Amber DuBois' Mom Confronts Daughter's Killer in Jail

Carrie McGonigle keeping details to herself to spare other family members.

ByABC News via logo
May 5, 2010, 2:30 PM

May 13, 2010— -- Amber DuBois' mother got her wish and met with her daughter's killer, but said she is keeping the details of her daughter's final moments to herself to spare other family members.

Carrie McGonigle got 30 minutes with John Gardner on Wednesday. He has admitted he raped and murdered Amber, 14, and 17-year-old Chelsea King.

Gardner, 31, will be sentenced on Friday. He is expected to get life in prison.

McGonigle said she was determined to talk one-on-one with her daughter's murderer and even confronted Gardner's mother on Tuesday, asking his mom to give up her visiting time so McGonigle could see him instead. Gardner's mother tearfully refused.

McGonigle got a call Wednesday afternoon saying she could meet with Gardner. She rushed to San Diego's Central Jail, according to ABC News' San Diego affiliate KGTV.

McGonigle said Gardner was nervous and respectful during their meeting, but she declined to detail what he said out of respect for Amber's father, Moe DuBois. The father, who is separated from McGonigle, has said he did not want to talk with the killer or hear about his daughter's last moments.

Amber's grandmother, Shelia Welch, said that spoke with her daughter after the prison meeting, but did not want to hear what he had to say, KGTV reported.

McGonigle said she will use what Gardner told her to write the victim's impact statement she will read at Gardner's sentencing on Friday.

The girl's mother told ABC News last week that she wanted to know how Gardner got her while she walked to school and why.

"The last hour of her life was spent with this freak," McGonigle said. "If I get some of my questions answered I'll be a lot better."

"I don't want to know gory details. I don't want to know if she suffered," she said. "I don't want to hear if she cried for me."