April 11 2009 updated – Melissa Huckaby has been arrested and charged with the kidnapping murder of Sandra Cantu. Earlier, Huckaby told an elaborate story of how she lost her suitcase and how she was away from her home around the time Sandra Cantu went missing.

April 10 2009 update: Melissa Huckaby, a resident in Orchard Estates Mobile Home Park, said her suitcase was missing. Huckaby gave a general description of her suitcase that matched the one the workers found in the irrigation pond. Huckaby has been interviewed by police about 2 times. Huckaby was also at the hospital to get treatment. Ms Huckaby would only reveal she had “internal bleeding” but refused to elaborate on the nature of her illness.

Huckaby said Sandra Cantu left her home while Cantu’s elder sister, Miranda, came by. Then Huckaby said she left her mobile home too. Miranda was asked to babysit Huckaby’s daughter, aged 5. Huckaby said she lost her suitcase when it was left outside as she forgot to take it with her.

Melissa Huckaby has denied that she was the same woman who was charged with second degree commercial burglary. There was a woman of the same name who has been on probation since the charges were filed. This Melissa Huckably awaits sentencing on April 17.

Both Melissa Huckably have listed the same address as their own – 812 W. Clover Road, Space No. 57. This address is owned by Clifford Lane Lawless and Connie Lawless.

Police have not commented on Melissa Huckaby or her denial that she was the same woman who had two previous convictions for burglaries.

April 7 update:

Lane Lawless, a pastor of Clover Road Baptist Church in Tracy, has been interviewed by investigators. Lane Lawless lives a few doors away from Sandra Cantu. Lawless was Cantu’s neighbor.

Cantu was missing since March 27. Cantu’s body has been recovered inside a suitcase dumped into an irrigation pond. Cantu’s body was found Monday night, April 6. The autopsy is still progressing to determine the cause of death.

Lane Lawless is a resident of Orchard Estates Mobile Home Park. Police had 10 search warrants. All residents of Orchard Estates were questioned.

March 27 & April updates:

Sandra Cantu has been found dead. Cantu, 8, was found in a suitcase. Cantu wore the same clothes in which she was last seen in just before she went missing. Cantu wore her pink T shirt and leggings which she had on March 27.

Workers who drained an irrigation pond found the suitcase. The pond was a few miles away from Sandra Cantu’s mobile home in the north California trailer park.

Sandra Cantu, RIP.

Original Post on March 29, 2009:

Sandra Cantu has been missing Friday, March 27. Sandra Cantu, 8, was last seen in Orchard Estates Mobile Home Park, about 60 miles east of San Francisco, Friday, 2:30 – 3 pm. Cantu is Hispanic, 4 feet tall, has brown hair and eyes, and weighs 45 pounds.

Cantu was last seen wearing a pink Hello Kitty T shirt and black leggings.

Please send tips to Tracy Police Department at 209-831-4550 or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678.

Sandra Cantu’s Photo.

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This entry was posted on Sunday, March 29th, 2009 at 3:17 am and is filed under Gossip.