San Diego, California – David Westerfield, the man convicted and sentenced to death for the kidnapping and murder of 7-year-old Danielle van Dam in 2002, has been relocated from San Quentin State Prison to High Desert State Prison in northern California. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation confirmed this transfer last month.
The move of Westerfield, now 72 years old, was part of the Condemned Inmate Transfer Program, according to CDCR spokesperson Terri Hardy. The transfer does not change his condemned sentence, as clarified by Hardy. Westerfield is expected to serve the remainder of his sentence at the new location.
This relocation coincides with the CDCR’s efforts to phase out segregated death row units at San Quentin, in line with the requirements of Proposition 66. The program aims to transfer death-sentenced inmates to general population prisons across California by the summer, ensuring that they can work to pay restitution to their victims while being housed in institutions with electrified secured perimeters.
In February 2002, the disappearance of young Danielle van Dam sparked a widespread search effort in the county. Tragically, her body was discovered nearly a month later in El Cajon. Westerfield, who resided near the van Dam family, was ultimately convicted of kidnapping, first-degree murder, and possession of child pornography six months after her death.
The Supreme Court of California upheld Westerfield’s death penalty sentence in February 2019, solidifying his fate. As of April 12, there are 641 individuals with condemned sentences in CDCR custody. San Quentin has seen 189 transfers since late February, with Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla witnessing 20 transfers, according to state agency data.
The relocation of Westerfield underscores the ongoing changes within California’s prison system concerning death-sentenced inmates, reflecting a broader shift towards compliance with legal mandates and operational reorganization.