CHS_CG
04-17-2005, 05:47 PM
RUSKIN, Florida (CNN) -- A convicted sex offender has confessed to killing 13-year-old Sarah Michelle Lunde, Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee announced Sunday.
David Onstott, 36, was charged late Saturday night with first-degree murder Gee said. "He is the defendant."
Since Sarah's disappearance last weekend, authorities have been questioning Onstott, who was being held by authorities on unrelated charges.
The girl's partially clothed body was discovered Saturday morning in an abandoned fish pond about a half-mile from her home. It was not clear whether she had been sexually abused, Gee said.
"The defendant subsequently confessed to the crime post-Miranda," Gee said, referring to the rights suspects must be read for their statements to be admissible in court.
Onstott told police that between midnight and 5 a.m. on April 10, he went to the family's house looking for the victim's mother, who was not at home, Gee said.
The girl, who was alone in the house, invited him inside and became involved in a verbal confrontation with Onstott, which led him to put her in a choke hold, rendering her unconscious "and eventually causing her death," Gee said.
In addition to the charge of first-degree murder, "other charges are being reviewed at this time," Gee said.
Asked what made the man confess, the sheriff said, "I don't know."
Before Gee's announcement, Onstott's attorney denied that his client had anything to do with Sarah's disappearance. Onstott recently ended a relationship with the girl's mother.
Also before the announced charges, Sarah's 17-year-old brother said Onstott was at the family home in Ruskin early last Sunday -- hours after his sister was last seen. The brother told police it was the first time he had seen Onstott in months, and the man picked up a beer bottle before leaving.
On Friday, searchers were asked to keep an eye out for empty Budweiser or Bud Light beer bottles.
Worshippers at Sarah's church remembered her during the weekly service.
"Today she's in a much better place than we," said the Rev. Johnny Cook during services at First Apostolic Church. "She won't have to suffer no more. She's at peace with God."
Her mother, Kelly May Lunde, attended a portion of the informal memorial.
Sarah's disappearance prompted a search that was focused on a three-quarter-mile radius of her mother's home in Ruskin, about 10 miles south of Tampa.
Gee said the area where the body was found "was searched before at least once earlier in the week" before search dogs lead authorities to the body.
Someone had tried to weigh down the body so it would be hidden underwater, law enforcement sources said.
"It was clear from investigators who were at the scene that whoever put her there went to great effort to conceal her body," Gee said. "And right now, we are asking the public if they would assist us in any articles of clothing that you would see in this area."
David Onstott, 36, was charged late Saturday night with first-degree murder Gee said. "He is the defendant."
Since Sarah's disappearance last weekend, authorities have been questioning Onstott, who was being held by authorities on unrelated charges.
The girl's partially clothed body was discovered Saturday morning in an abandoned fish pond about a half-mile from her home. It was not clear whether she had been sexually abused, Gee said.
"The defendant subsequently confessed to the crime post-Miranda," Gee said, referring to the rights suspects must be read for their statements to be admissible in court.
Onstott told police that between midnight and 5 a.m. on April 10, he went to the family's house looking for the victim's mother, who was not at home, Gee said.
The girl, who was alone in the house, invited him inside and became involved in a verbal confrontation with Onstott, which led him to put her in a choke hold, rendering her unconscious "and eventually causing her death," Gee said.
In addition to the charge of first-degree murder, "other charges are being reviewed at this time," Gee said.
Asked what made the man confess, the sheriff said, "I don't know."
Before Gee's announcement, Onstott's attorney denied that his client had anything to do with Sarah's disappearance. Onstott recently ended a relationship with the girl's mother.
Also before the announced charges, Sarah's 17-year-old brother said Onstott was at the family home in Ruskin early last Sunday -- hours after his sister was last seen. The brother told police it was the first time he had seen Onstott in months, and the man picked up a beer bottle before leaving.
On Friday, searchers were asked to keep an eye out for empty Budweiser or Bud Light beer bottles.
Worshippers at Sarah's church remembered her during the weekly service.
"Today she's in a much better place than we," said the Rev. Johnny Cook during services at First Apostolic Church. "She won't have to suffer no more. She's at peace with God."
Her mother, Kelly May Lunde, attended a portion of the informal memorial.
Sarah's disappearance prompted a search that was focused on a three-quarter-mile radius of her mother's home in Ruskin, about 10 miles south of Tampa.
Gee said the area where the body was found "was searched before at least once earlier in the week" before search dogs lead authorities to the body.
Someone had tried to weigh down the body so it would be hidden underwater, law enforcement sources said.
"It was clear from investigators who were at the scene that whoever put her there went to great effort to conceal her body," Gee said. "And right now, we are asking the public if they would assist us in any articles of clothing that you would see in this area."