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Service held for North Port girl

September 26, 2006

By HEATHER ALLEN and ERIN BRYCE
staff writers
heraldtribune.com

FORT MYERS -- Her small casket was shrouded in black and surrounded by pink flowers and family.

In an hour-long ceremony that was said in both English and Hebrew, Coralrose's family and friends remembered the North Port first-grader who loved wearing dresses, and playing in mud puddles even more.

"She was truly an angel here on earth, and she went home," said Ellen-Beth Fullwood, her mother.

About 150 people attended the service, including North Port Police Chief Terry Lewis, two detectives, a uniformed officer and a Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigator. They sat at the back of the room.

Police who have been investigating her death for a week said Monday they were chasing about 40 leads. They have interviewed many of the nearby neighbors several times and searched the city's canals near where Coralrose was found.

Coralrose's body was found two blocks from her home Sept. 17, five hours after her parents reported her missing. Her father, Dale Fullwood, last saw her at 2 a.m. when he returned home from his bartending job in north Fort Myers.

Preliminary autopsy reports show the Toledo Blade Elementary School student died of "homicidal violence," and suffered "severe trauma." Reports also said she was not sexually abused.

Police Chief Lewis has declined to name any suspects in the case, but says he is confident detectives will catch Coralrose's killer.

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Judge rules against Fullwoods on visitations

September 29, 2006

By TODD RUGER
heraldtribune.com

SARASOTA -- A judge on Thursday ruled against allowing Coralrose Fullwood's parents to have unsupervised visits with their children.

In denying Dale and Ellen-Beth Fullwood's request, Judge Rick De Furia said they haven't been cleared in the death of Coralrose, 6. The judge also cited the ongoing investigation into the deplorable conditions in the Fullwoods' North Port home.

"I'm not trying to imply the parents are responsible for the death," De Furia said in upholding his previous order that gave custody of the Fullwoods' four children to their grandparents, and requiring that the grandparents be there for all parental visits.

Coralrose was found dead two blocks from her North Port home on Sept. 17. The state took the remaining Fullwood children from their parents after child protective workers said the home was so filthy it posed a hazard to the children.

In an initial report, state child protective workers also said Coralrose's death was "suspicious for abuse or neglect." Police say her cause of death was "homicidal violence."

Testimony at an hour-long hearing showed the Department of Children & Families, or DCF, made a mistake handling the case.

And more than a week after the judge gave custody of the children to the grandparents, the agency wasn't prepared to answer De Furia's questions about the safety of the grandparents' home.

An attorney for the Fullwoods complained at the hearing that DCF's requests for access to the children were arbitrary and repetitive, including a second request for a study of the Doreen and Saul VanderWoude's home. Saul VanderWoude is a retired police officer.

"What was wrong with the first home study?" Fort Myers-based attorney John Coleman said. Lutheran Services in Charlotte County had notified the grandparents that a home study was needed.

But it turned out that was a mistake by Lutheran Services, which had been contacted by the YMCA in Sarasota to go to the home for grief counseling for Coralrose's siblings.

When the Lutheran Services workers didn't see the home study on their computer system, they scheduled it and notified Coralrose's grandparents, a YMCA employee testified.

De Furia responded by changing a previous ruling, in which he had ordered the grandparents to make the children available to law enforcement and DCF at all times.

He changed it to all "lawful and reasonable" requests, also ordering the attorneys to work these issues out without involving the court.

But De Furia also used stern language with caseworkers when they couldn't answer the most basic of questions about the children's placement: Were background checks completed on the residents of the children's new home, and what were the results?

De Furia wanted to know, since he placed the children in the grandparents' home and ordered expedited background checks on everyone in the house.

But the caseworker who did the home study was not there because she had called in sick, a DCF attorney said. Also, DCF did not anticipate that De Furia would ask the question.

"A child's been murdered, these are answers you should have had on the tip of your tongue, frankly," De Furia said.

Finally, a caseworker who was listening to the hearing by way of teleconference, checked records and said the background checks had come back clean.

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Coralrose's family strained
Grandparents care for Fullwood siblings

By HEATHER ALLEN
heraldtribune.com

From the outside looking in, they are a family that has broken at the seams.

The events that upended Saul and Doreen VanderWoude's family started when their granddaughter, Coralrose Fullwood, was found dead near her North Port home more than a month ago.

The 6-year-old's death put the family in the spotlight, but revelations about poor living conditions in the Fullwood home and the arrest of Dale Fullwood, Coralrose's father, on charges of possession of child pornography have kept it there. The twists have engrossed the public, leading the evening news and fueling speculation about the Fullwoods on Internet message boards.
But behind the closed doors of the VanderWoudes' Fort Myers home, the family has tried to focus on what is left, not what is missing.

"Our life was good prior to this," said Saul VanderWoude. "We need to ... just move on."

The VanderWoudes are now raising their four surviving grandchildren, who were placed in their custody by the state. Only two months ago, the VanderWoudes had "too much time" on their hands. Now, their days are packed.

Saul VanderWoude cooks for four more mouths and is constantly trying to keep up with the ever-accumulating pile of dirty laundry, which means doing at least two loads a day. Before, the VanderWoudes needed to use the washing machine only twice a week.

Their electric bills and water bills are higher and they consume more gas, shuttling the children to and from school, Jewish school and doctor's appointments.

They must also keep track of ongoing meetings with the Department of Children & Families, which placed the children in their home.

"They have literally turned their lives upside down and inside out to have the kids live with them," said Marci Bartoe, the VanderWoudes' youngest daughter. "They put their lives on hold."

For the retired couple in their 60s, keeping up with their grandchildren, who range in age from 4 to 12, is a challenge. Feeding and clothing them is the easy part, Saul VanderWoude said.

Providing the emotional support the children need is more difficult. Not only have their lives been upended, but they are still trying to comprehend that their sister was killed.

The court order that placed the Fullwood children with their grandparents also prohibits them from talking about details pertaining to the death of their sister. That, the VanderWoudes said, has hampered the grieving process for the entire family.

"I think they understand it, but they are confused about it," Saul VanderWoude said. "I'm confused about it."

Next week, the children will begin to see psychologists; their grandparents hope they will help them in coping with the death of their sister.

There are still light moments in their home. One night, waffles -- topped with whipped cream -- were served for dinner as a reward for good behavior.

On Thursday, while the older children were at school, Saul VanderWoude attempted to rationalize with the youngest Fullwood, who calls his grandfather "Dad."

"I'm having that," the 4-year-old said, pointing to an item on the top shelf of the refrigerator.

"What, this?" Saul VanderWoude asked.

"Yeah."

"That's half and half!" Saul VanderWoude said, laughing. "Get out of here."

Indeed, the transition from grandparent to parent has been exhausting. But the hardest thing the VanderWoudes, who have been married 43 years, have encountered is listening to the harsh criticism of their family, especially of their daughter and Coralrose's mother, Ellen-Beth Fullwood. Some message board critics have labeled her a bad mother.

And yet the VanderWoudes agree that the majority of people who have come into their lives have been good, counting each kind act as a blessing.

Since the Coralrose Fund was established, there have been both a number of contributors and critics. The fund was set up a week after her death to help the family with expenses related to the children, such as food and clothes.

Saul VanderWoude is still overwhelmed by one anonymous donation made to the memorial fund.

It was for $2.

"That $2 to some person could have been like $2,000," he said, choking up. "It really affects me. It just shows that people do care."

Despite the nice things people do for the family, Saul VanderWoude said he braces every day for something bad to happen. Whenever he thinks it can't get any worse, it does.

Dale Fullwood's arrest more than two weeks ago has put an additional strain on the family. Ellen-Beth Fullwood has since separated from her husband, said Bartoe, her sister. Meanwhile, Dale Fullwood remains in jail on $50,000 bail, and no one from the family has visited him.

Saul VanderWoude, a former police officer, steadfastly defends his son-in-law, saying everyone is innocent until proven guilty, but the arrest has brought more scrutiny and criticism of the Fullwoods. Mothers at the bus stop in the family's North Port neighborhood said they were not surprised to hear of Dale Fullwood's arrest.

The speculation, the VanderWoudes say, hurts the entire family.

"People don't understand, it's a living nightmare is what it is," said Doreen VanderWoude. "Have compassion for these kids; they are the ones who need it."

Meanwhile, the VanderWoudes say it's too painful to grieve and there are too many other things to focus on.

Saul said he has learned a lot of lessons, but one sticks out.

"I learned I wouldn't wish this on anyone."

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Coralrose's dad pleads not guilty to porn charges

Monday, November 6, 2006, 1:04 pm
By GINNY LaROE
heraldtribune.com

NORTH PORT -- The father of slain North Port girl Coralrose Fullwood has pleaded not guilty to child pornography charges, his attorney said Monday.

Dale Fullwood, 46, was arrested last month on two counts of possession of child pornography after investigators said they found on his laptop two video files of a young girl being raped.

Public defender Adam Tebrugge said the not guilty pleas are expected to be filed today.

During questioning Sept. 17, the day 6-year-old Coralrose was found dead in a wooded area two blocks from her family’s Calabash Lane home, Fullwood admitted to detectives he had downloaded child pornography, his arrest affidavit says.

“There is usually a lot more to a situation than is reported in a very brief initial police report,” Tebrugge said.

Fullwood is being held at the Sarasota County Jail on $50,000 bail. Tebrugge said he plans to fight the amount in the Second District Court of Appeal.

“I personally believe the bond amount set is illegal and unconstitutional,” Tebrugge said.

No suspect has been named in Coralrose’s death.

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Judge reduces bail of Coralrose's father
But Dale Fullwood's attorney says it's still too high

December 1, 2006
By GINNY LAROE
heraldtribune.com

SARASOTA -- A judge on Thursday reduced Dale Fullwood's bail but stopped short of setting it at the recommended $1,000 per count because he said the pornography the father of a slain North Port girl is accused of downloading is the "most egregious possible."

Responding to an order issued by a state appeals court, Circuit Court Judge Charles E. Roberts lowered Fullwood's bail from $50,000 to $10,000, an amount his attorney says is still too high. "It's likely that I am going to request a rehearing," said Assistant Public Defender Adam Tebrugge. "I'm not completely satisfied with the order that he issued."

Fullwood, 46, who is charged with two counts of possession of child pornography, is more than $100,000 in debt, and his wife, Ellen-Beth Fullwood, and other family members have not come to his aid.

Dale Fullwood was arrested Oct. 11 after investigators said they determined that two videos on his laptop computer contained images of a girl under the age of 12 being raped.

On Sept. 17, the day his 6-year-old daughter, Coralrose, was found dead, Fullwood told investigators he owned child pornography, according to a report. Fullwood has pleaded not guilty to both child pornography counts. Though bail for this type of felony is typically set at $1,000, Roberts cited a previous case, where a man charged with the same crime apparently fled the country, as a reason for a higher amount.In court documents, Tebrugge argued that Fullwood is not a flight risk or danger to the community, saying Fullwood voluntarily turned himself in at the North Port Police Department the day of his arrest and had been employed at a Fort Myers bar.

Ellen-Beth Fullwood has repeatedly declined to be interviewed and has recently disconnected her phone line.

Police have released few details about Coralrose's death and say they do not have a suspect in the case.

Assistant State Attorney Steve Zimath did not return calls seeking comment.

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Coralrose Fullwood's father freed on bail

December 9, 2006

By GINNY LAROE and HEATHER ALLEN
Staff Writers
heraldtribune.com

After two months in jail, Dale Fullwood was able to make bail, but neither his family or former workplace were welcoming him back Friday.

Fullwood, 46, whose 6-year-old daughter was found dead in September, arranged for $2,000 bail Thursday night. It's unclear where he went or if anyone helped him come up with the $200 in cash needed to secure his release.

"To the best of my knowledge, no one in my family has posted his bond," said Saul VanderWoude, Fullwood's father-in-law. "It is my understanding that he posted the bond himself."

No one has been arrested in connection with Coralrose Fullwood's death. And since Dale Fullwood's Oct. 11 arrest on two counts of possession of child pornography, police have urged the public not to draw any connection between the pornography charges and the homicide case.

Meanwhile, his wife and in-laws -- who once described him as a caring, dedicated father -- have distanced themselves from Fullwood. None have ever attended his hearings or offered public support.

"There are no friendly faces for him on this side of the wall," said Marci Bartoe, Dale Fullwood's sister-in-law.

His wife, Ellen-Beth Fullwood, has moved from the family's North Port home. Efforts to reach her for comment were unsuccessful.

Her oldest son, Seaton VanderWoude, 21, a college student in Washington, D.C., said he believes his mother and stepfather will divorce. VanderWoude said that despite the porn charges, he believes his stepfather is a good man.

Since September, Saul VanderWoude and his wife, Doreen, who live in Lee County, have been caring for the four youngest Fullwood children, who range in age from 4 to 12. After Coralrose's death, a judge removed the children from the Fullwoods' home, citing filthy living conditions.

The VanderWoudes said they planned to contact the state Department of Children & Families to arrange a meeting between Dale Fullwood and his children.

It is unclear where Fullwood went when he got out of jail, though family members say he may move into a house in Cape Coral that the family had left in July.

At a bail reduction hearing Wednesday, Fullwood said he planned to go back to work at the North Fort Myers bar where he was employed before his arrest. But the restaurant's new owner, Cindy Schultz, said his old job is no longer available.

"For one, we have another bartender already," Schultz said. "We're trying to make a go of the place. Any bad publicity we feel would jeopardize trying to get clientele. Personally, I've met him, seems like he is a really nice gentleman."

Police questioned Fullwood about child pornography on Sept. 17, the day Coralrose was found dead two blocks from the family's home. According to the arrest report, Fullwood admitted to downloading a "couple" of files of child pornography off the file-sharing program Limewire.

A Secret Service task force based in Miami examined Fullwood's laptop and found dozens of images and videos with titles describing violent sexual activity between men and young girls, records show. A doctor examined two of the files and determined that they depicted a girl under 12 being raped.

Fullwood has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

A judge originally set bail at $50,000. Fullwood's public defender fought that decision, saying his client has no serious criminal history and has strong ties to the community.

Fullwood is due back in court in January for a case management hearing.

"I'm very happy that things worked out and that he was able to secure pretrial release," Assistant Public Defender Adam Tebrugge said. "Now we can work on our case and not have the pressure of him sitting there in jail."

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Dale Fullwood trial set for July on child pornography charges

By GINNY LAROE
heraldtribune.com

SARASOTA -- The father of a slain North Port girl is scheduled to go to trial July 16 on pornography charges.

Dale Fullwood, 46, was arrested in October on two counts of possession of child pornography, a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison per charge. Investigators said they found, on Fullwood's laptop, two video files of a girl under the age of 12 being raped.

"I'm intending on working the case up," Adam Tebrugge, Fullwood's public defender, said after the hearing.

Fullwood said in an interview last month that he believed the charges against him would be dropped, but he stopped short of denying he downloaded the child porn.

"I don't think people should judge me on it," Fullwood said in an interview on the porch of his Cape Coral home, where he has been living by himself after being bailed out of jail on Dec. 7. "Everybody sins. Everybody makes mistakes."

Fullwood was arrested three weeks after his 6-year-old daughter, Coralrose Fullwood, was found dead on Sept. 17 near the North Port home where the family was living at the time. No one has been arrested in connection with the girl's death.

Fullwood says he doesn't know who helped arrange the bail. His family members have denied assisting.

His wife, Ellen-Beth Fullwood, has moved back to Lee County since Coralrose's death, but has refused to tell her husband where she lives, according to her sister, Marci Bartoe.

Their four children, ages 4 to 12, have been in the temporary custody of their maternal grandparents since September after a judge said their home was filthy.

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Police looking for non-family member in Coralrose killing

January 05. 2007
By GINNY LAROE
heraldtribune.com

NORTH PORT -- Police on Friday said they have a DNA profile of a non-family member who they say was involved in the killing of 6-year-old Coralrose Fullwood.

The news comes nearly four months after the North Port first-grader was found dead in the woods two blocks from the family's home.

Police said they have DNA evidence indicating at least one white male who may have been acquainted with Coralrose may be responsible for the slaying. Police also confirmed that she had been sexually assaulted.

Dale Fullwood, Coralrose's father, is charged with two felony counts of possession of child pornography and had been the subject of rampant speculation within the community. But police never named him a suspect.

Police refused to release any more details about how she died or where she was killed. North Port Police Chief

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Evidence shows slain girl, 6, was molested

The Associated Press
January 6, 2007

NORTH PORT -- A 6-year-old girl found dead in the woods near her home was sexually assaulted, and more than one person was involved in the attack, authorities said Friday.

Coralrose Fullwood's body was found in the woods two blocks from her family's North Port home on Sept.17, hours after her parents reported her missing from her bed.

"The preliminary autopsy on Coralrose indicated no obvious signs of sexual battery," North Port police Chief Terry Lewis said. "Now, we have forensics evidence indicating a sexual battery did in fact occur."

Lewis would not elaborate on what type of DNA evidence was found or where it was discovered. Lewis said the second person either had direct knowledge of or participated in the assault.

No one has been arrested in Coralrose's slaying.

Coralrose's father, Dale Fullwood, was arrested in October on two counts of possession of child pornography unrelated to the slaying of his daughter.

He pleaded not guilty and faces a July trial.

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Coralrose's family losing hope
They fear killer of 6-year-old will never be brought to justice

By GINNY LAROE and HEATHER ALLEN
Herald Tribune Staff Writers
Mar 17, 2007

NORTH PORT -- In the neighborhood where Coralrose Fullwood and her family once lived, there are no longer any signs of what happened there six months ago.

The makeshift memorial of teddy bears and flowers that stood next to the wooded lot where a neighbor found the 6-year-old's body is long gone. A retired couple from Pennsylvania now keep a neatly manicured lawn there.

The brand-new house on Calabash Lane the Fullwood family rented for six weeks before their youngest daughter was raped and killed has joined the dozens of other vacant homes that dot North Port neighborhoods. Dale and Ellen-Beth Fullwood have separated and moved back to Lee County.

While it seems the memory of what happened to the blue-eyed first-grader six months ago today has faded, her family worries the case has grown cold and that it will join four other years-old unsolved homicide cases in this city.

"I don't think we'll ever see justice, unless it's by mistake," said Coralrose's maternal grandfather, Saul VanderWoude.

In the early days of the investigation, VanderWoude, a retired police officer from Massachusetts, showed public support for the North Port police. Now, he is among the department's most vocal critics.

He says his family and the public have been misled about some of the circumstances surrounding the case. He said his family has been kept in the dark.

And he thinks now the best chance for an arrest is for the girl's killer to stumble into the police's arms, if he or she is arrested for something else and winds up the positive DNA match that police have sought for months.

Meanwhile, North Port Police Chief Terry Lewis has grown increasingly defensive of the public scrutiny, saying in a recent interview that he has never misled the public. But he said the case is unusual, and there is information that can't be released until it goes to trial.

"It's very dynamic, incredibly complex and challenging," he said. "But that doesn't mean I'm not confident that there will be a successful conclusion."

Lewis said he has heard some criticism in the community that North Port's police aren't experienced enough to handle such a case.

And to some extent, Lewis said he agrees. That's why he called on resources from local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to help with the investigation. Even the U.S. Department of Treasury, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, FBI profilers and a hypnotist have been used.

Four Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents are still assigned to work full-time on the case with North Port detectives, said John King, special agent supervisor with FLDE.

Coralrose's father, Dale Fullwood, says it's too little too late. He says if police would have believed him that he and his family were not involved and moved on to other suspects right away, they might have caught his daughter's killer by now.

"They wasted the past six months going after Ellen and me and here the person could have gotten away with it," he said. "For all I know, he may be out of the country."

For Coralrose's mother, Ellen-Beth Fullwood, today is no anniversary.

It's day 186, another day with more questions than answers about what happened to her "Rosie." She refuses to believe the uncertainty will last forever.

"That would mean that she had no story," she said. "Right now her story is 'I went to bed and woke up dead.' The in-between needs to be filled in. It's law enforcement's job to do that."

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Coralrose’s mom regains custody of children

Cara Sapida
NBC-2
5/30/07

LEE COUNTY: Six-year-old Coralrose Fullwood went missing in the middle of the night in September 2006. The very next day, Coralrose’s mother lost custody of the rest of her children. Finally, nine months later, her children are coming home.

Ellen Fullwood had a full house, but after her daughter’s murder, she lost more than just one child. The Department of Children and Families came in and took all of her children.

They were taken away, not because she was a suspect in her daughter’s death, but for another reason.

"My house was messy," said Fullwood.

After nearly nine months of waiting and cleaning, a Sarasota judge restored her rights. She will regain custody of all of her children for the first time since Coralrose’s death.

"It'll be wonderful, waking up in the morning and knowing they are there. Putting them to bed, tucking them in, all the things most parents take for granted," said Fullwood.

But despite looking forward to tucking her children in, the reunion is bittersweet.

"But there is sadness because there is one less I should be able to do that with also," said Fullwood.

No matter what a judge says, Coralrose will never come home.
Fullwood says this is the first positive turn in her life since her daughter’s murder.

The judge still must sign an order for the kids to be released. They are expected to return to their new Fort Myers home on Friday.

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Chief: Coralrose case not cold
Anonymous person needs to call back

Elaine Allen-Emrich
The Sun Herald
6/01/2007

NORTH PORT -- With the help of Crime Stoppers and the Gold Star Club, the North Port Police Department is offering a reward for solid information leading to the arrest and conviction of Coralrose Fullwood's killer.

The 6-year-old was found slain in a wooded area on Sept. 17 two blocks from her Calabash Lane home in North Port. She was sexually assaulted and beaten.

According to North Port Police Chief Terry Lewis, DNA evidence was left at the crime scene, making it a strong, active case. The DNA has been sent to labs in Florida. But investigators have no matching suspect.

Lewis said the NPPD, Sarasota Sheriff's Department and Florida Department of Law Enforcement (when needed) are working on the case 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Lewis said the investigation has reached a point where a reward can be given for critical information.

Press conference explains rewards

Lewis held a press conference Thursday and announced several details. He said a Sarasota television news station received a tip from an unidentified caller with a name of a possible suspect. The person didn't give enough information to finish up the important lead before hanging up.

Lewis publicly appealed for this person to call back and remain anonymous while giving more information.

"We want to be able to close it out or continue with this lead," said Lewis. Investigators have worked about 340 leads so far. "This caller obviously has some valuable information we are interested in."

Lewis said he's not concerned the unidentified caller gave the potential name of a suspect to a news station instead of the police department.

"It doesn't matter who in the media -- print, television or radio station -- is contacted or if it's through Crime Stoppers or our own dedicated Coralrose phone line, we will collect information any way a person is comfortable giving it," he said.

Lewis enlisted the help of Vince Schachner, secretary of Crime Stoppers of Southwest Florida, as an additional resource. Crime Stoppers is an anonymous hot line where callers are eligible for up to a $1,000 reward for information.

Lewis is also working with the Manatee County Gold Star Club -- a non-profit organization that raises reward money for murder and serious crimes against children. Any donations from the Gold Star Club for the Coralrose fund will be given to Lewis to use as a reward for information leading to her killer.

The Gold Star Club Web site lists the daily amount of donations for the Coralrose fund that will turn into a cash reward.

"The chief will decide who the money goes to," Schachner said. "What happened in past cases is the police chief gives a cash reward to the person or persons who helped solve pieces of the puzzle. This is a tool for Chief Lewis to use as part of this investigation and capture of the killer."

Lewis said he is working with these organizations who provide reward money because it's "imperative" for "accountability and legitimacy."

He wanted to make sure anyone giving information leading to the arrest and conviction understands the reward is valid. He said right now someone could earn up to $8,000 in reward money; however, he believes the amount could increase significantly through private donations from those who want to help solve the case.

Coralrose's mother supports reward efforts

Coralrose's mother, Ellen-Beth Fullwood, stood quietly as Lewis and Crime Stoppers and Gold Star Club representatives explained that anyone could donate to the reward fund.

Following the 20-minute press conference, Fullwood spoke to reporters and news cameras.

"It's a shame that money has to be rewarded to get the truth," she said. "I understand and I support the police department's efforts."

Fullwood said she hasn't been kept in the loop about all aspects of the investigation and was not notified of the anonymous phone call, but isn't troubled by it.

"I am stepping back and letting the police do their job," she said. "I know it takes time. I know it's frustrating. I answer questions when the investigators ask me and stay out of their way."

Fullwood said she had inquired through blogs and online chatting regarding a reward fund.

"The problem was I didn't want it done over the Internet without a reputable organization in charge of the donations," she said. "If we did it ourselves, who would we give the money to and how much would we be scrutinized? The police have enlisted two good organizations to help and I'm fine with this."

Fullwood briefly smiled as she handed out bright pink business-card size prayer cards written in Hebrew and translated with Coralrose's cheerful smile on the front.

Fullwood said she was glad her four children ages 13 to 5 will be returned to live with her today. The children had been living with Ellen-Beth's parents since the state removed them two days after Coralrose died. Until Wednesday, the court had only allowed Ellen-Beth to have her children through supervised visits.

Fullwood hasn't been silent in her efforts to change Florida law since her daughter's death.

She traveled to Tallahassee to talk to state representatives about a proposed law concerning child pornography. Ellen-Beth's estranged husband, Dale, was arrested following Coralrose's death on several counts of child pornography on his laptop computer.

Ellen-Beth filed divorce papers against Dale, who was not at the press conference.

When Dale's arrest was brought up Thursday, Lewis said it had nothing to do with the investigation of Coralrose's murder.

"One has nothing to do with the other," he said, adding everyone is still a suspect in the case.

Lewis made it clear that he didn't just want an "arrest" in Coralrose's death but a "conviction with solid evidence that would stand up in court." He also said the case was not cold and he needed the public's help.

Schachner was hopeful that Crime Stoppers will make a difference in helping the police department.

"Last year there were 827 cases closed with 368 arrests through Crime Stoppers," he said. "There was $80,000 in rewards given to people who helped us solve those crimes and close those cases. It works."

Who to call

Anyone with information regarding the Coralrose Fullwood investigation can call and remain anonymous.

The North Port Police Department has a dedicated number for this case. Call 941-429-7336.

Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards. Call 1-800-780-TIPS (8477) or log on to www.swflcrimestoppers.org.

The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office will give up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest of any persons involved in unsolved crimes. Call 941-366-TIPS (8477).

How to donate

The Gold Star Club is approved by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Donations are held in a bank until the money is turned over to the NPPD. The daily amount will be posted on the Gold Star Club web site -- www.goldstarclub.com.

Donations can be made to Gold Star Club of Manatee Co. Inc., 6807 53rd Ave. East, Bradenton, Fl. 34203.

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Porn case evidence in question

The Sun-Herald
6/21/2007

The father of slain 6-year-old Coralrose Fullwood is readying himself for a July 11 hearing on two counts of having two video images of child pornography.

However, Dale Fullwood's public defender is asking a judge to throw out the evidence because he claims the police obtained it illegally.

Assistant Public Defender Adam Tebrugge recently filed a motion in Sarasota circuit court arguing the warrant obtained only allowed officers to remove computers Coralrose had access to and not all of the family's computers. It also said the two images police recovered of a child under 12 being sexually abused should not be entered as evidence. Tebrugge said the police didn't have enough evidence to get a search warrant for the computer.

Fullwood, 47, was arrested in October, but police said the arrest had nothing to do with his daughter's death on Sept. 17.

North Port Police Chief Terry Lewis said the police department took every step to obtain evidence in the Coralrose Fullwood death investigation in order to get a conviction, and not just an arrest.

Coralrose was found dead two blocks from her Calabash Lane home in a wooded area. Police have DNA evidence showing she was sexually assaulted and have offered a reward for information leading to an arrest in her death.

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Court says evidence is good and stays in Fullwood case
Fullwood's wife to testify against her husband Dale

George McGinn
The Sun-Herald
7/14/2007

SARASOTA -- To anyone who came to court Friday, it was uneventful. Dale Fullwood's trial was moved from Monday to sometime next week. It was what the people did not see that Fullwood's attorney, Assistant Public Defender Adam Tebrugge, had all that he could do to keep himself civil.

And without drama, Tebrugge walked out of Circuit Court Judge Charles Roberts' court with papers in his hand. Tebrugge was carrying Roberts' order denying his motion to suppress the evidence against Fullwood.

"It was all I had to bite my lip and keep quiet," Tebrugge said. But he said that was after Craig Shaffer, supervisor of the assistant state attorneys, attempted to offer Tebrugge to consider some kind of plea deal. At one time it was overheard that Fullwood could plead to a lesser charge.

Fullwood was arrested in November and charged with two counts of child pornography on his laptop computer. Fullwood is the father of 6-year-old Coralrose Fullwood, who was found dead two blocks from her Calabash Lane home in North Port on Sept. 17.

"Even if (Fullwood) agrees to this, there will still be severe sanctions against him," Shaffer said, standing outside the courtroom waiting for a response.

"Not a chance," Tebrugge replied.

In the order, Roberts denied all four parts of Tebrugge's motion he made at a Wednesday hearing, saying North Port Police properly performed their duties.

Sitting in the law library at the public defender's office, Tebrugge said he was disappointed with the judge's decision.

"I thought the law was pretty clear in my favor. So I respectfully disagreed with the order issued today," he said.

Tebrugge said what confused him is Assistant State Attorney Susan O'Donnell did not present "any substantive arguments" against the motion.

"It felt like I had to carry the burden of proof instead," Tebrugge said.

While standing outside the courtroom earlier, Tebrugge said to Shaffer there has been interference throughout the entire case.

First Fullwood was given a higher bond by then Chief Circuit Court Judge Robert Bennett, in direct violation with an administrative order he wrote. It took Tebrugge three weeks and an appeal court to force the circuit court to honor the posted bond for the charge.

Then many requests for discovery went unanswered. Tebrugge said he still has to have his own expert review a 30-second tape in which he says you cannot tell how old the girl is in the pornographic video.

Early this week he receives the results of the polygraph.

Tebrugge had a new stack of papers waiting on his desk on Friday morning. It included discovery materials with a new witness list, new reports, motions and orders. And this new evidence needed to be looked at before Monday's trial.

Roberts granted Tebrugge a one-week extension, and will set a new trial date later next week.

Tebrugge said he took a quick glance at the stack, but he noticed two things that stood out. The new witness list for the prosecution now includes Ellen-Beth Fullwood, Dale's estranged wife who filed for divorce in April. There is a motion asking the court to allow the entire report prepared by the U.S. Secret Service.

"The state's motion is to allow similar fact evidence," he said. "They hope to present other files that are not the basis of any of the criminal charges in the case."

Tebrugge explained if you get a DUI, it's like having the prosecutor bring in everybody in the bar that night and having them all say you have a chronic drinking problem.

"One thing this state does not allow is propensity," Tebrugge said.

Tebrugge said propensity is an established pattern of behavior.

"You have to confine the evidence to the charge," he said.

Tebrugge would not comment on what Roberts said, saying, "He explained himself very well."

In the order, Roberts said the computers were seized by the first warrant during the initial stages of Coralrose's murder investigation. He said that a North Port Police detective, acting on statements made during an interrogation, asked for a second warrant for the specific crime of sexual performance by a child (possession of child pornography).

Roberts said the affidavit in question clearly outlines the pending investigation of Coralrose. As part of the investigation, Roberts wrote, "It was completely reasonable for the detectives to seek access to the household computers in light of the mother (Ellen-Beth Fullwood) telling detectives that the child (Coralrose) had access to the computers in the residence."

Roberts said that since Ellen-Beth's statement did not exclude any computers, the police were justified to take them all.

Another point Tebrugge made was that videos files showing teenagers having sex, by definition includes 18- and 19-year-olds. Roberts said the court disagrees. The term "teenagers" also includes 13- to 19-year-olds. Roberts said 70 percent of "teenagers" are under the age of 18.

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Officers hunt for killer
"No rock will go unturned" in the Coralrose case

Elaine Allen-Emrich
The Sun-Herald
7/16/2007

NORTH PORT -- Five minutes into a recent episode of "The First 48," detectives found a 20-something-year-old body wrapped in carpet and dumped on the side of the road. Police identified the body almost immediately and, within 69 minutes into the investigation, they had questioned several suspects and made an arrest.

In North Port, it's not like the reality television show depicting Miami detectives. No television crews follow North Port detectives around daily, no producers cut sound bites of investigative conversations to create anticipation for a 60-minute television show. It's just local, county and other law enforcement agencies tracking who killed an innocent first-grader named Coralrose Fullwood.

For some North Port detectives, work on the case of the missing 6-year-old began before noon on Sept. 17, following a 9-1-1 call from a Calabash Lane home. Coralrose Fullwood's parents weren't certain what time in the early morning hours their daughter disappeared. The father didn't recall locking the front door, but told police his wallet was missing.

However, the case quickly turned to a homicide investigation when the girl was found dead in a wooded area two blocks from her home. She was wrapped in her own blanket and had been sexually assaulted.

"This case is so different from others because we are dealing with a 6-year-old victim," said Detective Tom Stella, who has worked the case for 302 days. "She didn't have an extensive past, a boyfriend, work acquaintances or hardly any easily identifiable leads for us to immediately work. We knew she was a little girl who moved to the area six weeks earlier. She went to school and then home. Although she interacted with others at the bus stop and at school, that's not a whole lot of information to go by on such a young victim."

The police department worked with the family to gather as much information as possible. Months later, on any given day, the investigation team consists of three Florida Department of Law Enforcement officers and four to seven detectives and officers.

Because the family moved from the Lee County area only six weeks before Coralrose died, local officers have been working with law enforcement officials in other areas to gather any more clues regarding her past.

"If someone from Lee County or Tampa calls in a lead, we prefer to speak to the people face-to-face," Stella said, adding that although the line is recorded when a tip comes in, it is not screened for the telephone number. "Anything we receive that needs to be further investigated by the team is done precisely."

Leads received by the police department shape the investigator's day.

"The team sometimes spends time canvassing," Stella said. "They can be working 25 to 30 different leads in an area. Coralrose did not have a large network of friends or interests. So we have a 6-year-old victim that does not meet the standard criteria that many others do.

"The victim is the center of the wagon wheel," he said. "After talking to friends or family, all of those things (information gathered) would be the spokes for the wagon wheel."

Stella said he's been asked why police haven't solved the case yet. He said police work isn't like what it's portrayed on television. He said a reality-based show such as "The First 48" means officers are often at the mercy of the producer who calls all the shots.

"Our real-life investigation is not dictated by producers," he said. "In (the television show) 'CSI,' the bad guys are always caught in 60 minutes. They always have an eyelash or someone's driver's license left at a scene. They can find fingerprints off of rocks. In real life, none of this is realistic when you are solving a complex crime."

Stella said one important detail officers have in this case is DNA was left at the scene where Coralrose's body was found. Police are trying to match the DNA with its owner.

"What many people don't understand is that DNA isn't the same as fingerprints," he said. "Police computers are filled with fingerprints; however, DNA is only taken for certain felonies."

Prior to the passage of tougher laws on violent and sexual offenses, no DNA was taken from those incarcerated for crimes. Now state law requires taking DNA samples for certain violent offenses. This tool helps law enforcement link a suspected offender for multiple crimes.

Local police have launched a nationwide search for the killer. With all law agencies having this information, it will help officers look for similar leads in tracking the offender.

"We had people who have relocated who initially could have been considered suspicious and now live somewhere else in the state," Stella said. "It takes time and resources. We have done investigations both in and out of the state. We asked other state law enforcement agencies for help. So, in essence, we are working with every law enforcement agency nationwide.

"There's no giving up this case, it will not go cold. There are entirely too many resources in this case for it to go cold," he said. "We are as active and dedicated as we were on Sept. 17."

Even while on vacation or a day off, officers call in asking for updates or new information.

"Once you are behind the scenes, you find yourself calling in and checking your voice and e-mails even when you are on vacation," Stella said.

Stella said the department understands that every action officers take in this case will be weighed in the eyes and ears of jurors in a courtroom.

"That's the standard we are working at," he said, adding what Chief Terry Lewis echoes at every press conference, "an arrest and conviction will come in this case."

Stella said the alleged killer will have an attorney. The police department wants to make sure that individual can't use "courtroom theatrics" to say that law enforcement didn't do everything to prove the innocence of the accused.

"That's why we are leaving no stone unturned," he said.

Stella said that on a weekly basis every available member of the Child Abduction Response Team continues to help canvas and gather information.

"Hundreds of leads have been closed," said Stella of the more than 360 leads to date.

So far, more than $18,070 has been offered in reward money to help catch Coralrose's killer. A Sarasota resident who had been following the case recently donated $10,000 to the fund established by law enforcement.

For more information or to leave a tip, call 941-428-7382 or 941-366-TIPS.