Parents watch sex offender admit killing teenage girls

4-17-2010 California:

With two teary-eyed mothers looking on, convicted sex offender John Albert Gardner pleaded guilty Friday to raping and murdering ...

SAN DIEGO — With two teary-eyed mothers looking on, sex offender John Albert Gardner pleaded guilty Friday to raping and murdering their teenage daughters.

Gardner, 31, admitted kidnapping, raping and stabbing Amber Dubois, 14, and dragging Chelsea King, 17, to a remote area where he raped, strangled and buried her.

As part of a plea deal, he also admitted trying to rape a female jogger last year in San Diego. She managed to escape.

Gardner faces life in prison without parole, and he waived his right to appeal.

The families of the two girls agreed to accept Gardner's plea deal with prosecutors, who said they would not seek the death penalty if he pleaded guilty to both murders.

Gardner earlier had led police to the bones of Dubois, who vanished in February 2009. King disappeared Feb. 25 this year. ..Source.. The Seattle Times