http://lawfuel.com/show-release.asp?ID=20246
December 16, 2008 (by Otto Smyth)
According to reports by Los Angeles criminal attorneys, the person that has been sought after since 1981 for the murder and decapitation has been named closing the 27 year old murder case of the 6 year old Adam Walsh.
John Walsh father of Adam and host of America’s Most Wanted, along with wife Reve was present at a Tuesday news conference where they were told the deathbed confession of a long time suspect has now closed the case.
Otis Toole had confessed twice to the murder of Adam Walsh and later said he was not responsible for the child’s murder. Toole had also claimed to have murders hundreds of others and authorities determined most of these to be untrue confessions.
Toole’s niece confirmed the murder of Adam Walsh. She told John Walsh and his wife that Toole had made a deathbed confession in prison that he had murdered Adam Walsh.
The Hollywood Florida Police Chief Chadwick Wagner stated that Toole has been the main suspect in the murder of the child and they had linked him to the murder and that he has continued to be the main suspect. While Wagner would not divulge what evidence they had linking Toole to the murder, he did state they had no DNA evidence in the case. He also apologized to the Walsh’s for errors that occurred while handling the murder case of Adam Walsh.
Since the murder there have been other names mentioned, including that of Jeffery Dahmer. However, Toole was always the main suspect by the police and John Walsh, who stated investigators had found a pair of green shorts and a sandal that was similar to what Adam had been wearing at Tool’s home located in Jacksonville.
John Walsh has been critical in the past about the errors the police made in the case including loosing blood stained carpet from Toole’s vehicle preventing any DNA testing. Today Walsh praised the police for closing the case.
Walsh who took up the fight against criminals after his son’s murder has assisted in placing the faces of missing children on milk cartons, shopping bags, mailbox fliers and other places. He was also responsible in assisting with fingerprinting children, increased security in schools and stores.
