Sandra Cantu -- Found Deceased 4/6/09 -- UPDATE: Melissa Huckaby Pleads Guilty To Murder

Huckaby's ex given custody of daughter / Also link about wiretaps in Huckaby's case

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090708/A_NEWS/907080329

that entire case makes my stomach hurt

Yes Deb, this case makes me sick (& mad). I was hoping with these wiretaps that anyone eles involved would be caught.I know MH is guilty ,but, there may be more to it than we know.

I worry what MH's daughter has had to go thru & I still think there are more people involved (or a child porn ring)

I always want justice, especially for children.Even though it won't erase their pain. I guess it is the Libra in me.

I get physically sick just thinking about this poor child and after seeing her family so humbly greive. I know I should not judge, but there was/is such a sincere, tremendous difference between the way Sandras family publicly displayed their human, natural grief versus the Ants. My heart would and still does just ache for Sandras family.

I feel NO sympathy for MH nor her family. IMO, they HAD to have known she was a sicko........ and yes, I believe she had help with this murder as well. What REALLY makes me sick is to think after the vile torture she put this child through, after we saw her mental stats........ she will most likely walk on a mental defense.

By The Record
July 20, 2009 12:56 PM
STOCKTON – A secret grand jury began meeting today to hear evidence in the case of Tracy’s Melissa Huckaby, the Sunday school teacher accused in the kidnapping, rape and murder of 8-year-old Sandra Cantu.

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090720/A_NEWS/90720005

Lostnchat,
the above link was moved,but,I found this

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=A_SPECIAL0263

Lots of info on Sandra Cantu's case

Thanks Michelle. I have another link too,but will have to find it in my madness filings here ( lol ). This childs vicious murder , IMO, should never have happend and is so sad b/c we all watch our children/g/children so closely, as Sandras Mother did....... and look how this happened. Just breaks my heart for Sandras family.

LostnChat wrote:I get physically sick just thinking about this poor child and after seeing her family so humbly greive. I know I should not judge, but there was/is such a sincere, tremendous difference between the way Sandras family publicly displayed their human, natural grief versus the Ants. My heart would and still does just ache for Sandras family.

I feel NO sympathy for MH nor her family. IMO, they HAD to have known she was a sicko........ and yes, I believe she had help with this murder as well. What REALLY makes me sick is to think after the vile torture she put this child through, after we saw her mental stats........ she will most likely walk on a mental defense.

thats how I feel sick to my stomach when I even think of this case makes me so sick

LostnChat wrote:I get physically sick just thinking about this poor child and after seeing her family so humbly greive. I know I should not judge, but there was/is such a sincere, tremendous difference between the way Sandras family publicly displayed their human, natural grief versus the Ants. My heart would and still does just ache for Sandras family.

I feel NO sympathy for MH nor her family. IMO, they HAD to have known she was a sicko........ and yes, I believe she had help with this murder as well. What REALLY makes me sick is to think after the vile torture she put this child through, after we saw her mental stats........ she will most likely walk on a mental defense.

Hi, LostnChat! :flower: Great post! I completely agree with you. I think this psycho should be permanently removed from society.

I hope and pray this murderer does not walk. She knew right from wrong when she stuffed Sandra's little body in a darn suitcase. She knew right from wrong when she took the suitcase and tried to hide it in the irrigation pond. She knew right from wrong when she mislead the police. WHEW! I will now get off my soapbox. IMO there is nothing bad enough that they could do to this monster.

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090808/A_NEWS/908080324/

Landscape Structures donated $50,000 worth of playground equipment to Sandra Cantu's elementary school, and there was a small ceremony Friday to dedicate the new playground named after Sandra. Sandra's 15-year-old brother Thomas and 11-year-old sister Miranda were the first to use the Sandra Cantu Playground, and were then joined by a dozen other children. This was a very nice article.

Thanks for posting this J4A, it brings tears to my eyes everytime I think of what little Sandra went through, or even when I read anything about her. It's great to see people come together and do these good deeds in honor of a precious child that was ripped from this world in such a brutal and horrific manner.

Indictment in Sandra Cantu killing?

Although they won't explain why, San Joaquin County court officials say a hearing has been scheduled for Monday for Melissa Huckaby, the Sunday school teacher who allegedly raped and killed Tracy 8-year-old Sandra Cantu in March and dumped her body in a pond.

News of the hearing in Stockton comes after a secret grand jury finished up a review of evidence in the startling slaying. If Huckaby was indicted, she would have to be arraigned in court -- the beginning of the road toward trial.

Generally, prosecutors take cases to grand juries when they don't want to air evidence -- or identify witnesses -- in an open preliminary hearing. Defense attorneys aren't as fond of them; they aren't allowed in the room to call their own witnesses and rebut the charges.

Huckaby, 28, has pleaded not guilty to murder charges that make her eligible for execution if convicted. Her family members tell us they havent heard any news from the grand jury proceeding, and prosecutors and defense attorneys are mum so far. We'll keep you posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/crime/detail?&entry_id=45357

Melissa Huckaby to return to court early

STOCKTON — The Tracy woman accused of killing and raping her 8-year-old neighbor will return to court Monday, a month sooner than scheduled.

Melissa Huckaby, 28, was supposed to return to court in September, but the San Joaquin County Superior Court announced she will be in court 1 p.m. Aug. 17 for further proceedings.

A court spokeswoman said she was not at liberty to discuss the nature of those proceedings. A representative from the District Attorney's Office said they cannot comment on Monday's hearing. A gag order is in place in the case, preventing involved parties from discussing the case with the media.

Huckaby is accused of killing 8-year-old Sandra Cantu, her neighbor and her daughter's playmate. Sandra was last seen at the Orchard Estates Mobile Home Park on March 27. Her body was found April 6 inside a black suitcase dumped in a dairy pond off Whitehall Road in Tracy.

Huckaby, who told a Tracy newspaper she had a suitcase similar to the one in which Sandra's body was found, but that it was taken from her home, was arrested April 10. She faces a murder charge with three special circumstances — kidnapping, lewd and lascivious acts on a child and rape with a foreign object. In another case, Huckaby has been charged with two counts of furnishing a harmful substance and one count of child endangerment in what police say is the drugging of another child and a Hayward man.

Huckaby has entered not-guilty pleas to all charges and is in custody at San Joaquin County Jail.

A criminal grand jury was believed to have convened last month to hear evidence in the case. The proceedings are kept secret unless an indictment is made. If the grand jury met and they did issue an indictment, it would replace Huckaby's public preliminary hearing, in which a judge determines if there is enough evidence to try her on the charges. That hearing was scheduled to begin Sept. 24.

http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_13046449?source=rss

Program started to tell on predators


Thurmont — The story of 8-year-old Sandra Cantu is what inspired Thurmont resident Charline Zalewski into activism.

Cantu was raped and murdered before being stuffed into a suitcase and thrown in a pond in her hometown of Tracy, Calif. earlier this year.

A stranger is not accused in her death. The accused is her next-door neighbor and the mother of one her friends.

“That kind of did it for me,” Zalewski said. “No one wants to talk about it, but we need to.”

Tired of similar stories like Sandra’s, Zalewski has started a program called S.T.O.P. — Speak up and Tell On Predators which teaches awareness, prevention education and empowerment to parents and children.

While children are taught to watch out for strangers, 90 percent of sexually abused children know or are related to their attackers, according to Childhelp.org.

Zalewski is among that 90 percent. A relative abused her as a child.

“Too often many parents ignore the statistics believing it could not happen to their child,” she said. “Unfortunately it can and will happen to anyone, anywhere.”

Now with a husband and two boys, she wants to help stop abuse and make sure no one goes through what she did.

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/displayUpdate.htm?storyid=93892

http://www.fox40.com/news/headlines/ktxl-news-huckaby0817,0,7005606.story

Twenty-eight-year-old Melissa Huckaby broke down in tears as Judge Linda Lofthus read the indictment against her Monday.


Grand Jury: Melissa Huckaby Indicted For Rape, Kidnapping And Murder

STOCKTON - A San Joaquin grand jury has indicted a Sunday school teacher on charges she kidnapped, raped and killed an 8-year-old girl and drugged two other people.

Twenty-eight-year-old Melissa Huckaby broke down in tears as Judge Linda Lofthus read the indictment against her Monday.

Prosecutors convened a grand jury in late July rather than hold a preliminary hearing to determine whether Huckaby would stand trial. A trial date has not been set.

Huckaby previously pleaded not guilty to murdering 8-year-old Sandra Cantu, whose body was found stuffed in a suitcase pulled from an irrigation pond in April.

She also pleaded not guilty to charges drugging a 7-year-old girl as well as a 37-year-old man, whom police believe she had dated.

Melissa Huckaby Indictment (PDF)

Huckaby indicted in Cantu murder
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?id=6968957&section=news/local/east_bay
TRACY, CA (KGO) -- The woman accused of killing a little girl from Tracy, returned to superior court Monday.
When Melissa Huckaby returned to San Joaquin County Superior Court, she had tears in her eyes -- and cuts on her face and arms.

By Wayne Freedman

TRACY, CA (KGO) -- The woman accused of killing a little girl from Tracy, returned to superior court Monday.

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When Melissa Huckaby returned to San Joaquin County Superior Court, she had tears in her eyes -- and cuts on her face and arms.
Story continues below
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The wounds appeared to be fresh, but did not stop the court from filing a five-count grand jury indictment against her for kidnapping, raping, and killing 8-year-old Sandra Cantu, with new charges and of drugging two other people, including a child.

"People did note that there seemed to be scars or scratches on Ms. Huckaby's forehead and arms, there could have been an incident with another inmate or something else, but right now we don't know the details," ABC7 legal analyst Dean Johnson said.

Huckaby did not enter a plea to the new charges, but previously pleaded not guilty in the Cantu murder last March.

Back then, police found the second grader dead in a suitcase near the mobile home park in Tracy where she lived.

Monday's indictments make a public, preleminary hearing unneccessary and increase the possibility of a local trial.

Johnson says the sooner it begins, the greater advantage to the prosecution.

"The prosecution is ready to go to trial; they've had a dry run on their evidence before the grand jury, they know how their witnesses are going to perform, and they have witnesses, particularly young witnesses, whose memories may be fading, so the prosecution wants to push this to jury trial," Johnson said.

The indictment includes special circumstances for murder, kidnapping and rape of a child. The District Attorney's office has not yet said whether it will ask for the death penalty, but did say it has asked Cantu's family what they thought about it.

"We'll know within a month or two what his decision is on this case," Deputy District Attorney Thomas Testa said.

The defense said nothing about asking for a change of venue or a possible insanity plea.

Huckaby will appear in court again on September 10. On that day, the judge is likely to set a trial date.

Melissa Huckaby Indicted in Sandra Cantu Murder
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20298450,00.html?xid=rss-topheadlines

Melissa Huckaby was indicted by a grand jury on Monday on charges that she murdered her daughter's 8-year-old playmate at their Tracy, Calif. mobile home park.

Huckaby, 28, allegedly murdered Sandra Cantu on March 27, stuffed her body into a suitcase and dumped it into a lagoon. The former Sunday school teacher pleaded not guilty to the murder earlier this summer.

Although Huckaby has made several court appearances since her arrest, the indictment – by a grand jury that secretly convened in Stockton July 20 to hear testimony in her case – means the Sunday school teacher will go straight to trial and bypass her preliminary hearing, which had been tentatively scheduled for Sept. 24.

Huckaby wept on Monday as San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge Linda Lofthus read the indictment, which carries charges of kidnapping, rape, murder, and the drugging of Cantu and a 37-year-old man she may have dated.

During her court appearance Monday, it appeared she had scratches on her face and arms from a jailhouse incident, according to media reports. A trial date has not been set yet.

Melissa Huckaby Indicted In Sandra Cantu's Killing
A grand jury has indicted Melissa Huckaby on charges she kidnapped, raped and killed an 8-year-old girl and drugged two other people.
By KFBK News Team
Monday, August 17, 2009
28-year-old Melissa Huckaby broke down in tears as Judge Linda Lofthus read the indictment against her Monday.

Prosecutors convened a grand jury in San Joaquin in late July to determine whether Huckaby would stand trial. A trial date has not been set.

Huckaby previously pleaded not guilty to murdering 8-year-old Sandra Cantu of Tracy, whose body was found stuffed in a suitcase pulled from an irrigation pond in April.

Huckaby also pleaded not guilty to charges of drugging a 7-year-old girl as well as a 37-year-old man, whom police believe she had dated.

Huckaby Indicted In Kidnap, Rape, Murder Of Cantu

http://cbs2.com/national/Melissa.Huckaby.Sandra.2.1132452.html

A San Joaquin grand jury has indicted a Sunday school teacher on charges she kidnapped, raped and killed an 8-year-old girl and drugged two other people.

Twenty-eight-year-old Melissa Huckaby broke down in tears as Judge Linda Lofthus read the indictment against her Monday.

Prosecutors convened a grand jury in late July rather than hold a preliminary hearing to determine whether Huckaby would stand trial. A trial date has not been set.

Huckaby previously pleaded not guilty to murdering 8-year-old Sandra Cantu, whose body was found stuffed in a suitcase pulled from an irrigation pond in April.

She also pleaded not guilty to charges of drugging a 7-year-old girl as well as a 37-year-old man, whom police believe she had dated.

Sunday School Teacher Indicted in Kidnap, Rape, Murder of California Girl
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,540107,00.html
TRACY, Calif. — A San Joaquin County grand jury has indicted a Sunday school teacher on charges she kidnapped, raped and killed an 8-year-old girl and drugged two other people.

Melissa Huckaby, 28, broke down in tears as Judge Linda Lofthus read the indictment against her Monday.

Prosecutors convened a grand jury in late July rather than hold a preliminary hearing to determine whether Huckaby would stand trial. Lofthus said the grand jury transcript would not be made public.

Defense attorney Sam Behar asked the judge to postpone setting a trial date because he said he did not have time to read the lengthy transcript. A hearing to set a date was scheduled for Sept. 10.

Huckaby previously pleaded not guilty to murdering 8-year-old Sandra Cantu, whose body was found stuffed in a suitcase pulled from an irrigation pond in April.

Huckaby is charged with murder with the special circumstances of rape, kidnapping and lewd or lascivious conduct with a child under 14, which could make her eligible for the death penalty if convicted.

Sandra was last seen on a surveillance camera skipping near her Tracy home just five doors down from the defendant.

Huckaby also pleaded not guilty to drugging a 7-year-old girl earlier this year as well as a 37-year-old man, whom police believe she had dated. She is charged with two counts of furnishing someone a harmful substance and one count of child endangerment in the drugging case.

Former Topekan Indicted in Sandra Cantu Rape, Murder
A Sunday school teacher with ties to Topeka was indicted Monday; Melissa Huckaby charged with kidnapping, raping and killing an eight year old California girl.
http://www.wibw.com/crime/headlines/53517357.html
STOCKTON, Calif. -- (CBS News) A San Joaquin County grand jury has indicted a Sunday school teacher on charges she kidnapped, raped and killed an 8-year-old girl and drugged two other people.

Melissa Huckaby broke down in tears Monday as Superior Court Judge Linda Lofthus read the indictment against her. The reading came after prosecutors convened a grand jury last month to determine whether Huckaby would stand trial.

Lofthus said the grand jury transcript would remain sealed. No trial date has been set.

Huckaby, 28, is accused of killing 8-year-old Sandra Cantu, a playmate of Huckaby's young daughter. Sandra went missing in March in Tracy, her hometown in Northern California. A massive search for her ended 10 days later when her body was found stuffed in a black suitcase pulled from an irrigation pond a few miles from the mobile home park where she lived.

Defense attorney Sam Behar asked Lofthus to delay setting a trial date, saying he has not read the indictment or lengthy transcript because he's in the middle of another trial.

But Deputy District Attorney Thomas Testa said he delivered a copy of the indictment to Behar's office earlier this month. "He's had a lot of time to read this indictment," Testa told Lofthus.

The judge then proceeded to read the indictment charges to a weeping Huckaby, who appeared in court with two fresh scratches above her right eyebrow. Neither Behar nor Testa would comment on the nature of Huckaby's injuries after Monday's hearing. A gag order barring attorneys, investigators and potential witnesses from commenting on the case remains in effect.

Huckaby in June pleaded not guilty to killing Sandra as well as to charges that she previously had drugged a 7-year-old girl and a 37-year-old man, whom police believe she had been dating. The girl and Huckaby lived in the same mobile park. She and her ex-husband used to live in the Topeka area.

Huckaby is charged with two counts of furnishing someone a harmful substance and one count of child endangerment in the drugging cases.

In the case involving Sandra Cantu, Huckaby is charged with murder with the special circumstances of rape, kidnapping and lewd or lascivious conduct with a child under 14, which could make her eligible for the death penalty if convicted. Sandra was last seen on a surveillance camera skipping near her home just five doors down from the defendant.

On Monday, Huckaby entered the courtroom smiling, but her demeanor became tearful and somber as the indictment was read and debate on her next court appearance ensued.

Testa said the district attorney's office is treating the case as if it will be a death penalty case, but no decision is expected for at least two months.

Prosecutors convened a grand jury instead of holding a preliminary hearing in the case to ensure a speedy trial and avoid a possible change of venue. Testa also told Lofthus he wants a speedy trial because the case involves minors and should be made a priority.

Lofthus countered that it would be premature to set a trial within 30 days because Behar had not seen the indictment or the voluminous grand jury testimony.

"We need to do the case one time, and we need to have the case done right," the judge said. "The defense needs time to prepare."

Lofthus then scheduled a Sept. 10 hearing to discuss possible trial dates. Huckaby remains in the San Joaquin County Jail without bail.

Sunday School Teacher Indicted In Death
Suspect Appears In Court With Cuts Above Right Eye
http://www.kirotv.com/news/20435520/detail.html
STOCKTON, Calif. -- A grand jury indicted Sunday school teacher Melissa Huckaby on charges she kidnapped, raped and killed an 8-year-old named Sandra Cantu and drugged two other people.

Huckaby, 28, broke down in tears as Judge Linda Lofthus read the five-count indictment against her Monday, Sacramento's KCRA-TV reported.

Huckaby also appeared to have two cuts above her right eye, but it was not immediately clear how those injuries occurred.

Cantu's disappearance from a trailer park, the discovery of her body and the child's funeral drew national media attention.

Prosecutors convened a grand jury in late July rather than hold a preliminary hearing to determine whether Huckaby would stand trial. A trial date has not been set.

A prosecutor said a determination on whether to seek the death penalty will be made in the next 60 days or so.

Huckaby previously pleaded not guilty to murdering Cantu, whose body was found stuffed in a suitcase pulled from an irrigation pond north of Tracy in April.

Huckaby also pleaded not guilty to charges drugging a 7-year-old girl as well as a 37-year-old man, whom police believe she had dated.

Huckaby is being held without bail.

Melissa Huckaby Indicted: Sandra Cantu Murder Indictment
http://military.rightpundits.com/2009/08/17/melissa-huckaby-indicted-sandra-cantu-murder-indictment/
A California grand jury has delivered a five count indictment of Melissa Huckaby; indicted for the kidnap, rape and murder of 8 year old Sandra Cantu. Back in April, Melissa Huckaby pled not guilty to killing the 8 year old who’s body had been found stuffed into a black suitcase and found in an irrigation pond near Huckaby’s home.
As well as the Sandra Cantu indictment, Melissa Huckaby was indicted for attempting to drug a 7 year old girl and a 37 year old man. Authorities say that the 7 year old recovered but are unaware of what happened to the man.

The indictment includes kidnapping, lewd and lascivious acts with a minor, and rape with a foreign object. Melissa Huckaby could face the death penalty if convicted of these heinous crimes. The Melissa Huckaby indictment includes new charges that surfaced in April.

An 18 year old woman said that her 7 year old sister disappeared with Huckaby and came back drugged. From ABC News:

“Her speech was slurred … like she had a really bad lisp,” the woman said of her sister. “And she would cry a lot like something was wrong with her. She couldn’t stand up without help. She couldn’t walk. Every time she tried to walk, she would fall.”

“So they took her to the hospital, and the hospital told us that she had muscle relaxants in her system,” the teenager said.

The 18 year old alleges that Sandra Cantu may still be alive if authorities had taken her sister’s case more serious. Melissa Huckaby by all accounts was a decent individual, she lived with her grandparents and 5 year old; her grandfather was the pastor at a local church where Melissa Huckaby was a Sunday School teacher.

With Melissa Huckaby indicted, now comes another painful chapter to this story for the family; the trial. Perhaps this will help in the healing process for a family that has gone through something most of us can not even imagine. Melissa Huckaby’s trial date has not been set.



Sunday school teacher indicted in CA girl's death
http://ap.thecabin.net/pstories/us/20090817/482786637.shtml
STOCKTON, Calif. — A San Joaquin County grand jury has indicted a Sunday school teacher on charges she kidnapped, raped and killed an 8-year-old girl and drugged two other people.

Melissa Huckaby broke down in tears Monday as Superior Court Judge Linda Lofthus read the indictment against her. The reading came after prosecutors convened a grand jury last month to determine whether Huckaby would stand trial.

Lofthus said the grand jury transcript would remain sealed. No trial date has been set.

Huckaby, 28, is accused of killing 8-year-old Sandra Cantu, a playmate of Huckaby's young daughter. Sandra went missing in March in Tracy, her hometown in Northern California. A massive search for her ended 10 days later when her body was found stuffed in a black suitcase pulled from an irrigation pond a few miles from the mobile home park where she lived.

Defense attorney Sam Behar asked Lofthus to delay setting a trial date, saying he has not read the indictment or lengthy transcript because he's in the middle of another trial.

But Deputy District Attorney Thomas Testa said he delivered a copy of the indictment to Behar's office earlier this month. "He's had a lot of time to read this indictment," Testa told Lofthus.

The judge then proceeded to read the indictment charges to a weeping Huckaby, who appeared in court with two fresh scratches above her right eyebrow. Neither Behar nor Testa would comment on the nature of Huckaby's injuries after Monday's hearing. A gag order barring attorneys, investigators and potential witnesses from commenting on the case remains in effect.

Huckaby in June pleaded not guilty to killing Sandra as well as to charges that she previously had drugged a 7-year-old girl and a 37-year-old man, whom police believe she had been dating. The girl and Huckaby lived in the same mobile park.
Huckaby is charged with two counts of furnishing someone a harmful substance and one count of child endangerment in the drugging cases.

In the case involving Sandra Cantu, Huckaby is charged with murder with the special circumstances of rape, kidnapping and lewd or lascivious conduct with a child under 14, which could make her eligible for the death penalty if convicted. Sandra was last seen on a surveillance camera skipping near her home just five doors down from the defendant.

On Monday, Huckaby entered the courtroom smiling, but her demeanor became tearful and somber as the indictment was read and debate on her next court appearance ensued.

Testa said the district attorney's office is treating the case as if it will be a death penalty case, but no decision is expected for at least two months.

Prosecutors convened a grand jury instead of holding a preliminary hearing in the case to ensure a speedy trial and avoid a possible change of venue. Testa also told Lofthus he wants a speedy trial because the case involves minors and should be made a priority.

Lofthus countered that it would be premature to set a trial within 30 days because Behar had not seen the indictment or the voluminous grand jury testimony.

"We need to do the case one time, and we need to have the case done right," the judge said. "The defense needs time to prepare."

Lofthus then scheduled a Sept. 10 hearing to discuss possible trial dates. Huckaby remains in the San Joaquin County Jail without bail.

Sunday School Teacher Indicted
http://www.kfi640.com/cc-common/mainheadlines3.html?feed=153218&article=5888644

Melissa Huckaby has been indicted for the kidnapping, rape and murder of an 8 year-old girl.
A grand jury has indicted 28 year-old Melissa Huckaby on charges she kidnapped, raped and killed an eight-year-old girl Northern California girl and drugged two other people.

Huckaby broke down in tears as Judge Linda Lofthus read the indictment against her Monday.

Prosecutors convened a grand jury in San Joaquin in late July to determine whether Huckaby would stand trial. A trial date has not been set.

Huckaby previously pleaded not guilty to murdering Sandra Cantu, whose body was found stuffed in a suitcase pulled from an irrigation pond in April.

Huckaby also pleaded not guilty to charges of drugging a 7-year-old girl as well as a 37-year-old man, whom police believe she had dated.


Sunday school teacher indicted in CA girl's death
http://www.kvia.com/Global/story.asp?S=10944340
STOCKTON, Calif. (AP) - A San Joaquin County grand jury has indicted a Sunday school teacher on charges she kidnapped, raped and killed an 8-year-old girl and drugged two other people.

Melissa Huckaby broke down in tears Monday as Superior Court Judge Linda Lofthus read the indictment against her. The reading came after prosecutors convened a grand jury last month to determine whether Huckaby would stand trial.

Lofthus said the grand jury transcript would remain sealed. No trial date has been set.

Huckaby, 28, is accused of killing 8-year-old Sandra Cantu, a playmate of Huckaby's young daughter. Sandra went missing in March in Tracy, her hometown in Northern California. A massive search for her ended 10 days later when her body was found stuffed in a black suitcase pulled from an irrigation pond a few miles from the mobile home park where she lived.

Defense attorney Sam Behar asked Lofthus to delay setting a trial date, saying he has not read the indictment or lengthy transcript because he's in the middle of another trial.

But Deputy District Attorney Thomas Testa said he delivered a copy of the indictment to Behar's office earlier this month. "He's had a lot of time to read this indictment," Testa told Lofthus.

The judge then proceeded to read the indictment charges to a weeping Huckaby, who appeared in court with two fresh scratches above her right eyebrow. Neither Behar nor Testa would comment on the nature of Huckaby's injuries after Monday's hearing. A gag order barring attorneys, investigators and potential witnesses from commenting on the case remains in effect.

Huckaby in June pleaded not guilty to killing Sandra as well as to charges that she previously had drugged a 7-year-old girl and a 37-year-old man, whom police believe she had been dating. The girl and Huckaby lived in the same mobile park.

Huckaby is charged with two counts of furnishing someone a harmful substance and one count of child endangerment in the drugging cases.

In the case involving Sandra Cantu, Huckaby is charged with murder with the special circumstances of rape, kidnapping and lewd or lascivious conduct with a child under 14, which could make her eligible for the death penalty if convicted. Sandra was last seen on a surveillance camera skipping near her home just five doors down from the defendant.

On Monday, Huckaby entered the courtroom smiling, but her demeanor became tearful and somber as the indictment was read and debate on her next court appearance ensued.

Testa said the district attorney's office is treating the case as if it will be a death penalty case, but no decision is expected for at least two months.

Prosecutors convened a grand jury instead of holding a preliminary hearing in the case to ensure a speedy trial and avoid a possible change of venue. Testa also told Lofthus he wants a speedy trial because the case involves minors and should be made a priority.

Lofthus countered that it would be premature to set a trial within 30 days because Behar had not seen the indictment or the voluminous grand jury testimony.

"We need to do the case one time, and we need to have the case done right," the judge said. "The defense needs time to prepare."

Lofthus then scheduled a Sept. 10 hearing to discuss possible trial dates. Huckaby remains in the San Joaquin County Jail without bail.

Burn in Hell, MH. All of your attempts at suicide are futile, they will do you no good. You will never be released from the torment of what you put little Sandra through. You just don't want to appear in court, you chicken shit. Your jailhouse tears are for you and only you. A public stoning and hanging still wouldn't be punishment enough for what you've done. A "weeping Huckaby"...makes me sick to my stomach.

Piper, that is exactly how I felt the whole time that I was updating this thread. I thought I'd vomit. Torture, complete torture still would not be enough IMO for a punishment for her. One of the saddest things is, even if she were to get the death penalty, even that is done swiftly & humanely. TOTALLY NOT ACCEPTABLE IMO. Eye for an eye or screwdriver for screwdriver, sounds more like a better punishment to me. (sorry if I offend anyone)