Phillip Garrido brought the young girls that he fathered with Jaycee Dugard to the UC campus in Berkeley on August 24. While there, he met a police officer named Lisa Campbell who asked him to return for a meeting the next day. Campbell was suspicious of his unusual behavior, and noted that the girls should have been in school.

Later that night, Officer Campbell ordered a Comprehensive Background Check and discovered something disturbing. Phillip Garrido was a registered sex offender who was still required to check in with a parole officer.

The following day Campbell brought a colleague, Officer Allison Jacobs, to the meeting with Phillip Garrido. When he left, the women called Garrido’s parole officer to report his actions and ask about his daughters. They were stunned to be told that he did not have any children.

Based on this call, the parole officer set up a meeting with Garrido, which led to an investigation and arrest. Since then, Phillip and Nancy Garrido have been held in custody awaiting a trial. The prosecution intends to prove that Phillip Garrido is a highly manipulative individual who brain-washed Jaycee Dugard, but his public defender, Susan Gellman, hopes to prove otherwise.

Gellman’s plan is to state that Phillip Garrido suffers from severe mental illness. She will insist that he did not have the capacity to realize that he was doing wrong and he should be treated as a patient, not a criminal.

One of the points Gellman is expected to emphasize is that Garrido claims to have communicated with angels who live underground for many years. He proclaimed that these angels frequently spoke to him at night and even self-published a manifesto about their conversations, which he personally delivered to the FBI a few days before he was arrested.

Whether or not this defense will hold up in court remains to be seen. The prosecution asserts that since Garrido and his wife lived a somewhat normal life while detaining Jaycee Dugard in a backyard shanty for so long, their actions must have been calculated. They are also expected to point out that Garrido had plans in place to hide Dugard and the children if the police or unexpected visitors ever arrived.

We’ll be watching closely as the trial against Phillip and Nancy Garrido begins. Our hopes are with Jaycee Dugard and her family, and that the end of this hearing will bring them peace and comfort.

Read more about the kidnapping of Jaycee Dugard

Read about how Jaycee Dugard became free

We’ve seen so many amazing events unfold over the year. We shared a collective feeling of bereavement at the loss of celebrities like Michael Jackson, Farah Fawcett and Patrick Swayze.  These beloved entertainers brought so much joy into our lives, and their unfortunate passing reminds of us how important it is to hold the people that we care about close. We are constantly reminded of just how unpredictable life can be.

We were stunned by the startling tale of Jaycee Dugard, and couldn’t contain our excitement when she was finally reunited with her family. We marveled at how modern technology helped solve mysteries from long ago, like the man who murdered Rebecca Doisy being brought to justice after more than 30 years. We honored those whose lives were lost or changed forever on September 11. We cheered for the Good Samaritan who helped save a young boy from a raging fire. We watched with rapt attention as the saga of Tiger Woods unfolded before our eyes.

Throughout the year, one thing that we’ve found holds true for everyone is that it’s all about a connection. Technology continues to advance, stories break that astound and provoke us, but in the end the most important thing is always the people who share our lives.

Thank you for giving us an outstanding 2009, and allowing us to help you find and connect with family, friends, classmates and anyone else who touched your life. We look forward to an exceptional and fulfilling 2010. Have a happy New Year, and thank you for reading the PeopleFinders People Search blog.

People’s list contains more than 25 intriguing individuals – some people were listed as couples (like Barack and Michelle Obama), and others were clumped into larger groups (like the Kardashian sisters). Every winner was given their own title, such as “The Power Pair” for Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, or “The Departing Diva” for Oprah Winfrey.

A few celebrities will find themselves in this issue for an entirely different reason; this year the magazine features a “Men in the Doghouse” list. The inductees include: Chris Brown, Jon Gosselin, Kanye West, David Letterman and Tiger Woods.

At PeopleFinders, we reviewed the “Most Intriguing of 2009” list with great interest and amusement. We were reminded of the stories that shocked us, like the harrowing story of Jaycee Dugard or the tragic departure of Michael Jackson. We also couldn’t help but smile at the success of new entertainers like Lady Gaga, and old favorites like Sandra Bullock.

Of course celebrities aren’t the only people who fascinate us. The people who make the biggest impact on our lives are the ones we call our friends and family. These are the people who are around when we need someone to talk, laugh and cry with us, or even to share encouraging thoughts during difficult times.

Through the years we welcome so many intriguing people into our lives. Relatives, friends, classmates, neighbors … we build up our own personal cast of characters. So many meaningful people share their lives with us, but time has a funny way of separating even the closest of friends.

Our world moves at such a fast pace that it can be easy to lose track of anyone. But no matter how much time passes, you’ll always remember the people who intrigued you the most. PeopleFinders is here to help you reconnect with people who were once the biggest newsmakers in your world.

PeopleFinders will help you find anyone, anywhere. Start your own People Search Membership, and prepare to embark on a truly rewarding adventure – a trip down memory lane filled with exciting people from your past. You’ll find yourself remembering why these are the people who have earned a spot on your own most intriguing list.

You can check out the new issue of People Magazine on December 18, and read more about fascinating headline-makers and celebrities. Check out PeopleFinders.com anytime you want to learn how to find and reconnect with unforgettable people like your best friend from high school, an old military buddy or the cousin who got married and moved around too often to keep track.

Have fun creating your own list of intriguing individuals, and thank you for reading the PeopleFinders People Search blog.

Garrido is a registered sex offender who somehow managed to keep Jaycee Dugard hidden away for nearly 2 decades. He sexually assaulted the young girl and fathered 2 children with her during this time. In August, 2009, Garrido was finally captured and Jaycee was set free.

After spending nearly half her life in captivity, Jaycee reunited with her mother. She and her daughters have stayed out of the public eye since then, but Jaycee recently did an interview with People Magazine. The issue features pictures that show Jaycee to be healthy and vibrant. Jaycee’s mother, Terry Probyn, said that the darkness and despair has lifted from their lives, and that they are all thrilled to be back together.

Jaycee is now 29 and her daughters are 11 and 15. They seem to be happy and well adjusted, although they do expect to spend time in counseling to get over this horrifying experience. People all across the country have reached out to help their family during this difficult time. If you would like to contribute, visit The Jaycee Lee Dugard Trust Fund to send your donation online.

We couldn’t be happier for Jaycee and her family. They lost a lot of precious time, but now they have a second chance. Thank you for reading the PeopleFinders People Search blog.

Officer Lisa Campbell first met Garrido at The University of California on August 24th. Garrido had his daughters with him when he approached Campbell to discuss setting up an event on the college campus. Campbell noticed that something seemed very unusual about the girls, and noted that they should have been in school. She asked Garrido to return the next day to discuss his event.

That night officer Campbell ran a Background Check on Garrido, and found out that he was a Registered Sex Offender. In 1976 Garrido was arrested for kidnapping and raping a woman, and later sentenced to 50 years in prison. He was let out early after convincing authorities that he had changed his life around and deserved a second chance. Although he was a free man, Garrido still checked in with a parole officer in 2009.

Garrido returned to the Berkeley campus on August 25th, and Lisa Campbell brought along fellow police officer Allison Jacobs to meet him. During the meeting, Jacobs spoke with the girls and was told that they were home schooled along with a third sister who was not present. Jacobs noticed that the girls exhibited strange behaviors such as only giving one-word answers and either staring intently at the officers or Garrido. Both girls also looked very pale and sickly.

After the meeting, Jacobs called Garrido’s parole officer to explain what had happened. The parole officer informed her that Garrido didn’t have any children – a fact that Jacobs claimed stopped her “dead in her tracks”. This phone call led to the scheduling of another meeting with Garrido, along with Dugard and their daughters. Dugard was introduced as Garrido’s wife ‘Allissa’, but eventually he admitted that he had kidnapped her years ago. The FBI was called in, and the 1991 disappearance of Jaycee Dugard was finally solved.

We can all be thankful that Lisa Campbell had the presence of mind to order a Background Check on Phillip Garrido. It allowed her to discreetly learn about his criminal history and bring closure to a traumatic event for the Dugard family. People often rely on Background Reports when they need to find out more about anyone they know personally or professionally because they provide details about bankruptcies, criminal records and other information you need to make an informed decision. The information officer Campbell received helped lead to the arrest of a true predator.

Today Jaycee Dugard has been reunited with her family, and her daughters have finally met their grandmother and step-grandfather. It was an emotional scene, and one filled with both joy and pain. Although Dugard is happy to be back with her mother, her life with Garrido is all she has known for the last 18 years. The situation is even worse for her daughters – their father has been arrested on charges of kidnapping and raping their mother.

There may be no easy end to the story of Jaycee Dugard and her children. For now, all we can do is wish them well as they try to recover from this nearly 2-decade ordeal. As the world watches the events of this horrifying story unfold, we all send our hopes, prayers and best wishes out to the entire Dugard family. Thank you for reading the PeopleFinders.com People Search blog.

Dugard was held inside a small shed that was well hidden in the backyard of a home in Antioch, California. Her alleged captors, Phillip and Nancy Garrido, kept her out of sight so efficiently that no one suspected they had a kidnap victim locked away on their property.

Phillip Garrido fathered 2 girls with Dugard, and they would lead to his eventual capture. The girls, now 11 and 15 years old, accompanied Garrido to the University of California in Berkeley where he was handing out religious pamphlets. Officers on the campus felt he was acting in a suspicious manner towards the girls, and stopped him for questioning.

After running a Background Check, the officers discovered that Phillip Garrido is a Registered Sex Offender still on federal parole for rape and kidnapping. Garrido was brought in for a parole meeting, and Jaycee accompanied him with their daughters. Jaycee identified herself as his wife “Allissa”, but during the meeting Garrido admitted that he had kidnapped her nearly 2 decades ago.

Currently, both Phillip and Nancy Garrido have been arrested and face several charges, including kidnapping with the intent to commit robbery and rape. Dugard was finally able to enjoy a reunion with her family, after so many years apart.

A mother and daughter were reunited, and grandchildren were introduced for the first time. Jaycee Dugard has a difficult period of adjustment ahead – the only home she has known for 18 years was a small shed – but in the end all that really matters is the family is able to continue with their lives together again.

At least one of Phillip Garrido’s neighbors heard children playing in the well concealed backyard area, but no one ever suspected he was hiding a kidnap victim. How well do you know the people who live near you? Sexual offenders could be in your own neighborhood, but luckily there is a way to find out.

Use a Sex Offender Search to learn if anyone around you has been convicted of a sexual crime, or choose a Membership to get all the information you need about anyone. Knowing who lives close to you will help you protect your family and loved ones. At PeopleFinders, we rejoice and celebrate the return of Jaycee Dugard, and encourage everyone to be safe and well informed.

Read an update about Jaycee Dugard here.