Confessed Murderer John Gardner Blames 'Major Rage' for Deaths of Chelsea King, Amber DuBois

April 30, 2010— -- Convicted sex offender John Gardner blamed everything from his "major rage" to state budget cuts for the murders of California teenagers Chelsea King and Amber DuBois.

Gardner, 31, who pleaded guilty to killing the girls and will be sentenced to life in prison next month, said he often walks and drives to quell his impulses, but just couldn't control himself.

"I was aware of what I was doing, but I could not stop myself," he said in a jailhouse interview with San Diego television station KFMB. "I was in a major rage and pissed off -- pissed off at my whole life and everybody that's hurt me and blew up, and I hurt the wrong people."

Gardner expressed remorse for the murders, but also laughed when asked if there were any more victims, telling the reporter, "Nice try."

Chelsea King's body was found in February, five days after she disappeared while jogging near her home. Three days after Gardner was arrested in connection with King's death, police were led to DuBois' body.

DuBois, 14, disappeared in February 2009 while on her way to school.

Gardner denied that it was the threat of the death penalty that convinced him to tell police where DuBois' was located.

"I told them with no promise of a deal," he said. "I had no promises, and I showed them where Amber was because I felt bad."

But he also criticized school budget cuts and suggested that if DuBois had been on a bus and not on foot, he wouldn't have killed her.

"I hate myself. I really do. There is no taking back what I did. And if I could, yes I would, are you kidding me?" Gardner said. "But I was out of control. If I was able to stop myself in the middle of it, I would have. And I could not. I was out of control."

Gardner also had a grim prediction of his own fate in prison.

"I'm going be dead within the next five years," he said, not expanding on the comment.

Are There More John Gardner Victims?

DuBois' father Moe DuBois said KFMB's decision to air the interview with his daughter's killer was "appalling" would "undoubtedly cause our family additional pain."

The teenagers' deaths have prompted a flurry of calls by state lawmakers to strengthen laws against convicted sex offenders. Gardner was paroled in 2008 after serving five years of his six-year sentence for molesting a 13-year-old girl in 2000.

Police said he also attacked 23-year-old Candice Moncayo in December on the same jogging path King used, but Moncayo was able to hit him and flee.

After his arrest in King's murder, police departments in the surrounding areas began looking at a string of other unsolved attacks and kidnappings to see if they could connect them to Gardner.

Gardner's sentencing is scheduled for May 14.