Forensic Astrology - SANDRA CANTU #2

[Angel Who Cares]

Ex gets custody of child of woman accused in girl's rape, killing
Mother of former O.C. resident Melissa Huckaby fought to keep the couple's daughter.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
<snipped>
Johnny Huckaby and grandmother Judy Lawless of Cypress settled a custody fight over 5-year-old Madison Huckaby on Monday &#8211; the same day that a court hearing was scheduled on the matter in Orange County Superior Court in Orange. Lawless, Melissa Huckaby's mother, is allowed visitation of her grandmother.

As part of the agreement, Lawless is forbidden from allowing Madison to have contact with her mother, court records state.

In court papers, Lawless stated that the father had no contact with Madison for about four years, while Johnny Huckaby contended that he was denied access to his daughter. Johnny Huckaby was granted temporary custody of Madison in late April, when Madison moved to Arkansas, where he lives.

"(Johnny Huckaby) anticipates that (Melissa Huckaby) will likely never be released," wrote attorney Ann Thompson.

Court papers state that Lawless failed to show that it would be detrimental for Madison to stay with her father.

"Madison is doing exceptionally well in her father's custody," Thompson said.

Lawless was given the right to a week of visitation this summer and a month in future summers. During winter break, Lawless can see her granddaughter for a week after Christmas.

Article:
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/huckaby-madison-lawless-2486242-court-melissa

:angel:

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Huckaby's ex given custody of daughter
July 08, 2009 6:00 AM
<snipped>
The court awarded Johnny Huckaby temporary custody of his daughter in April. But Judy Lawless pleaded with the court to let her keep the child.

In court papers, Judy Lawless said Madison had lived with her most of her life and had little contact with her father, who has since remarried and lives 1,700 miles away, just outside Little Rock, Ark.

Johnny Huckaby argued that his ex-wife had denied his attempts to contact their daughter. He also said that, when he was awarded temporary custody, Judy Lawless tried to conceal Madison's whereabouts.

Before the arrest, Madison was living with her mother and Melissa Huckaby's grandparents, Lane and Connie Lawless, a few doors from Sandra's family in the trailer park.

Judy Lawless is the daughter-in-law of Lane and Connie Lawless.

Lane Lawless is pastor of the tiny Clover Road Baptist Church, where Melissa Huckaby taught Sunday school.

Article:
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090708/A_NEWS/907080329/-1/NEWSMAP
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Melissa Huckaby's Ex-Husband Wins Custody Battle
Jul 8, 2009 6:34 am US/Pacific
<snipped>
The ex-husband of the woman accused of kidnapping and killing Sandra Cantu has won custody of the couple's own daughter.

Melissa Huckaby's ex-husband has won custody of their 5-year-old daughter.

25-year-old Johnny Huckaby has been granted custody of their daughter, Madison.

Court records show that Melissa's mother, Judy Lawless, will be allowed to visit the girl, but cannot allow her contact with her mother.

Article:
http://cbs13.com/local/huckaby.custody.battle.2.1076759.html
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SLIDESHOW: The Disappearance And Murder Of Sandra Cantu
A frantic 10 day search ended in tragedy when Sandra Cantu was found dead in a Tracy irrigation pond. We've collected some of the images of the twists, turns, and heartbreak that the case brought to our attention.
http://cbs13.com/slideshows/The.Disappearance.And.20.978184.html
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View Full Coverage Of The Sandra Cantu Case:
http://cbs13.com/sandracantu

:angel:

 

[Soulscape]

Originally posted by Angel Who Cares:

Grand jury to decide if Huckaby will stand trial for Sandra Cantu murder
July 3, 5:43 PM
<snipped>
Beginning July 20, a secret grand jury is expected to convene to decide if Melissa Huckaby should stand trial for the kidnapping, rape, and murder of 8-year-old Sandra Cantu.

The proceeding will last about two weeks and take the place of Huckaby’s preliminary hearing scheduled for Sept. 24.

According to The Record, this would keep key facts of the case from the public until the accused murderer’s jury trial. Such facts may include Huckaby’s motive for the murder and exactly how Sandra was killed.

Article:
http://www.examiner.com/x-1168-Crime...a-Cantu-murder

Angel Who Cares,

Thank you so much for keeping us abreast. I hope we can discover the time the Grand Jury will meet on 7/20/09 to hear this case.

We can look at a Sunrise chart to get a sense of the day's energies, but the actual start time will be more revealing.

Thanks,
Soulscape

 

[FifthEssence]

Don't they know we need the scheduled TIME when they convene!

http://www.tracypress.com/pages/ful...ase &id=2896296&instance=home_news_lead_story
This article says:
San Joaquin County Superior Court spokeswoman Stephanie Bohrer said she wasn&#8217;t aware that a grand jury would convene in connection with the case against 28-year-old Melissa Huckaby, who&#8217;s accused of kidnapping, raping and murdering Sandra. She said that even if she did know, she wouldn&#8217;t be able to talk about it because of the gag order.

http://t.love.com/228691151
Recordnet.com
The grand jury proceeding would take the place of Huckaby's preliminary hearing set for Sept. 24.
In a grand jury hearing, by contrast, prosecutors call witnesses to testify before a panel of citizens behind closed doors. The defense is not allowed inside to cross-examine witnesses. At the end, jurors decide if the defendant should stand trial in open court.
If the grand jury indicts Huckaby, Lofthus will then decide if transcripts of the grand jury hearing will be made public. Lofthus has consistently sealed court papers in Huckaby's case, including reports of the autopsy performed on Sandra.

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Tuba I've been looking for the time the Grand Jury is meeting, ever since I found the article. I will keep checking daily for any info for a time they are meeting & will post A.S.A.P.! :wink:

Older video, but posted for reference!
Did Huckaby drug ex-boyfriend? 5:28
Melissa Huckaby facing new charges of drugging a man she reportedly once dated. HLN's Jane Velez-Mitchell reports. May 28, 2009
[ame]http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2009/05/28/jvm.huckaby.latest.cnn[/ame]
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Father gets custody of Melissa Huckaby's daughter
Jul 08, 2009
<snipped>
Johnny Huckaby reached a settlement with his former mother-in-law, Judy Lawless, which allows her to visit 5-year-old Madison Huckaby as long as the little girl has no contact with her mother, according to papers filed in Orange County Superior Court.

Melissa Huckaby has been held in solitary confinement in the San Joaquin County Jail since her April 10 arrest. Johnny Huckaby lives in Arkansas and Lawlesses in the Southern California city of Cypress.

A hearing brief filed Monday by Johnny Huckaby&#8217;s attorney says Madison has been &#8220;flourishing&#8221; under her father&#8217;s care. The couple married in 2004 and divorced in 2005.

The brief says Judy Lawless has been unable to prove that it would be detrimental to the girl&#8217;s well-being to be in her father&#8217;s custody.

&#8220;Madison has been doing exceptionally well in her father&#8217;s custody,&#8221; wrote Johnny Huckaby&#8217;s attorney, Ann Thompson, in the brief.

Article:
http://www.tracypress.com/pages/ful...Huckaby-s+daughter&instance=home_news_bullets

:angel:

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Charge for Forensic Tests Could Hinder Local Law Enforcement
July 10, 2009
<snipped>
Counties and cities could be forced to shoulder the cost of forensic tests under the current budget proposal to save the state as much as $20 million by charging for analysis of everything from fingerprint to DNA evidence.

The proposal would require the Department of Justice (DOJ), which handles some 50,000 pieces of evidence a year, to charge police and sheriff departments across the state for routine tests previously conducted free of charge.

The bill to local governments was scaled back from the $40 million originally estimated to pay for all services, but would still be a hit to departments already reeling from budget cuts, said Elizabeth Howard, legislative representative for California State Association of Counties.

Howard pointed out that the bill contains some hardship provisions for detectives working on a large case that could require extensive CSI-style work.

One such evidence-intensive case was the investigation into the disappearance of Sandra Cantu in Tracy last March. The eight-year-old&#8217;s body was found in a suitcase in an irrigation pond. The FBI led the investigation that resulted in the arrest of a neighboring Sunday school teacher.

&#8220;In that case, the FBI and DOJ paid for extensive DNA testing through a mutual aid agreement,&#8221; said Tracy Police Department Administrative Lieutenant David Sant.

Article:
http://www.publicceo.com/index.php?...catid=152:crime-publicceo-exclusive&Itemid=54

:angel:

 

[Angel Who Cares]

UPDATED: Melissa Huckaby's ex granted custody of daughter
Posted: 07/09/2009 04:54:20 PM PDT
Updated: 07/10/2009 06:24:02 AM PDT
<snipped>
After a contentious exchange of court filings, full custody of Melissa Huckaby's 5-year-old daughter was granted to the child's father, John Huckaby, 25, following a hearing Monday in Orange County Superior Court.

Judge Michael J. Naughton ordered the child &#8212; who has been living with her father in Arkansas since late April &#8212; not to have any contact with her mother, who is being held in San Joaquin County Jail in connection with the kidnapping and death of 8-year-old Sandra Cantu.

Court records show a copy of the order was mailed to Melissa Huckaby in jail, where, at one point, she was under 24-hour observation. Because of a gag order, parties involved in the case aren't allowed to comment,

"Ms. Lawless knew that I was out of the state and that I would likely not be able to return to Orange County to attend the ex parte hearing as noticed," John Huckaby wrote in court documents. "This is blatant bad faith on the part of Ms. Lawless."

In court documents filed April 22, Lawless contends she has become the "psychological parent" of the minor child and has had significant custodial periods with her since she was born.

"It is a great injustice for our granddaughter to be placed with the father that she does not know and has had no contact with for the last four years," Lawless wrote.

According to the Stockton Record, a criminal grand jury will begin hearing evidence against Huckaby later this month.

Article:
http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_12804305

:angel:

 

[Angel Who Cares]

FilAm groups partner for child protection
First Posted 18:07:00 07/12/2009
<snipped>
CALIFORNIA, United States—When Rudy Asercion joined a San Francisco non-profit organization that provides youth and community programs for Filipino Americans he wanted to know who live in the area.

He was shocked to see 200 registered sex offenders reside within a one-mile radius after typing West Bay’s Pilipino Multi-Service zip code on an online sex offender database.

That and the kidnap, rape, and murder of eight-year-old Sandra Cantu of Tracy, California last March prompted the community advocate to launch a safety campaign educating and protecting children.

Asercion was thus encouraged to spearhead the first ever “Taking Action to Prevent Crimes Against Children” forum at West Bay’s office.

About 20 local children and parents attended the workshop-seminar where a dozen Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and San Francisco police personnel introduced the National Child Identification Program which includes inkless finger printing, DNA mouth swab, a child’s physical description, photo card, and medical and dental records.

Currently, there are 122 registered sex offenders in West Bay’s South of Market neighborhood, according to the family watchdog. More than 420 reside in San Francisco.

Article:
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/fe...092/FilAm-groups-partner-for-child-protection

:angel:

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Wiretaps used in Sandra Cantu murder investigation
July 14, 7:49 PM
<snipped>
Authorities sent out letters to those who may have been recorded. The Stockton Record received a letter on Tuesday from the San Joaquin County District Attorney&#8217;s office telling them that their calls were some of those wiretapped.

The two numbers that were actually being monitored were suspect Melissa Huckaby&#8217;s cell phone and the phone of her grandparents, with whom she lived.

Huckaby&#8217;s grandmother, Connie Lawless said that she and a number of members of her church, where her husband is pastor, also received letters informing them of the wiretap.

According to the letter, calls were taped form April 8, two days after Sandra&#8217;s body was found, and continued until April 13.

Article:
http://www.examiner.com/x-1168-Crim...aps-used-in-Sandra-Cantu-murder-investigation

:angel:

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Wiretaps used in Huckaby case
Telephone calls of suspect&#8217;s grandmother among those that were monitored by law enforcement
July 14, 2009 6:00 AM
<snipped>
Connie Lawless, the grandmother of Melissa Huckaby, who is accused of killing Sandra, said she and about five people she knows received a similar letter. Lawless said it was unnerving to learn that her calls may have been recorded.

"Anything that comes to us from, like the DA's office, it automatically is upsetting," Lawless said. "We never know what shoe's going to drop."

She said the monitoring worried her, because members of the congregation her husband leads could have had their confidential conversations recorded. Lane Lawless is pastor of Clover Road Baptist Church in Tracy. Several church members confirmed that they also got the letter about wiretapping, she said.

"We have learned through this that at any moment any one of us can be swept up in this," Connie Lawless said. "It could be you, me or anyone."

She added that investigators resorted to the phone taps because they are "really scraping the bottom of the barrel for evidence" against her granddaughter. Lawless said she has yet to hear of any solid evidence in the case against Huckaby.

Today, before a judge can approve wiretaps, Hislop said investigators have to show they've exhausted all other sources, demonstrate probable cause and show that their target will provide evidence. They also are forbidden from recording unrelated calls, he said.

Local police use this tool less often than the FBI, because officers typically have community sources and contacts from which to obtain information before the need arises to seek a judge's permission for setting up a wiretap, Hislop said.

"It can happen anywhere," he said. "My gut feeling is that because the FBI was so deeply involved, that's where it probably came from."

Article:
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090714/A_NEWS/907140320

:angel:

 

[Oldsoul2]

Good that they have tapped the phones, now we can really determine whether or not the pastor and his wife are completely clear from suspicion. She is concerned about it....why would she care....what further is going on in that church?

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Tracy Press phone call to Huckaby recorded
Jul 16, 2009
<snipped>
The San Joaquin County District Attorney&#8217;s Office said today a 40-minute phone call between the alleged killer of 8-year-old Sandra Cantu and a Tracy Press reporter was secretly recorded during a wiretap.

Huckaby was arrested on the night of April 10 on suspicion of killing Sandra, just hours after the Press published a story in which Huckaby told reporter Jennifer Wadsworth in a 40-minute phone call that the suitcase in which Sandra&#8217;s body was found might have been the same one Huckaby said she reported stolen when Sandra disappeared March 27.

Police said the next day there were inconsistencies in what Huckaby told Wadsworth and what she told police investigators.

District Attorney spokesman Robert Himelblau said today that phone call was recorded, and that it was an oversight that the Tracy Press never received a letter telling the paper so, as required by law. Himelblau said his office also failed to notify one other person of a recorded phone call, but did not identify who that was.

Prosecutors are expected to convene a criminal grand jury, possibly next week, in an effort to obtain an indictment against Huckaby, 28. A gag order prevents witnesses and other involved from discussing anything about the case.

Article:
http://www.tracypress.com/pages/ful...o+Huckaby+recorded&instance=home_news_bullets

:angel:

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Huckaby grand jury proceedings begin (9:56 a.m.)
July 20, 2009 12:56 PM
<snipped>
A secret grand jury began meeting today to hear evidence in the case of Tracy&#8217;s Melissa Huckaby, the Sunday school teacher accused in the kidnapping, rape and murder of 8-year-old Sandra Cantu.

The hearing is scheduled to last two weeks. In the end, the grand jury will decide if Huckaby, 28, should stand trial on the charges in open court.

Authorities have acknowledged that they used wiretaps in their investigation that culminated in Huckaby&#8217;s arrest following an emotional interview with Tracy Police.

Huckaby&#8217;s case was set for a September preliminary hearing in open court. The grand jury hearing will take the place of the preliminary hearing. It also keeps key details of the case &#8211; Sandra&#8217;s cause of death and Huckaby&#8217;s alleged motive &#8211; from the public.

Legal experts have suggested that prosecutors opted for a secret grand jury to quiet the public interest in an attempt to avoid a change of venue.

Article:
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090720/A_NEWS/90720005/-1/rss01
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Report: Grand jury convened
Posted: 07/20/2009 01:35:19 PM PDT
Updated: 07/20/2009 06:19
<snipped>
A criminal grand jury was scheduled to convene Monday to hear testimony in the case against Melissa Huckaby, the Tracy woman charged with kidnapping, raping and killing her 8-year-old neighbor.

The Stockton Record has reported the proceedings have begun. A San Joaquin County Court spokeswoman said she could not confirm the report because of the secret nature of the hearings. The paper states the hearing is expected to take two weeks. A gag order prohibits anyone associated with the case from publicly discussing it.

In the Cantu case, Huckaby faces a murder charge with three special circumstances &#8212; 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 for allegedly drugging another child and a Hayward man. Huckaby has entered not guilty pleas to all charges and remains in custody in San Joaquin County jail.

Article:
http://www.insidebayarea.com/trivalleyherald/localnews/ci_12876977?source=rss
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Report: Grand jury convened in Sandra Cantu murder case
Posted: 07/20/2009 02:04:13 PM PDT
Updated: 07/20/2009 02:16:09 PM PDT
<snipped>
A criminal grand jury is believed to be convening today to hear testimony in the case against Melissa Huckaby, the Tracy woman charged with kidnapping, raping and killing her 8-year-old neighbor.

The Stockton Record has reported the proceedings have begun. A San Joaquin County Court spokeswoman said she could not confirm the report because of the secret nature of the hearings. The paper states the hearing is expected to take two weeks. A gag order prohibits anyone associated with the case from publicly discussing it.

Cantu, a friend of Huckaby's daughter, was last seen March 27 at the mobile home park where both she and Huckaby lived. The girl's body was found April 6 in a black suitcase floating in an irrigation pond. Huckaby was arrested on April 10.

Article:
http://www.mercurynews.com/localnewsheadlines/ci_12877211?source=rss&nclick_check=1

:angel:

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Angel Statue Intended For Cantu Family Stolen
Tracy Girl Slain Earlier This Year
POSTED: 2:31 pm PDT July 23, 2009
UPDATED: 2:49 pm PDT July 23, 2009
<snipped>
LATHROP, Calif. -- An angel statue intended for the family of slain 8-year-old Tracy resident Sandra Cantu has been stolen, a landscape business said.

Relatives of Cantu wanted the 3-foot-tall angel to honor the memory of the girl, so it was ordered by Eden Garden and Landscape on South Manthey Road in Lathrop.

The angel arrived at the business and a "sold" sign was placed it.

But when Cantu's family arrived Thursday to pick it up, employees at the business realized someone had taken it.

Another angel was also taken from the business in recent weeks.

Article:
http://www.kcra.com/news/20159177/detail.html
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Added All Videos From KCRA-Just In Case Any Overlooked Or Missed! Plus To Have Them All Together In One Post. :wink:

VIDEO: Cantu Remembered In Tree Planting
http://www.kcra.com/video/19849420/index.html

VIDEO: Some Calls Monitored In Cantu Case
http://www.kcra.com/video/20056369/index.html

VIDEO: Cantu's Alleged Killer Pleads Not Guilty
http://www.kcra.com/video/19740968/index.html

VIDEO: Melissa Huckaby Due Back In Court
http://www.kcra.com/video/19738600/index.html

VIDEO: Huckaby Facing More Charges
http://www.kcra.com/video/19536969/index.html

VIDEO: Psychologist Analyzes Huckaby's Body Language
http://www.kcra.com/video/19184506/index.html

VIDEO: Huckaby Tells Investigators Cantu Death 'An Accident'
http://www.kcra.com/video/19181739/index.html
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Angel statue for Cantu family goes missing
Jul 23, 2009
<snipped>
Owners of Eden Garden and Landscape on Lathrop&#8217;s South Manthey Road refused to comment.

&#8220;This should never have happened,&#8221; a man said over the phone before hanging up. &#8220;I don&#8217;t want to talk about it.&#8221;

Sandra&#8217;s family, who was unavailable for comment, reportedly showed up at the landscaping store and discovered that the statue was missing. Another statue from the same business was stolen in recent weeks, according to news reports.

Recently, someone donated a pink crepe myrtle, which was planted in the girl&#8217;s memory by Sandra&#8217;s school, Jacobsen Elementary. Also, a Southern California family donated a playhouse in her honor.

Earlier this month, the Hearts &#8217;n&#8217; Pieces Quilt Guild presented the Cantu Family with an &#8220;angel quilt&#8221; made by guild members in memory of Sandra. The guild meets monthly at Tracy&#8217;s Orchard Mobile Estates Clubhouse.

Huckaby pleaded not guilty to the charges last month. A secret grand jury is convening this week and next week or so at the San Joaquin County Superior Court to hear the case against Huckaby, who before her April 10 arrest lived a few doors down from Sandra.

Article:
http://www.tracypress.com/pages/ful...amily+goes+missing&instance=home_news_bullets

:angel:

 

[Angel Who Cares]

It's time to fix the flaws in the Amber Alert system
Guidelines vary on when to issue alerts
July 18, 2009, 4:45PM
<snipped>
When it comes to finding missing or abducted children, worried parents and law enforcement officers rely for the most part on fingerprints and the voluntary Amber Alert system. While these may assist in the recovery of a child, there is a lot more that can and needs to be done to better protect our children.

Each year between 800,000 and 1.3 million children are reported missing. Further, more than 58,000 children are abducted each year. And, in abductions involving a violent crime, statistics show that 99 percent of violent crimes occur within the first four hours that the child is missing.

In California, 8-year-old Sandra Cantu wasn't as lucky. She disappeared this past March and her body was found 10 days later inside a suitcase left in a drainage ditch. Her family had contacted police, but no Amber Alert was sent out. The police, while not issuing an Amber Alert, still conducted a search, informed other law enforcement offices in California, and spoke to the media.

Mark Klaas, whose 13-year-old daughter Polly was kidnapped and killed, has said, &#8220;The Amber Alert system, as it was conceived by the federal government, is an ill-conceived idea that was based on bureaucracy and not quickly disseminated information.&#8221; He's right.

So what's the solution? We need a national system with a single set of rules that are consistently applied in every state. When issuing Amber alerts, state law enforcement agencies should be using modern technology &#8212; cell phones, the Internet and GPS to maximize the rapid dissemination of vital information. The time has come for Congress to legislate a better system for protecting our children from possible abduction.

Article:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/outlook/6535984.html
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Grand jury meeting to decide whether Huckaby goes to trial
July 21, 2009 12:01 AM
<snipped>
A secret grand jury began meeting Monday 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.

The hearing is scheduled to last two weeks.

In the end, the grand jury will decide if Huckaby, 28, should stand trial on the charges in open court.

The grand jury hearing will take the place of the preliminary hearing. It also keeps from the public key details of the case: the cause of Sandra's death and the alleged motive.

Legal experts have suggested prosecutors opted for a secret grand jury to quiet the public interest in an attempt to avoid having to move the trial out of San Joaquin County.

Article:
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090721/A_NEWS/307219974/-1/A_SPECIAL0263

:angel:

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Huckaby grand jury duties done
August 01, 2009 12:01 AM
<snipped>
A criminal grand jury concluded its deliberations Friday afternoon in the case of Melissa Huckaby, a Tracy woman accused in the kidnapping, rape and murder of 8-year-old Sandra Cantu.

The grand jury's decision to indict her - or not - will remain secret unless Huckaby, 28, is brought back to court for arraignment. The indictment would take the place of charges San Joaquin County prosecutors filed against her after her April 10 arrest.

Huckaby's next hearing before San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge Linda Lofthus is scheduled for Sept. 8.

For the past two weeks, witnesses have been called to testify before the grand jury. If they return an indictment, the case will next go to a trial in open court.

Huckaby's case was set for a September preliminary hearing. If the grand jury issues an indictment, the preliminary hearing won't be held, and key details of the case will remain out of the public's knowledge.

A judge's gag order has kept investigators and prosecutors from explaining a possible motive for the killing and how Sandra died. Legal experts have suggested prosecutors took it to a grand jury, where proceedings are always secret, to quiet the public interest in an attempt to prevent moving the trial out of San Joaquin County.

Article:
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090801/A_NEWS/908010322/-1/NEWSMAP

:angel:

 

[Angel Who Cares]

High-profile crimes bring neighborhood responses
Aug 03, 2009
<snipped>
Dozens of neighborhoods throughout the county will take part in the 26th annual National Night Out, sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch.

Parties will be held from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. all over town to promote awareness of Neighborhood Watch and help foster a sense of community.

Rose suspected that maybe the high-profile crimes of &#8220;Kyle,&#8221; the tortured teenager and the murder of Sandra Cantu have motivated more Tracy residents to take a more active role in their communities.

&#8220;It helps a great deal,&#8221; Rose said. &#8220;The neighborhoods are proactive in stopping crime.&#8221;

She said she has Alan Sanchez, a reporter for Good Day Sacramento, and local singer Rachel Rene lined up as special guests. Decker said she planned to point out some of the troubling spots on her block and listen to neighbors concerns. She said crime has calmed down since forming the Neighborhood Watch.

Article:
http://www.tracypress.com/pages/ful...rhood+responses&instance=home_news_lead_story
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Anne Marie Fuller: Can't fight City Hall, but you can rent it
Posted: 08/05/2009 12:11:44 PM PDT
Updated: 08/06/2009 06:54:44 PM PDT
<snipped>
THE CITY of Tracy hopes to generate new revenue by renting out City Hall for private parties and other events.

City Hall also has been a backdrop for many city organizations and events. This past spring it played host for a special barbecue honoring local Community Emergency Response Team members who took part in the effort to find missing 8-year-old Sandra Cantu, of Tracy. Nearly 100 people attended the barbecue, including many city officials and a local news crew.

"We picked City Hall as our backdrop for the barbecue because it ties everything all together," said Tracy Fire Division Chief Germane Friends, who helped serve food at the event. "We really thought it was important to honor and show our appreciation to those who stepped up and volunteered their time to help the community. It was truly a trying time for everyone, but we all pulled together and now I think we are a little more stronger."

Article:
http://www.contracostatimes.com/columns/ci_12998094
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Sandra Cantu playground dedication set for Friday
Aug 06, 2009
<snipped>
The family and classmates of 8-year-old murder victim Sandra Cantu will gather Friday morning to dedicate a new playground in the girl&#8217;s memory.

Tracy Unified School District Superintendent James Franco and Jacobson Elementary principal Cindy Sasser will speak at the 10 a.m. ceremony, which is closed to the public.

The $46,500 school playground was donated by Landscape Structures Inc. earlier this summer and built at Jacobson Elementary School, which Sandra attended before her March 27 disappearance.

On the play set is a sign marking it as the &#8220;Sandra Cantu Playground.&#8221; The structure &#8212; made up of two red slides and a tall tower &#8212; marks the third permanent memorial in Tracy to the slain first-grader.

In late May, a Southern California couple donated a hand-built pink-and-purple playhouse to the school in Sandra&#8217;s memory. And in June, Sen. Barbara Boxer donated a pink crepe myrtle, which the city planted yards away from Jacobson on West Kavanagh Avenue. A brass plaque with Sandra&#8217;s name and birth and death dates lies at the base of the sapling, which should grow for 20 more years and sprout pink blossoms in the spring. Pink was Sandra&#8217;s favorite color.

Huckaby, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, was arrested on April 10. A grand jury convened in July but no indictment has been handed down yet.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for next month.

View slideshow (3 images):
http://matchbin-assets.s3.amazonaws...ignature=wRr3L5rM3ztJSHcCx1oOHABVmz4=&x-s=543

Article:
http://www.tracypress.com/pages/ful...+set+for+Friday&instance=home_news_lead_story
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UPDATE: Murder probe launched after woman found dead in mobile home
Aug 06, 2009
<snipped>
Police detained four people tonight after they found a woman apparently beaten to death in her trailer home, but have yet to arrest a suspected killer.

&#8220;There is an active investigation,&#8221; said Tracy police Lt. Jeremy Watney. &#8220;We don&#8217;t think this was an accident.&#8221;

The woman was in her late 50s and lived in space #44, a pink single-wide mobile home close to the northern entrance of Green Oaks Mobile Home Park, 2929 N. MacArthur Drive.

The woman&#8217;s roommate came home late in the day and called police at 4:42 p.m. to report that the woman was dead and appeared badly beaten, Watney said, adding that it&#8217;s too early to release more details. The woman had severe head injuries, police said.

Neighbors said the woman&#8217;s name was Cindy, and that she stayed inside her trailer on most days.

Neighbors said they didn&#8217;t hear gunshots or a loud noise, and only found out about the incident when dozens of police showed up and cordoned the place off.

The woman&#8217;s slaying marks the second murder this year in Tracy following the killing of 8-year-old Sandra Cantu in late March.

Article:
http://www.tracypress.com/pages/ful...+in+mobile+home&instance=home_news_lead_story

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[Angel Who Cares]

Tracy Playground Dedicated To Sandra Cantu
Volunteers, Donors Construct Playground At Jacobson Elementary School
POSTED: 11:39 am PDT August 7, 2009
UPDATED: 11:50 am PDT August 7, 2009
<snipped>
A playground built in honor of a Tracy girl who disappeared and was found dead earlier this year was officially dedicated at her elementary school Friday.

"It's been over four months since Sandra left us, but she is definitely in our hearts. I know I think about her every day," Principal Cindy Sasser said. "Many have worked together to donate this beautiful playground ... to Jacobsen Elementary in memory of Sandra."

"Sandra's exuberance and smile will live on in the hearts and minds of its visitors, and she will never be forgotten -- not at all," Tracy schools Superintendent Jim Franco said.

Cantu's relatives were among those who turned out for the dedication ceremony. Her two siblings and friends from school were the first to play on the new playground.

Volunteers and donors built a playground at Jacobson Elementary School in Tracy in memory of Sandra Cantu.

Article:
http://www.kcra.com/news/20319477/detail.html
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A step toward healing
Donated playground dedicated at the school attended by Sandra Cantu
August 08, 2009 12:01 AM
<snipped>
But Friday marked a small step toward healing as a new playground named after Sandra was dedicated during a brief ceremony at Jacobson Elementary, where she was a second-grader at the time of the tragedy.

"It's been over four months since Sandra left us, but she is definitely in our hearts," Jacobson Principal Cindy Sasser told a gathering that included family members and friends who sat in folding chairs next to the new playground. "I know I think about her every day."

At the end of the ceremony, Sandra's 15-year-old brother Thomas Fortin and Miranda were the first to climb to the top and to scoot down the slides. Then, a dozen other children who attended the ceremony joined them on the Sandra Cantu Playground, whose sign includes a smiling jaguar, Jacobson's mascot.

"She always used to play on the bars with me," recalled 8-year-old Nikita Bhukhan, who had been friends with Sandra since kindergarten.

Article:
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090808/A_NEWS/908080324/-1/NEWSMAP

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[Angel Who Cares]

Slideshow: Candlelight vigil
Aug 09, 2009
<snipped>
Members of the community joined family and friends of Cynthia Ramos in a candlelight vigil Saturday night in front of her home at the Green Oaks Mobile Park.

Ramos was found dead Thursday from multiple stab wounds. Two suspects are in custody and will have their first court appearances Tuesday in Stockton.

The killing was the Tracy&#8217;s second of the year.

Eight-year-old Sandra Cantu was killed in March. She had lived at the Orchard Estates Mobile Home Park.

Her family joined Ramos' family in Saturday's vigil.

SLIDESHOW: 9-Images
http://matchbin-assets.s3.amazonaws...ignature=R7+27+rNq7TKozTz4BdgpFMRSS8=&x-s=543

Article:
http://www.tracypress.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Slideshow-+Candlelight+vigil++ &id=3133334

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[Angel Who Cares]

Judge moves up Huckaby hearing to Monday
Aug 11, 2009
<snipped>
Another hearing has been scheduled for next week in the case against the Tracy woman accused of killing 8-year-old Sandra Cantu.

A judge originally ordered Melissa Huckaby back in court in mid-September. A secret two-week-long grand jury hearing recently ended, and prosecutors moved up the date to 1 p.m. on Monday in Department 35 of the San Joaquin County Superior Court in Stockton.

A gag order prevents anyone associated with the case from talking about it to reporters or anyone else. The Stockton Record in July reported that a grand jury convened over a couple weeks last month. An indictment has yet to be handed down.

Because of the intense public interest in the case, the court has limited seating at past hearings and will allow few reporters into the courtroom next week. Members of the public who want to grab a seat in the courtroom during the hearing will have to check in at 11:45 a.m. Monday in the clerk&#8217;s office, Room 303 at the Stockton courthouse, to get a lottery ticket.

A drawing will take place at 12:15 p.m. in the same room. The public can enter the courtroom after journalists have been seated.

Seats have been reserved for five television stations, six local newspapers, a radio station and a sketch artist. Thirteen more seats are reserved for media, and available by lottery.

Article:
http://www.tracypress.com/pages/ful...oves+up+Huckaby+hearing+to+Monday &id=3158308
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Melissa Huckaby to return to court early
Posted: 08/12/2009 03:00:01 PM PDT
Updated: 08/12/2009 03:18:07 PM PDT
<snipped>
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.

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.

Article:
http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_13046449?nclick_check=1
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Indictment in Sandra Cantu killing?
August 11 2009 at 04:50 PM
<snipped>
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 drugged, 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.

Read more at:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/crime/detail?&entry_id=45357#ixzz0O1gjXxTJ

Article:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/crime/detail?&entry_id=45357
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Huckaby Court Appearance Moved Up
August 10, 2009
<snipped>
A legal expert following the Huckaby case told News10 it would appear Huckaby is going to be arraigned on the murder charge and given a trial date.

It's been widely reported that Huckaby's case was being reviewed by a criminal grand jury. The legal expert said it appeared the grand jury has indicted Huckaby. The grand jury process is sometimes used in criminal cases rather than having evidence heard publicly in preliminary hearings.

Article:
http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=64990&catid=2


*NOTE: Astrologers court is at 1PM Monday August 17, 2009!

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