Breaking News: Sunday school teacher was arrested, suspicion of killing Sandra Cantu

Update: Tracy Press suspect interview lead to arrest
Local hometown newspaper the Tracy Press was specifically mention by Tracy Police spokesperson Tracy police Sgt. Tony Sheneman during this mornings press conference as a leading factor to solving this case yesterday as the case was rapidly built in the afternoon and late into the night after the suspect gave conflicting stories to the Press and Police.

This mornings Tracy Press edition which went to press before the suspect was arrested had two pages related to the this suspect, the suitcase which was admittedly hers, and the conflicting stories by the suspect who was one of the last people known to have to see her alive.

The story behind this story involves , Jennifer Wadsworth, a 22-year-old reporter for the Tracy Press who interviewed the suspect, Melissa Huckaby, on Friday.

The police have credited Wadsworth's story about that interview with helping to crack the case. But she says she was only doing her job. "It wasn't anything extraordinary," she told members of the press. "I was just interested in who owned this suitcase."

Wadsworth, has worked full time for the Tracy Press since September, had heard rumors that a woman had been hospitalized in connection with Sandra's death and that the suitcase containing the corpse belonged to the Huckaby family.

The young reporter had already begun by looking up court records, a fountain of information that many journalists ignore. From them, she had Melissa Huckaby's address, age, cell phone number and details of her criminal record.(1)(2)

Huckaby claimed to Press reporters Friday that she had found a note that had the words "suitcase" and "water," as well as "Whitehall," the street near the irrigation pond where she was found.

***** The Tracy Press a local hometown newspaper, Tracy Police Department, Tracy police Sgt. Tony Sheneman, and all the Investigators deserve special recognition for the seemingly non-stop hours of work and speedy capture of a suspect in this horrific case.

Breaking News update: A Sunday school teacher was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping and killing 8-year-old Sandra Cantu, whose body was found in a suitcase in an irrigation pond.

Melissa Huckaby, 28, was arrested at 11:55 p.m. Friday, about five hours after she drove herself to the local police station at the request of officers, said police Sgt. Tony Sheneman.

"She gave enough information to us during the course of the interview that probable cause was there to arrest her," said Sheneman. No other arrests were made.

Huckaby had previously told The Tracy Press that Sandra visited her home on the day of her disappearance to play with her 5-year-old daughter. But Huckaby said she'd turned Sandra away because her daughter needed to pick up her toys and Sandra went to another friend's home. Huckaby also said she had left her suitcase in the driveway that day, and that it was missing.

Huckaby is a granddaughter of Pastor Clifford Lawless, whose Clover Road Baptist Church was the subject of a police search. Huckaby taught Sunday school at the church and lived with Lawless in the Orchard Estates Mobile Home Park that also was Sandra's home.

Lawless did not immediately respond to a call seeking comment Saturday.

Huckaby was being held without bail at the San Joaquin County Jail, with arraignment set for Tuesday, according to the county sheriff's Web site.

The local newspaper, the Tracy Press, reported that Huckaby was released Thursday from Sutter Tracy Community Hospital, where she spent several days in intensive care for what she described as "internal bleeding."

Update: 4-14-09 AM - Molestation, lewd and lascivious conduct with a child, and Rape with a foreign object charges and enhancements being considered by District Attorney - Additional will be announced today

Formal charges have not been filed, but San Joaquin County Deputy District Attorney Robert Himmelblau said Monday a murder charge against Huckaby would “likely” include the special circumstances of rape with a foreign object, lewd and lascivious conduct with a child and murder in the course of a kidnapping.

A conviction on any of the special circumstances would make Huckaby eligible for the death penalty or life in prison without parole, Himmelblau said.
The district attorney's office hasn't determined whether to seek the death penalty, he said.

Huckaby, a mother of a 5-year-old and a neighbor of Sandra's, was arrested late Friday night. Sandra's body was found in a suitcase in an irrigation pond April 6. She went missing from her mobile home park community March 27, sparking a massive search.

Tracy police Sgt. Tony Sheneman declined to comment on Himmelblau's comments. However, media sources who met with Himmelblau in person Monday said he confirmed that the additional charges would be announced today and said that because of the special circumstances charges, Huckaby would be eligible for the death penalty.

Update: 4-11-09 Noon - Suicide Watch - Melissa Huckaby is being held in a "Observation cell" at the San Joaquin County Jail in French Camp, sheriff's Deputy Les Garcia said this afternoon. Huckaby, arrested on suspicion of kidnapping and killing 8-year-old Sandra Cantu, refuses to see visitors, Garcia said. Jail records did not indicate whether she had an attorney.

Petty Thief: Huckaby was recently convicted for petty theft in San Joaquin County, and was scheduled to appear in court on April 17 to check in with a county mental health program as part of a three-year probation sentence.

According to court records, Huckaby had claimed she was not mentally competent to stand trial in the case. The judge ordered her to be examined by physicians. Later, it was determined that she was competent and she pleaded no contest.

In an interview with the local newspaper on Friday, Huckaby said someone else by the same name was charged for the November theft from a Target store.

Huckaby was also convicted by Superior Court in Los Angeles County in November of 2006 for a petty theft in Bellflower, records showed.

Huckaby was scheduled to appear in court on April 17 to check in with a county mental health program as part of a three-year probation sentence for a petty theft she pleaded no contest to. In an interview with the newspaper on Friday, Huckaby said someone else by the same name was facing charges for the attempted November theft from Target.

Sandra Cantu 8 years young - Rest in peace

A public memorial service has been scheduled for 1 p.m. Thursday in the gymnasium of West High School. The family is also planning a private service.

Fry Memorial Chapel, 550 S. Central Ave., which is handling the arrangements, will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today to allow members of the public to express their sympathy and support in guest books that will later be given to Sandra's family.

The family has requested that gifts and letters no longer be left at the entrance to their mobile home park and would like to thank everyone for supporting them and honoring Sandra.

Public memorial service map - link

View Sandra Cantu Memorial Service in a larger map

Sources:
Tracy Press -Breaking news: ARREST - Link
Modesto Bee - Sunday school teacher booked for murder in Sandra Cantu case -Link

Related Links: Exclusive: Woman in mobile home park reported missing suitcase
Melissa Huckaby, a Sunday school teacher who lives with her grandparents in the mobile home park where Sandra lived, said her black suitcase disappeared the day the slain girl went missing.
UPDATES: MISSING - Sandra Cantu body found - container found near Sugar Cut slough contained young girl
USCG: SAR working low altitude FLIR regarding Sandra Cantu case.
UPDATE: MISSING - Sandra Cantu body found - Sugar Cut slough container found to be opened