School principal details Karr’s time in Napa

Suspect in Ramsey murder was picked up by sheriff while on campus

By CRISTINA DE LEON-MENJIVAR
Register Staff Writer

During a press conference Thursday afternoon, Napa Valley Unified School District officials provided details of the detainment of John Mark Karr, the man arrested in the 1996 death of Jon Benet Ramsey.

From February 1, 2001 to April 4, 2001 Karr was a student teacher and occasional substitute teacher at Pueblo Vista Elementary School, and was under the supervision of Daniel Roberts, principal.

Karr was in his normal routine April 4 as a student teacher at Pueblo Vista, and was presenting lessons under the guidance of his master teacher in his fourth-grade classroom.

That day, however, would be the end of his teaching in the Napa Valley Unified School District.

During the school day, Assistant Superintendent Sharyn Lindsey contacted Roberts, informing him Napa Sheriff’s deputies were coming to speak with Karr.

Roberts’ focus was to keep the students in classroom 20 away from the scene.

“I didn’t know all the details, but I was thinking ‘how am I going to do this without disrupting class,’” he said. “I went into the classroom and asked Karr to come to my office.”

As the two walked to the office Roberts asked him how things were going.

“He said things were going ‘good,’” Roberts said, assuming that he was referring to the classroom activities.

In the office, Roberts said Karr did not question why he was being called by Napa sheriff’s, and calmly walked off the campus, escorted by deputies. Law enforcement officials also searched Karr’s vehicle.

That was the last Pueblo Vista would see of Karr.

A couple days later, Roberts was informed by district officials that Karr would not be returning to the school. Details as to why he was detained were not divulged, however.

“It surprised me, you don’t expect that,” Roberts said. “He was very friendly, talkative ... he was eager to be an elementary teacher, students liked him ... nothing stood out in my mind.”

“At that time, I had no reason to think he wasn’t going to make it (as a teacher,” Roberts said.

Napa sheriff’s detained Karr as part of a collaborative effort with the Sonoma County Sheriff’s department.

Napa Valley Register Copyright © 2009