Prosecutors Seeking Death Penalty for Sandra Cantu Murder
San Joaquin County prosecutors will ask for the death penalty for the Sunday school teacher accused of raping and murdering an 8-year-old playmate of her daughter in Tracy, authorities said Thursday.
Melissa Huckaby, 28, was indicted in July on a murder charge and three special circumstances in the death of Sandra Cantu - including that she killed during the commission of a rape - that make her eligible for execution if convicted. Huckaby was also accused of sexually assaulting a child younger than 10.
The decision to seek lethal injection was made by District Attorney James Willett, who consulted with attorneys in his office as well as Sandra’s family, authorities said.
Huckaby pleaded not guilty at a hearing Thursday in San Joaquin County Superior Court. Judge Linda Lofthus revealed that the defense had hired a change-of-venue expert from California State University Chico, suggesting that Huckaby wants to move her trial elsewhere.
Huckaby also sought to remove her lawyer, Deputy Public Defender Sam Behar, from the case, but Lofthus denied the motion. The reason for Huckaby’s request was not explained, and a gag order prevents lawyers from talking about the case outside court.
Huckaby will return to court Sept. 25, at which time the judge could set a trial date, possibly in March.
Huckaby is accused of killing Sandra after the girl went to her house to play with Huckaby’s 5-year-old daughter March 27.
Much is still not known about the case, and authorities have not gone into detail about how they believe Sandra died.
However, sources close to the investigation have told The Chronicle that they believe the girl was deliberately killed at the Clover Road Baptist Church, where Huckaby’s grandfather is the pastor and where she taught Sunday school.
The church is two blocks from the mobile home park where Sandra lived with her mother, her three older siblings and her grandparents and where Huckaby resided with her grandparents.
Sandra’s disappearance triggered a 10-day search that gripped Tracy. Her body, stuffed in a suitcase, was found by farmworkers draining an irrigation pond two miles from the mobile home park.
Hours before her arrest, Huckaby told a reporter for the Tracy Press that the suitcase was hers. She said it had been stolen out of her driveway the day Sandra vanished.
Huckaby had already been undergoing mental evaluation as a result of an earlier petty-theft conviction, and relatives said she had battled depression. Sources said she tried to commit suicide in the days before her arrest, leading her to be hospitalized.
Besides the murder and rape charges, Huckaby is accused of child endangerment and furnishing a harmful substance. Those counts are related to her alleged drugging of a 7-year-old girl and a man in the months before Sandra died. Source: The San Francisco Chronicle Friday, September 11, 2009
This case is so tragic and sad! I guess having a gag order is better, but it hampers us from even understanding what happened. So sad. I feel so sorry for Sandra’s family. :emotion:
Report this comment
Hi Ginger, I’m sure the details will come out at trial… they’ll hear me scream from Maryland to California if this witch gets off on a psych defense. This poor little girl - she must have gone through so much horror before she died. The death penalty is almost too good for this animal.
Report this comment
She ABSOLUTELY should get the death penatly. Especially because this little girl knew her and trusted her. Melissa Huckaby is a disgusting human being. Life in prison is not good enough.
Report this comment
I don’t care whether Huckaby is crazy as a bedbug or not. She knew right from wrong. Too bad Huckaby was not successful in her suicide attempt. Poor Sandra’s family will have to relive the horror of what she did to little Sandra during the trial.
Report this comment
The death penalty is definitely too good for this wench! What she did to this innocent little girl is horrifying. She needs to suffer more than getting a shot.
Report this comment
The thought of how much the other inmates & prison staff love Huckaby (sarcasm) actually gives me a little peace inside, considering this case. She’ll have a hard time getting off on a mental b/c she worked hard to cover up her crime. That she stuffed this little girl’s body into a suitcase and threw her out like trash makes me want to deliver the lethal dose myself, saying, “Bye, b****.” She knows what she did. She could save the taxpayers a boatload of money by pleading guilty but she wants to try to save her own life, not caring that she actually has taken someone else’s life.
Report this comment
I wish I could be on the lethal injection provider list. That would be a well earned $150.00. Heck I would do it and donate the money to the victim.
Report this comment
Substantially, the article is actually the sweetest on this precious topic. I concur with your conclusions and will eagerly look forward to your future updates. Saying thanks will not just be adequate, for the wonderful clarity in your writing. I will at once grab your rss feed to stay informed of any updates. Pleasant work and much success in your business enterprize!
Report this comment