Participants are encouraged to bring their own candles.

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SAN DIEGO - A registered sex offender jailed on suspicion of rape and murder in connection with missing Poway High senior Chelsea King has been positively linked to an attack on a jogger in the same northern San Diego park where Chelsea's car was found, a police captain said in remarks reported today.

John Albert Gardner III, 30, has been positively linked to an attack that occurred Dec. 27 at the Rancho Bernardo Community Park, San Diego police Capt. Jim Collins told The San Diego Union-Tribune. Collins declined to say how the link was made, citing the ongoing investigation.

The woman in the Dec. 27 attack lives in Colorado but was visiting family in the area when she went for a morning jog alone in the park and was tackled by a man who demanded money, the Union-Tribune reported. She hit him in the face with her elbow and got away, then left town before she could work with police on a composite sketch of the assailant, Collins told the newspaper.

The victim's sister has said police took a swab for DNA testing after the attack, according to the Union-Tribune.

Authorities say they also are investigating whether Gardner was connected to the disappearance of Amber Dubois of Escondido who was 14 when she vanished just over a year ago while walking to Escondido High School. Despite exhaustive search efforts, Amber has never been found.

"We see the similarities between the victims, Chelsea and Amber," Escondido police Lt. Bob Benton told the Union-Tribune. "Since Day One, we've always been looking for a key piece of information, and something out of this may make that happen."

Moe Dubois, Amber's father, told the newspaper that news of Gardner's arrest Sunday at a restaurant-bar in south Escondido sickened him and his ex-wife.

"The reality of it really hit home. It really hit us hard," he said. "Everyone in the family is in complete denial that Gardner has anything to do with Amber. But in the back of all our heads, we're all wondering."

Gardner was scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday afternoon in a downtown San Diego courtroom. He was being held in San Diego Central Jail on suspicion of rape and murder, though authorities have said they're holding out hope Chelsea will be found alive.

The search for Chelsea -- a straight-A student and member of the San Diego Youth Symphony -- entered its sixth day today. Volunteers have been asked to report to the Chelsea King Search Center at 11858 Bernardo Plaza Court.

Since Chelsea's family reported her missing late Thursday, several law enforcement agencies -- including the FBI -- have pitched in, scouring the Lake Hodges area by foot, air and boat.

Sheriff Bill Gore said Sunday that physical evidence led them to Gardner but declined to elaborate. Chelsea's mother, Kelly King, later told news stations her daughter's underwear was found.

According to public records, Gardner committed a forcible lewd act on a child and false imprisonment in 2000. A 13-year-old neighbor girl accused him of repeatedly punching her in the face and touching her genitalia at Gardner's mother's Rancho Bernardo townhouse, which is about a mile from Rancho Bernardo Community Park. The girl said she went to the townhouse after Gardner invited her in to watch a movie.

Gardner was sentenced to six years in prison and served five years before he was released in September 2005. He was on probation until 2008. He registered as a sex offender using his grandmother's Lake Elsinore address but was reportedly staying with his mother.

Dr. Matthew Carroll, a psychiatrist who interviewed Gardner after the 2000 assault, described him as "callous" and said he lacked remorse, making him "an extremely poor candidate for any sexual offender treatment," according to court records.

"It is my opinion that (the defendant) would be a continued danger to underage girls in the community," Carroll wrote as he recommended the maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. A sentencing memorandum from the District Attorney's Office said prosecutors asked for a six-year sentence to resolve the case without a trial and spare the victim from testifying, the Union-Tribune reported.

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John Albert Gardner's past offenses

According to court records, Gardner was arrested in March, 2000 for repeatedly hitting and sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl in Rancho Bernardo. He was charged with forcible lewd acts on a child and false imprisonment, to which he plead guilty. He was sentenced to six years in state prison and ordered to pay a $1,200 fine.

Gardner had offered the girl and a friend a ride to their middle school and the victim went with him to his home to watch movies. At the house Gardner began massaging and kissing the girl. When she refused he took her to a bedroom. His advances became more serious, removing her clothes and rubbing himself on her. When she fought him, Gardner covered her mouth with his hands and hit her across the face.

According to court records, she suffered bruises on her left eye and the side of her head, and a cut inside her lip.

She got away and ran to a neighbor's house sobbing and fearful. Afterward the girl was so traumatized she had to move and change schools.

Dr. Matthew Carroll, the psychologist who interviewed Gardner, said he would continue to be a danger to underage girls in the community and recommended the maximum sentence allowed by law. He said Gardner took no responsibility for the attack, acting like it was consensual.

The maximum sentence that could have been served was 10 years and eight months in prison. The District Attorney�s Office opted to seek a six-year term because his only prior criminal record included only one conviction for disturbing the peace in San Bernardino County.

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Parents ask for more volunteers to find Chelsea King; underwear found; Lake Elsinore registered sex offender arrested

UPDATED STORY 3:45 pm

SAN DIEGO - A registered sex offender was behind bars today on suspicion of murder and rape in connection with the disappearance last week of a Poway High School senior who remains missing and the subject of intensive search efforts.

The last known sighting of 17-year-old Chelsea King was on Thursday afternoon, when she went for a run in Rancho Bernardo Community Park, near Lake Hodges.

Since then, hundreds of volunteers and law enforcement personnel have been searching for Chelsea, a straight-A student and member of the San Diego Youth Symphony. Numerous agencies have pitched in, scouring the area by foot, air and boat.

On Sunday, John Albert Gardner III of Lake Elsinore was taken into custody in the case near a restaurant-bar in south Escondido, San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said.

Physical evidence led authorities to Gardner, 30, who was questioned by homicide detectives, Gore said. Authorities have declined to describe the clues, but Chelsea's mother told news stations this morning that her daughter's

underwear was found near where she went missing.

Gardner was booked into San Diego Central Jail on suspicion of rape by force and first-degree murder, according to jail officials. Nonetheless, Gore told "Good Morning America" that law enforcement personnel and volunteers would continue to looking for Chelsea in hopes of finding her alive.

Scores of volunteers showed up this morning at a search center behind a Citibank off Bernardo Center Drive, eager to help in the efforts to locate the teen. Law enforcement officials gathered them into groups and assigned them various locales to go through.

Gloria Kendall, 55, of Escondido was part of a team of about 20 people who searched an undeveloped area off Espola Road in Poway. They looked through heavy brush and around ponds, Kendall said. "They tagged a shirt and some bones," she added.

Carlos Lindsey, a 53-year-old San Diegan, has helped search swamps, orchards and hillsides over the last three days. He called the turnout "unbelievable for a Monday."

Dive teams, meanwhile, waded and swam through the shallows of Lake Hodges.

The man suspected of being responsible for Chelsea's disappearance was

convicted 10 years ago of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old neighbor girl,

according to court records.

Prior to arresting Gardner over the weekend, investigators searched his

Riverside County home and other addresses, including a townhouse on Matinal

Road near West Bernardo Drive, where Gardner has recently stayed with his

parents. The residence is about a mile from the park where Chelsea went

missing.

Gore said there was "a strong possibility" that Gardner, who is

scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday afternoon, may be connected to an attack on

a female jogger at the same park on Dec. 27.

Authorities also are reportedly investigating whether he was involved in

the disappearance of Escondido High freshman Amber Dubois, who went missing

while walking to school in February 2009. The girl, who was 14 at the time,

remains at large.

Chelsea's parents, Brent and Kelly King, reported her missing after she

failed to return from her after-school run. Brent King located her car in the

parking lot at the park.

Investigators looked for clues on Chelsea's cell phone, which was found

in her car, and her home computer.

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A request for volunteers from Brent and Kelly King, parents of Chelsea King.

To our Volunteers,

I wanted to post a message straight to those who have reached out to our family and thank you directly on this facebook page to help bring Chelsea home. We are grateful for all your support and how you are ALL doing your part to help the family. We need searchers now more than ever and hope to find Chelsea. Please assist us in the search to bring her home.Our sincere gratitude, Brent and Kelly King

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UPDATED 11:15 am

POWAY - A registered sex offender was behind bars today on suspicion of murder and rape in connection with the disappearance of a 17-year-old Poway High senior.

Chelsea King failed to return home from a run Thursday at Rancho Bernardo Community Park and has not been seen since then.

John Albert Gardner III, 30, of Lake Elsinore, was taken into custody Sunday afternoon near a restaurant bar in south Escondido, San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said.

Physical evidence led authorities to Gardner, who was questioned by homicide detectives, Gore said. The evidence has not been described by law enforcement but Chelsea's mother told news stations this morning that her daughter's underwear was found in the Lake Hodges area.

According to the sheriff's Web site, Gardner was booked into San Diego Central Jail on suspicion of rape by force and first-degree murder.

Nonetheless, Gore told Good Morning America that law enforcement and volunteers would search for Chelsea today, hoping to find her alive.

Paul Levikow, spokesman for the District Attorney's Office, said Gardner was scheduled to be arraigned in a downtown San Diego courtroom Wednesday afternoon.

Gardner is a registered sex offender listed on the Megan's law Web site, which indicates he lives in Lake Elsinore and committed lewd and lascivious acts on a child under 14 years old. Gore said investigators searched Gardner's Lake Elsinore home and other addresses prior to arresting him.

One of those addresses searched was a townhouse on Matinal Road near West Bernardo Drive, where Gardner was staying with his parents, according to NBC 7/39. The townhouse is about a mile from the park where Chelsea likes to run.

Gore said there was "a strong possibility" Gardner may be connected to an attack on a female jogger at the same park on Dec. 27, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

He said authorities were also investigating whether Gardner was connected to the disappearance of Amber Dubois, who went missing while walking to Escondido High School just over a year ago. Dubois, who was 14 at the time,

has not been found.

According to court records, Gardner pleaded guilty in May 2000 to committing a lewd act on a child and false imprisonment in connection with a sexual assault on a 13-year-old girl.

According to the records, Gardner -- a former neighbor of the victim's who was a month shy of his 21st birthday -- offered the girl and her friend a ride to school as they waited for a bus.

The victim decided to go with the defendant to his townhome to watch a movie, and while there, he sexually assaulted her, according to the court records.

Gardner was located at a nearby gas station and arrested. In September 2000, he was sentenced to six years in state Advertisement

Tenkobushi prison.

The search for Chelsea was expected to expand today beyond the Rancho Bernardo park and nearby Lake Hodges, where search teams have been looking since she disappeared Thursday.

"There are several searches going on around the county," Gore said. "We are going to refocus some of our search efforts."

Chelsea's parents, Brent and Kelly King, reported her missing Thursday evening when she did not come home from a run at the park. Brent King found her car in the parking lot at the park.

Hundreds of volunteers and law enforcement personnel have been searching for her since then. Several agencies pitched in, searching the Lake Hodges area by foot, air and boat.

Investigators looked for clues on Chelsea's cell phone, which was found in her car, and her home computer.

The Poway High School senior is a straight-A student and a member of the San Diego Youth Symphony.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/CHELSEA-KING-SEARCH-CENTER/372532087872

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UPDATED 8:45 am

POWAY - A registered sex offender was behind bars today on suspicion of murder and rape in connection with the disappearance last week of a 17-year-old Poway High senior, who has yet to be found.

Chelsea King has been missing since Thursday, when she did not return home from a run at Rancho Bernardo Community Park.

John Albert Gardner III, 30, of Lake Elsinore, was taken into custody Sunday afternoon near a restaurant bar in south Escondido, San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said.

Physical evidence led authorities to Gardner, who was questioned by homicide detectives, Gore said. The evidence has not been described by law enforcement but Chelsea's mother told news stations this morning that her daughter's underwear was found in the Lake Hodges area.

Gore declined to discuss specific criminal charges, but according to the sheriff's Web site, Gardner was booked into San Diego Central Jail on suspicion of rape by force and first-degree murder. Nonetheless, Gore told Good Morning America that law enforcement and volunteers would search for Chelsea today, hoping to find her alive.

Gardner is a registered sex offender listed on the Megan's law Web site, which indicates he lives in Lake Elsinore and committed lewd and lascivious acts on a child under 14 years old. Gore said investigators searched Gardner's Lake Elsinore home and other addresses prior to arresting him.

One of those addresses searched was a townhouse on Matinal Road near West Bernardo Drive, where Gardner was staying with his parents, according to NBC 7/39. The townhouse is about a mile from the park where Chelsea likes to run.

Gore said there was "a strong possibility" Gardner may be connected to an attack on a female jogger at the same park on Dec. 27, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

He said authorities were also investigating whether Gardner was connected to the disappearance of Amber Dubois, who went missing while walking to Escondido High School just over a year ago. Dubois, who was 14 at the time, has not been found.

The search for Chelsea was expected to expand today beyond the Rancho Bernardo park and nearby Lake Hodges, where search teams have been looking since she disappeared Thursday.

"There are several searches going on around the county," Gore said.

"We are going to refocus some of our search efforts." Chelsea's parents, Brent and Kelly King, reported her missing Thursday

evening when she did not come home from a run at the park. Brent King found her car in the parking lot at the park.

Hundreds of volunteers and law enforcement personnel have been searching for her since then. Several agencies pitched in, searching the Lake Hodges area by foot, air and boat.

Investigators looked for clues on Chelsea's cell phone, which was found in her car, and her home computer.

The Poway High School senior is a straight-A student and a member of the San Diego Youth Symphony.

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UPDATED 3/1/10 6:30 am

POWAY - A registered sex offender was behind bars today in connection with the disappearance of a 17-year-old Poway High senior who went missing last week, triggering an extensive, still-ongoing search.

Chelsea King has been missing since Thursday, when she did not return home from a run at Rancho Bernardo Community Park.

John Albert Gardner III, 30, of Lake Elsinore, was taken into custody Sunday afternoon near a bar in Escondido, San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said.

Physical evidence led authorities to Gardner, who was questioned by homicide detectives, Gore said. The evidence has not been described.

"This investigation is ongoing and specific criminal charges are still being determined," he said.

Gardner is a registered sex offender listed on the Megan's law Web site, which indicates he lives in Lake Elsinore and committed lewd and lascivious acts on a child under 14 years old. Gore said investigators searched Gardner's Lake Elsinore home and other addresses prior to arresting him.

One of those addresses searched was a townhouse on Matinal Road near West Bernardo Drive, where Gardner was staying with his parents, according to NBC 7/39. The townhouse is about a mile from the park where Chelsea likes to run.

Gore said there was "a strong possibility" Gardner may be connected to an attack on a female jogger at the same park on Dec. 27, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

He said authorities were also investigating whether Gardner was connected to the disappearance of Amber Dubois, who went missing while walking to Escondido High School just over a year ago. Dubois, who was 14 at the time, has not been found.

The search for Chelsea was expected to expand today beyond the Rancho Bernardo park and nearby Lake Hodges, where search teams have been looking since she disappeared Thursday.

"There are several searches going on around the county," Gore said."We are going to refocus some of our search efforts."

Chelsea's parents, Brent and Kelly King, reported her missing Thursday evening when she did not come home from a run at the park. Brent King found her car in the parking lot at the park.

Hundreds of volunteers and law enforcement personnel have been searching for her since then. Several agencies pitched in, searching the Lake Hodges area by foot, air and boat.

Investigators looked for clues on Chelsea's cell phone, which was found in her car, and her home computer.

The Poway High School senior is a straight-A student and a member of the San Diego Youth Symphony.

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UPDATED 2/28/10

Lake Elsinore registered sex offender arrested in connection with the disappearance of Chelsea King

RANCHO BERNARDO - A registered sex offender was arrested today in connection with the disappearance of 17-year-old Chelsea King, as the search for the Poway High School senior continued.

John Albert Gardner III, 30, of Lake Elsinore, was taken into custody in front of a business on Lake Drive near Rancho Drive in Escondido at 4:20 p.m., Sheriff Bill Gore said at a news conference tonight at Rancho Bernardo Community Park, where Chelsea went missing on Thursday.

Physical evidence led authorities to Gardner, who was being interviewed by homicide detectives, Gore said.

"This investigation is ongoing and specific criminal charges are still being determined," he said.

Gardner is a registered sex offender on the Megan's law Web site, which indicates he once committed lewd and lascivious acts on a child under 14 years old.

He is also a suspect in an attack on a female jogger at the park on Dec. 27, and the disappearance of 14-year-old Amber Dubois, who went missing while walking to Escondido High School just over a year ago, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

The search for Chelsea will continue overnight and will expand beyond the Rancho Bernardo park and nearby Lake Hodges, where search teams have been looking since she disappeared Thursday.

"There are several searches going on around the county,' Gore said. "We are going to refocus some of our search efforts.'

Chelsea's parents, Brent and Kelly King, reported her missing Thursday evening when she did not come home from a run at the park.

Brent King found her car in the parking lot at the park.

Hundreds of volunteers and law enforcement personnel have been searching for her since then.

Investigators looked for clues on Chelsea's cell phone, which was found in her car, and her home computer.

The Poway High School senior is a straight-A student and a member of the San Diego Symphony.

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120 law enforcement personnel continue search for Chelsea King; 1000 volunteers turn out Saturday to comb the area

RANCHO BERNARDO - About 120 law enforcement personnel today continued a multi-agency search for a 17-year-old girl who failed to return from a run near Lake Hodges on Thursday.

The searchers were concentrated on the lake and several streams that feed into it, as well as some of the surrounding hills, according to Jan Caldwell of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.

Divers were among those looking for Chelsea, whose BMW was found in Rancho Bernardo Community park, Caldwell said.

The search was aided by improved weather that allowed helicopter operations to resume flights in the area, following Saturday's often-heavy rains.

Sheriff William Gore said the search at the park will continue as long as necessary.

"I will rely on search-and-rescue experts -- when they feel they have completely exhausted the search, that's when we'll re-evaluate (whether to continue)," Gore said.

More than 1,000 volunteers turned out to look for Chelsea on Saturday.

Brent and Kelly King, Chelsea's parents, met with volunteers at the start of Saturday's search, where such a big crowd turned out to help look for the Poway High School senior that some were waved off.

"It's a reflection of who she is and what kind of person she is," Brent Kelly said. "She's that kind of kid that everybody loves and it shows."

Volunteers plastered malls throughout the county.

The search also took to the Internet, where a Facebook page generated more than 24,000 fans. A Web site was created at findchelsea.com, and a Twitter account was set up at findchelseak.

Investigators are looking at Chelsea's cell phone, which was found in her car, and her home computer for clues. They were also working with San Diego police to see if there was any connection with an assault on a woman at the

park on Dec. 27. Details of that case were not disclosed.

Chelsea, a symphony musician and a straight-A student, failed to come home from an after-school run, and her parents reported her missing about 6 p.m.

She is white, about 5 feet 5 inches and 115 pounds, with blond hair and blue eyes.

Deputies asked that anyone with more information call the sheriff's department at (858) 565-5200.

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More than 1000 volunteers turn out for multi-agency effort to find missing Chelsea King

RANCHO BERNARDO - An multi-agency effort to find a 17-year-old girl who failed to return from a run near Lake Hodges on Thursday will resume today.

More than 1,000 volunteers turned out to search for Chelsea King on Saturday, and sheriff's deputies said they were investigating if her disappearance might be related to an assault in December.

Chelsea's BMW was found in Rancho Bernardo Community Park, where she often went to run.

San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said his investigators were working with San Diego police to determine if her disappearance was connected to a Dec. 27 assault on a woman at the Rancho Bernardo park. He declined to give details of that case.

Brent and Kelly King, Chelsea's parents, met with volunteers at the start of Saturday's search, where a big crowd turned out to help look for the Poway High School senior despite the rain.

"It's a reflection of who she is and what kind of person she is," Brent Kelly said. "She's that kind of kid that everybody loves and it shows."

Saturday's search included law enforcement officers in a helicopter equipped with infrared sensors, divers and tracking dogs.

Investigators are looking at Chelsea's cell phone, which was found in her car, and her home computer for clues.

Chelsea, a member of the San Diego Symphony and a straight-A student, failed to come home from an after-school run, and her parents reported her missing about 6 p.m.

She is white, about 5 feet 5 inches and 115 pounds, with blond hair and blue eyes.

Deputies asked that anyone with more information call the sheriff's department at (858) 565-5200.

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150 law enforcement officers turn search for missing 17-year-old Chelsea King from land to water

SAN DIEGO - The search for a Poway teenager who went missing near Lake Hodges moved from land to water today, as authorities investigated whether her disappearance was related to an assault at the park last December,

according to the sheriff's department.

Chelsea King, 17, was reported missing Thursday when she didn't return home from school.

Her BMW sedan was found outside the Rancho Bernardo Community Center, where she often ran along the trails around Lake Hodges.

Deputies looked for her through the night, then were joined by officers and tracking dogs from Riverside, San Bernardino and Orange counties, along with the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, the FBI, and San Diego police.

Sheriff's dive teams searched the lake today, as hundreds of other law officers and volunteers combed the streams and rivers feeding into the basin, said Sheriff Bill Gore.

"It's been a truly great effort by everybody, all with the same goal of trying to return Chelsea to her family," Gore said. "It's obviously the unknown that's so stressful and so traumatic in something like this."

Gore said later in the day that searches by about 150 personnel, including detectives chasing every possible lead, will continue through the night and Sunday.

"We wouldn't be here if there wasn't a chance of finding her," Gore said. "The more we search, the more we can eliminate."

Chelsea's parents, Brent and Kelly King, met with volunteers at the Chelsea King Search Center office at 11858 Bernardo Plaza, where so many people turned out despite chilling rain showers that some were told to go home.

"It's a reflection of who she is and what kind of person she is," Brent Kelly said as he and his wife stood in front of a band of volunteers.

"She's that kind of kid that everybody loves and it shows." Kelly King added that her heart, "is overflowing with all the support and all this love, and there's no words for it."

Brent King said Chelsea posted small notes with favorite inspirational sayings in her bathroom, including one from classical Roman poet Virgil, "They can because they think they can."

"We think we can bring her back; we'll find her," Brent King said.

Gore said investigators were working with San Diego police to determine whether her disappearance might be connected to a Dec, 27 assault on a woman at the Rancho Bernardo park. He did not offer more details on that case.

Law enforcement helicopters searched the park and lake with infrared devices, but found no trace of Chelsea, Gore said.

Investigators have seized Chelsea's cell phone, which was found in her car, and her home computer.

Chelsea is white, 5 feet 5 inches and 115 pounds, with blond hair and blue eyes.

She was due to graduate from Poway High School this spring, and is a member of the San Diego Youth Symphony and a straight-A student, and has served as a peer counselor at the school.

Depuites asked anyone with information on the girl's whereabouts to call the sheriff's department at (858) 565-5200.

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Scores of law enforcement comb open areas near Lake Hodges for missing 17-year-old

RANCHO BERNARDO - Scores of law enforcement officers and volunteers combed open areas near Lake Hodges with tracking dogs today in search of a North County teen who went missing after going out on one of her regular after-school runs.

Chelsea King, 17, of Poway disappeared after parking her BMW sedan outside Rancho Bernardo Community Center on Thursday afternoon, according to Jan Caldwell, a spokeswoman for the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.

When Chelsea was several hours overdue in returning home, her parents reported her missing.

Deputies looked for her through the night, and this morning, law enforcement personnel from Riverside County arrived with service dogs to help search. Additional canines from other agencies within San Diego County were also deployed, and personnel aboard boats combed the shore and waters of Lake Hodges.

Also aiding in the search were personnel from the FBI, the San Diego Police Department, the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department and the Del Mar Lifeguard Service.

There was no evidence indicating that Chelsea might be a runaway, Caldwell said.

Early this evening, searchers reported finding a shoe possibly belonging to the girl in an open area near the lake, and deputies were bringing in her parents to see if it was hers, according to television news accounts.

This morning, a "reverse 911" call went out to Rancho Bernardo-area residents, urging them to immediately report any possible sightings of the missing teen. Dozens of friends and family, meanwhile, gathered at a command center near where Chelsea disappeared, though they were not directly assisting in the search, authorities said.

Classmates of Chelsea's took the day off from school so they could pass out missing-person fliers.

Shawna Watson, a Rancho Bernardo resident who regularly jogs the trails in the area, said a person could easily run five miles to Escondido and back and that it's likely other people would be in the area.

"At some point in your run, you're going to pass someone, every once in a while," she said.

During a 5 p.m. briefing, Sheriff Bill Gore told reporters that the search teams crisscrossing the undeveloped northern reaches of Rancho Bernardo were committed to finding the missing high-schooler.

"Our search continues," Gore said. "We have about 60 members of our search-and-rescue team who are still scouring the area. We have dive teams that are looking along the shoreline of Lake Hodges. We have investigators who are out in neighborhoods, talking to acquaintances of Chelsea."

Deputies have impounded the girl's home computer and cell phone, the sheriff said.

"We're in the process of downloading information from (them), seeing if there might be anything that might of help to us in our (effort) to return Chelsea to her parents," Gore said. "Obviously, I think we're going to be here through the night ... working the search, and (continuing) to contact friends and acquaintances."

Searchers were holding out hope that the girl simply got lost and will be found unharmed, the sheriff said.

"I'm still optimistic," he said. "It's a big area we're looking through, and hopefully we'll get the right lead or the right clue or the right tip that takes us to Chelsea and we'll get her back home in the near future."

Earlier in the day, Gore described the teen's parents as "worried to death."

"They want their daughter home safe and sound," he said.

Chelsea, who is due to graduate from Poway High School this spring, is white, 5 feet 5 inches tall and 115 pounds, with blond hair and blue eyes. She is a member of the San Diego Youth Symphony and a straight-A student, and has

been eagerly awaiting college acceptance letters, a family spokeswoman told reporters.

Anyone with information on the girl's whereabouts was urged to call the Sheriff's Department at (858) 565-5200.

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POWAY - About 160 sheriff's personnel and police officers trained in search and rescue combed the north Rancho Bernardo area today with tracking dogs for a 17-year-old Poway girl reported missing by her family after she failed to return home from an after-school run.

Chelsea King is a long-distance runner and routinely runs in rural areas, said Jan Caldwell, a spokeswoman for the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.

After school on Thursday, she parked her car in the parking lot of the Rancho Bernardo Community Center on West Bernardo Drive in preparation for a run, Caldwell said. She never returned to her locked car, according to the spokeswoman.

A command center was set up Thursday night at the center where King's car was found. Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the sheriff's department and San Diego Police Department, searched dense vegetation in the area overnight and planned to continue searching today, authorities said.

This morning, law enforcement personnel from Riverside County arrived with canines to aid in the search. Additional canines from other agencies within San Diego County were also being used in the search, according to San Diego County sheriff's Lt. Harold Turner.

As of 10 a.m., the canines being used were trained in tracking, not cadaver searches, he said. Later this morning, boats were expected to arrive to help search Lake Hodges, which separates north Rancho Bernardo from Escondido, Turner said.

A reverse 911 call was also used to ask Rancho Bernardo-area residents to report right away if they saw the teen, according to authorities.

Dozens of friends and family were gathered at the command center but were not assisting in the search, authorities said.

More friends of the teen, many of whom took the day off from school, spent the morning passing out fliers with a photo of King.

King is white, around 5 feet 5 and 115 pounds, with blonde hair and blue eyes. A family spokeswoman told news media at the center that King is a member of the San Diego Youth Symphony, a straight-A student and has been eagerly awaiting college acceptance letters. She is slated to graduate from Poway High School this spring, according to the spokeswoman.

Anyone with information on her whereabouts was urged to call the sheriff's department at (858) 565-5200 or San Diego County Crime Stoppers at (619) 531-2000.