The End of the Story

Case BackgroundPre-Trial: Updated: 12.04.09Trial Date: 10.18.2010SentencingSources

Melissa Huckaby, 28, of Tracy, California is charged with the kidnapping, sexual assault, and murder of 8-year-old Sandra Cantu.

Sandra Cantu was reported missing on March 27, 2009 from the Mobile Home Park where she lived with her mother, grandparents and siblings. Sandra had asked her mother if she could go out to play with her friend at approximately 3 p.m. When Sandra failed to return home for dinner her mother became concerned and walked around the mobile home park to search for her. After not being able to locate her daughter she phoned police at 8 p.m.

Police, community volunteers and FBI agents tirelessly search for Sandra Cantu. The break in the case came on April 6, when farm workers began emptying an irrigation pond located approximately two miles from Sandra’s home. As the water level lowered workers saw a large container. Being aware of the search for the missing girl, they called police. Police took the container to an undisclosed location later in the day and when it was opened Sandra’s clothed body was inside what was later identified as a suitcase.

During the course of the investigation several search warrants were served on various homes within the mobile home park. Three males living in the community were taken in for questioning but all were released without being charged in connection with Sandra’s disappearance.

The last person known to have seen Sandra was Melissa Huckaby. She told authorities that although Sandra had come to her door to ask her daughter to play, she turned Sandra away saying her daughter had to pick up her toys. She told police Sandra left her home. After the container was found in the irrigation pond, Melissa made statements to reporters claiming a suitcase she owned had been stolen the day of Sandra’s disappearance. She also claimed a note had been left in her mail box inscribed with three words: cantu, suitcase, water, and the names of two streets. The word ’suitcase’ was misspelled. Police did not release a description of the suitcase found in the irrigation pond, however, Melissa described the suitcase that had allegedly been stolen from her residence to the reporter.

When police heard the interviews conducted in the press with Huckaby, they asked her to come into headquarters for further questioning. Huckaby drove herself to the police station and after five hours of questioning her police had enough information to charge Huckaby with kidnapping and murder.

Huckaby is the mother of a 5-year-old daughter and a former Sunday School teacher at her grandfather’s Baptist church. Police believe Sandra was murdered on the church property and she was murdered even before her disappearance was reported to police.

Pre-Trial 

Read Latest Pre-Trial Update

April 14, 2009: Arraignment

Melissa Huckaby was arraigned on the following charges:

1. One count of murder

Special circumstances

1. Rape with a foreign object
2. Lewd or lascivious conduct with a child under 14
3. Murder in the course of a kidnapping

The Special Circumstances charges makes this case Death Penalty eligible. The prosecutor has not yet decided if he will seek the Death Penalty.

Melissa Huckaby did not enter a plea at this hearing. She was assigned a Public Defender and the case was carried for another arraignment hearing to April 24.

April 17, 2009

One day after Sandra Cantu was laid to rest Melissa Huckaby’s public defender, Sam Behar, petitioned the court asking for permission to exhume Cantu’s body so the defense can conduct it’s own autopsy. The reason given is that Melissa needs to defend herself properly against the rape charges. The coroner indicated Sandra suffered “genital trauma” and the defense wants an expert they have called to examine Sandra’s body. The judge presented with the motion could not rule on it because he is not the judge assigned to the case. According to the media account the judge assigned to the case is on vacation. The defense wants the decision quickly decided because as the attorney put it:

He called the autopsy “crucial and material” to his client’s defense and asked the court to move quickly, saying Cantu’s body was deteriorating. ¹

There may be another issue with this case. The judge assigned to the case, Judge Terrence Van Oss, may have to recuse himself from the case due to a conflict of interest. Judge Van Oss was a witness for the prosecution in a previous murder case prosecuted by Tom Testa, a San Joaquin County deputy district attorney.

April 21, 2009

Information is being reported in the media that Melissa Huckaby may be linked to another child abduction in January of this year.

The child in question, an unnamed 7-year-old neighbor of Huckaby’s was allegedly taken away from the mobile home park without parental permission. The police were notified and the search began for the girl. She was located at a local park with Melissa Huckaby. The parents were notified the child was found, Huckaby returned the child to the parents and the police left. No charges were filed.

Several hours later the girl’s parents took her to the emergency room. It was found the girl had benzodiazepines in her blood stream. Police were called again; however, again, no charges were filed because a five hours had elapsed between the time Huckaby relinqueshed the child to her family and the trip to the emergency room. Authorities said it would be hard to prove that Huckaby dosed the child – anyone could have given her the drugs in that span of time.

When asked about this other child prior to her arrest, Melissa Huckaby’s reply was that she had permission to take the child to the park. Huckaby kept the child away from home for four hours.

This new information does not bode well for Huckaby’s defense. If Sandra Cantu’s toxicology reports come back positive for benzodiazepines, the prosecution may be able to prove a pattern of behavior.

Benzodiazepines are used for anxiety disorders, prior to dental procedures to produce a feeling of calm, and to produce a type of amnesia for the procedure much like noxious oxide. That drug class has also been used as a date rape drug:

Benzodiazepines have also been used as a “date rape” drug because they can markedly impair and even abolish functions that normally allow a person to resist or even want to resist sexual aggression or assault. In recent years, the detection and conviction of people involved in this has increased dramatically. The drug is usually added to alcohol-containing drinks or even soft drinks in powder or liquid forms and can be hard to taste. ²

A boost for the defense is if Melissa Huckaby was prescribed benzodiazepines and was abusing them, she could have experienced what is known as disinihibition. Sometimes people experiencing disinihibition will act out sexually as well as not make socially acceptable behavioral choices. There is evidence in her recent past of not being able to control her impulses, i.e., two shoplifting charges. She also has a history of having to file bankruptcy which could indicate an inability to control her impulse to spend. Also, Huckaby could claim no memory of the rape due to the intoxication from the benzodiazepines.

I am not looking for an excuse for the crimes she is accused of committing; I am just thinking about what the line of defense might be.

Judge Terrence Van Oss, originally assigned to hear this case, recused himself today. He did not give a reason for stepping down from the case. Judge Linda Lofthus will be presiding over the case on Friday when Huckaby is expected to enter a plea. Her attorney is also expected to ask the judge for a ruling on his request to exhume Sandra’s body in order to have an independent autopsy performed.

September 10, 2009

Melissa Huckaby had a brief court appearance today. San Joaquin County deputy district attorney Thomas Testa announced the people will seek the death penalty in the penalty phase of their case against Huckaby. Judge Lofthus read the criminal grand jury indictment against Huckaby that included charges of murder with three enhancements: kidnapping, rape with a foreign instrument and lewd and lascivious acts on a child. A second count charges Huckaby with a sex crime with a child 10 years or younger. Huckaby entered a plea of not guilty to the charges. She then asked to meet with the judge in a closed door meeting to discuss firing her assigned counsel, Deputy Public Defender Sam Behar. The judge declined the request. The defense has hired a change-of-venue expert from Chico State University. The next court date is scheduled for September 25. A trial date could be scheduled at that time, perhaps for March 2010.

December 4, 2009

Melissa Huckaby made an appearance in San Joaquin County Superior Court in Stockton this afternoon where the judge set her trial date as October 18, 2010. So far there has been no change of venue. Death penalty expert, Michael Burt, is requested a February hearing to suppress evidence and testimony before the case goes to trial.

Trial 

October 18, 2010

Sentence 

Source 

CA Endangered Missing: Sandra Cantu, Missing & Murdered Children, April 17, 2009.

Associated Press, Judge May not Hear Huckaby’s Arraignment, KSBW.com, April 17, 2009.

Sarah Netter, Was Alleged Drugging of 7-Year-Old a Precursor to Sandra Cantu’s Murder?, ABC.com, April 21, 2009.

Huckaby Linked to Earlier Drugging of Child, KTVU.com, April 21, 2009.

Trial Date Set in Cantu Slaying, KCRA, Last Accessed: December 4, 2009.

Date Set for Melissa Huckaby’s Murder Trial, CBS13.com, Last Accessed: December 4, 2009.

1. Judge May Not Hear Huckaby’s Arraignment, KSBW.com, Last Accessed: September 10, 2009. [↩]
2. Benzodiazepine Abuse, EMedicine Health.com, Last Accessed: September 10, 2009. [↩]

Case BackgroundTrialSentencing (Updated: 11.10.09)Sources

Aaron Thompson is charged with over sixty counts of child abuse, some charges include child abuse resulting in death.

Thompson reported his 7-year-old daughter, Aaroné missing in 2005. He claimed at the time that Aaroné had an argument with he and his live-in girlfriend Shelley Lowe over wanting a cookie. According to Thompson, Aaroné stomped out of the house and they were unable to find her.

Police launched a search of the area but did not find the child. After discussing the disappearance with neighbors the police came to believe that Aaroné had not been in the home for at least eighteen months. Thompson did not have a current picture of his daughter. After investigating further it was found that Aaroné was not enrolled in school and the family did not have a bed for her.

Authorities obtained a court order to allow them to dig up the backyard of the residence, thinking perhaps Aaroné had been buried in the backyard. The search was fruitless.

Shelley Lowe and Aaron Thompson were raising seven children together at the time of the investigation. Eventually all of the children were placed in foster homes. They talked about what their lives were like in the home and indicated that Aaroné had also been a victim of severe abuse at the hands of Aaron Thompson. The children also substantiated the investigators’ theory that Aaroné was dead.

Thompson and Lowe lost permanent custody of all seven children. They appealed the decision and lost the appeal.

A grand jury convened and handed up the sixty count indictment. Shelley Lowe was indicted as well; however, she died from a heart attack.

Trial 

Latest Update

August 3, 2009

The trial begins today with jury selection at 8:45 a.m. The jury selection process is expected to last one week.

Opening statements are expected to begin on August 7.

August 6, 2009

The jury has been seated. Opening arguments are set to begin tomorrow morning. (Friday, August 7). If convicted on all charges Thompson faces up to 54 years in prison. Aaroné’s body has never been found. Most of the allegations have to do with Aaroné being beaten, malnourished and not being provided with medical treatment.

August 10, 2009: 2 p.m. PST

Police and prosecutors have always said that Aaroné Thompson was dead and had been dead for years when Aaron Thompson made that call to police in November 2005 to report his daughter’s missing status. Thompson and his then girlfriend, Shelley Lowe, always stood by their story that Aaroné had run away over not being able to have a cookie. Surprisingly enough, the defense now agrees with the prosecutors and said in open court that yes, Aaroné is indeed dead. They also agree the girl was murdered. They are laying the blame on a dead woman – Shelley Lowe. Yes, they are claiming that Shelley Lowe murdered Aaroné and the only thing Aaron Thompson is guilty of is helping to hide the crime.

I don’t think this is the best defense strategy, blaming the girl’s death on a dead woman. There is still no word about how Aaroné died or where they put her body.

Even if Thompson manages to avoid the murder charge, he still faces numerous counts of abuse:

…vicious beatings Thompson is accused of meting out to Aarone and the other seven children under his and Lowe’s care at Thompson’s home on Kepner Place in Aurora, said Deputy District Attorney Robert Chappell.
“This case is about the life that these children experienced at the time the defendant lived on Kepner Place,” Chappell said.¹

I have always wondered why it was so important for Thompson to report Aaroné’s disappearance when he did. Aaroné was supposedly murdered in 2003. Why report her disappearance in November 2005? I think the reason was Thompson’s mother. Thompson’s mother was planning a visit to their home to celebrate Aaroné’s birthday. The little girl was supposed to turn 7 on November 30. I think Thompson had to figure out a way to explain to his mother why her granddaughter was not there. The only way to explain Aaroné’s absence was to report her disappearance.

September 16, 2009

I have been following the trial and I have to say what those children had to testify about in open court was absolutely heartbreaking. I don’t know how, in this country, children can still be subjected to the type of torture abuse and no one knows about it. If someone knew about the abuse they sure didn’t step up and try and help the kids.

The kids have damaged psyches and it will take years of therapy to undue the damage that has been done, if it can be undone. One thing I can say is the kids are brave to go into court and testify against their abuser. They certainly can’t have a lot of trust or faith in the system. I am sure they are wondering what will happen to them if Aaron is not convicted or does not get life in prison.

Testimony from the children included descriptions of beatings with three strands of coaxial cable that had been braided together. One of the children had scars on his back and the back of his legs. When asked where those scars came from he told the prosecutor it was from the metal part of the coaxial cable – it had cut into his flesh.

Another child testified being tied naked to a pole in the basement. Either Shely Lowe or Aaron Thompson or both of them would take turns beating the unfortunate child of the day. When they would get tired from the physical exertion they would tell one of the other children watching the beating to go get them something to drink.

The children received beatings for various infractions such as eating a name-brand food out of the pantry. Only Aaron and Sheley were allowed the luxury of name-brand foods. The children were only allowed to eat generic foods. Aaroné received her beatings for wetting herself or her bed. Other punishments for Aaroné included being locked inside a small closet. Another child received that same punishment. There was another child in the family who had a medical condition in which he was unable to control his bowels. As punishment for dirtying his pants Aaron held him over the toilet bowl by his ankles telling him “The poop goes here.”

The kids also testified they pretended to be Aaroné when family members phoned. According to the children Aaroné had been gone from the home for quite a few years. One girl testified that Aaron was beating his daughter one morning because she had wet her bed. He disappeared into another room with her. The girl went to school and when she returned home Aaroné was gone. Sheley and Aaron explained to the children she had gone to live with relatives in Detroit.

One male child testified that Aaron had nearly murdered Aaroné by beating her; he then gave a knife to the boy and told him to finish the job. The child claims he plunged the knife into Aaroné’s chest. He was then instructed to lay on top of her a get her blood on his shirt. Sheley and Aaron then took his shirt and disposed of Aaroné’s body.

There are descrepancies in the testimony of what was seen done to Aaroné. Her DNA does not appear on the various weapons mentioned for punishment. The belt, hairbrush, baseball bat and coaxial cable. If these children witnessed such severe abuse and were also victims of abuse most likely they are confused.

The prosecutor put on an excellent case, in my opinion, and then he nearly threw it into the toilet. Around the end of August they found another automobile that belonged to Aaron Thompson. It was in an impound yard. They should have immediately notified the defense. Instead they kept their mouth shut and went about the business of testing the vehicle for DNA evidence. When they found no DNA, they notified the defense of the find. By that time the defense had rested it’s case and closing arguments were set to begin. At that point, the defense could have filed a motion for a mistrial and the judge would more than likely have granted the motion. She chewed the prosecutor out in open court and wondered aloud why the defense was not asking for a mistrial and sanctions. The defense decided it was best for his client to go ahead with the current trial.

The defense did ask that all charges be dropped against their client because of the error on the part of the prosecution. The judge refused the request because there was no evidence found in the car. She also refused to drop the two most serious charges – child abuse resulting in death and conspiracy to commit child abuse.

Aaron Thompson refused to take the stand in his own defense, which is his right. I don’t know if it would have made a difference or not. Sometimes a jury wants to hear from the defendant and sometimes it just makes them angry to hear a feeble defense. His defense was that Sheley Lowe did the beating of the children or instructed him to do it, he had no say in the matter.

Sheley Lowe’s best friend wore a wire for the police. She was recorded not admitting she murdered Aaroné, but she did admit the child had died and that she and Aaron had taken the girl’s body to a field and buried her. She even mentioned that they were stopped that night by a police officer while on their way to dispose of Aaroné’s body. The prosecution was able to verify that Aaron Thompson had in fact been pulled over on the night in question. Thompson’s attorney claims the only thing he is guilty of is filing a false report with police. I hope the jury sees things differently.

Even if Thompson is found guilty of all 57 abuse charges against him the question still remains, “Where is Aaroné?” The case will go to the jury later today. I am hoping for a quick verdict of GUILTY on ALL charges.

I will leave you with this thought from Denver Post columnist Bill Johnson:

The last slide Richards presented to the jury was of five photographs showing all that can be found of Aaroné Thompson, including old clothing and a slide of some DNA that investigators retrieved from the bottom of a door to a closet where the little girl was forced to stay for days when she misbehaved.
Where is the little girl?
To date, quite sadly, that is all there is.²

September 19, 2009

The jury was sent home for the weekend on Friday afternoon without reaching a verdict. They will resume deliberations on Monday morning.

September 28, 2009: 11:50 a.m. PST

It appears we may be approaching announcement of a verdict. The jurors were in court this morning. They informed the judge they had decided on 51 of the 55 charges against Thompson. The judge ordered them to return to deliberations on the remaining 4 charges.

September 28, 2009: 11:30 p.m. PST

The looks on the faces of Aaron and his attorney says it all. The jury pronounced Aaron Thompson guilty on 31 of the 55 counts they were considering, including the most serious charge – child abuse of a child resulting in death as it pertained to Aaroné’s death. The look of surprise on the face of the attorney indicates that he thought perhaps his client would walk out of the courtroom a free man today or at least just be found guilty of a few charges of child abuse. Here is the breakdown of the verdicts as reported on the Denver Post website:

Child abuse – death, knowingly, related to the presumed death of Aaroné Thompson
guilty
Conspiracy to commit, with Shelley Lowe, child abuse — death, knowingly, related to the presumed death of Aaroné Thompson
guilty
Accessory to child abuse by Shelley Lowe, resulting in the presumed death of Aaroné Thompson
guilty
False reporting
guilty
Conspiracy to commit false reporting, related to the story about Aaroné Thompson running away because she was not given more cookies
guilty
Concealing death the death of Aaroné Thompson
guilty
Conspiracy, with Shelley Lowe, to conceal the death of Aaroné Thompson
guilty
Abuse of a corpse related to the disposal of the body of Aaroné Thompson
mistrial
Conspiracy to commit abuse of a corpse
mistrial
Contributing to the delinquency of a minor, related to coaching a child what to say to police
guilty
Contributing to delinquency of a minor
guilty
Contributing to delinquency of a minor
guilty
Contributing to delinquency of a minor
guilty
Contributing to delinquency of a minor
guilty
Contributing to delinquency of a minor
guilty
Contributing to delinquency of a minor
guilty
Conspiracy, with Shelley Lowe, to contribute to the delinquency of seven juveniles, related to coaching other children in the home to lie to police about Aaroné’s whereabouts
guilty
Child abuse — injury, knowingly, juvenile
guilty
Child abuse — injury, knowingly, juvenile
guilty
Child abuse — injury, knowingly, juvenile
guilty
Child abuse — injury, knowingly, juvenile
guilty
Child abuse — injury, knowingly, juvenile
guilty
Child abuse — injury, knowingly, juvenile
guilty
Child abuse — injury, knowingly, related to allegations that Aaron Thompson struck a juvenile in the face with a magazine
not guilty
Child abuse — injury, knowingly, related to an incident in which Aaroné Thompson was beaten after urinating in a closet
guilty
Child abuse — injury, knowingly, related to a juvenile being beaten by Shelley Lowe
not guilty
Second-degree assault — injury, related to the allegation that a juvenile was beaten by Aaron Thompson and Shelley Lowe
not guilty
Child abuse — injury, knowingly, juvenile
not guilty
Second-degree assault — injury, related to the allegation that a juvenile was beaten by Aaron Thompson and Shelley Lowe
not guilty
Child abuse — injury, reckless, related to the allegation that a juvenile was beaten by Aaron Thompson and Shelley Lowe
not guilty
Second-degree assault — injury, related to the beating of a juvenile
guilty
Child abuse — injury, reckless, related to the beating of a juvenile
guilty
Second-degree assault — injury, related to the alleged beating of a juvenile
not guilty
Child abuse — injury, reckless, related to the alleged beating of a juvenile
not guilty
Second-degree assault — injury, related to the alleged beating of a juvenile
not guilty
Child abuse — injury, reckless, related to the alleged beating of a juvenile
not guilty
Second-degree assault — injury, related to the alleged beating of a juvenile
not guilty
Child abuse — injury, reckless, related to the alleged beating of a juvenile
not guilty
Second-degree assault — injury, related to the alleged beating of a juvenile
not guilty
Child abuse — injury, reckless, related to the beating of a juvenile
guilty
Second-degree assault — injury, related to the alleged beating of a juvenile
not guilty
Child abuse — injury, reckless, related to the alleged beating of a juvenile
not guilty
Second-degree assault — injury, related to the alleged beating of a juvenile
not guilty
Child abuse — injury, reckless, related to the beating of a juvenile
guilty
Conspiracy to commit, with Shelley Lowe, child abuse resulting in the injury of a juvenile, juvenile
guilty
Conspiracy to commit, with Shelley Lowe, second-degree assault resulting in the injury of two juveniles
guilty
Assault — deadly weapon, using a baseball bat to punish a boy for running away from home
guilty
Assault — deadly weapon, using a baseball bat to punish a boy for breaking a vase
not guilty
Assault — deadly weapon, using a baseball bat to punish a boy for eating some of Shelley Lowe’s cereal
guilty
Assault — deadly weapon, allegedly using a baseball bat to strike the feet and ankles of a boy, leaving him unable to walk for a period of time
not guilty
Assault — deadly weapon, allegedly using a baseball bat to beat a juvenile
not guilty
Assault — deadly weapon, allegedly using a baseball bat to beat a juvenile
not guilty
Assault — deadly weapon, allegedly using a baseball bat to beat a juvenile
not guilty
Attempt second-degree assault with a deadly weapon, allegedly threatening a juvenile with a baseball bat
not guilty
Conspiracy to commit, with Shelley Lowe, second-degree assault, for using a baseball bat to injure two boys
guilty

³

I wonder what kind of a sentence the judge will hand out to Thompson. She could sentence Thompson to as much as 80 years behind bars. Some of the jurors asked the judge if they can be in the courtroom when she sentences Thompson on November 10. I don’t recall if the judge responded to the inquiry or not. If I were the judge on this case I would be tempted to sentence Thompson to the full 80 years just for the dirty look he gave to the jurors today.

Sentencing 

November 10, 2009

Before telling Aaron Thompson how many years he will spend in prison, Judge Valeria Spencer told him he ‘failed as a father and failed as a man’. The then sentenced him to 102 years in prison and 12 years in jail, basically a life sentence. Aarone´’s mother, Lynette Thompson, told the judge Aaron should be telling where he put Aarone´’s body. Not surprisingly, Aaron’s mother told the judge her son ‘loves his children and is a hard worker’. Excuse me, a man who loves his children does not beat them to death. As for his working, I think it was more like hardly working rather than being a hard worker.

Thompson was asked by many different people during court proceedings to reveal where Aarone´’s remains are located so she can have a proper and dignified burial. Each request was met with an unemotional response of “no” from Thompson. I am guessing that if Aaron tells where her body is located that might be an opening for charging him with murder. At the least it would not bode well for the appeals his attorney is going to file regarding his conviction and sentence.

At least the judge sentenced Thompson to many more years than the maximum 80 years. I hope he suffers in prison until the day they carry him out in a box. The only real end to this story will be when Aarone´’s body is found and she receives a proper burial.

Sources 

Arapahoe County Cases of Interest: The People of the State of Colorado vs. Aaron Thompson, Last Accessed: August 3, 2009.

Dan Boniface, Trial to Open Friday for Father of Missing Girl, 9News.com, Last Accessed: August 6, 2009.

Aaron Thompson Trial Coverage, The Denver Channel, Last Accessed: September 16, 2009.

Carlos Ilescas, Thompson Jury Done with 51 of 55 Charges, The Denver Post, Last Accessed: September 28, 2009.

Associated Press, Colorado Man Sentenced to 106 Years in Girl’s Disappearance, Vail Daily, Last Accessed: November 10, 2009.

1. Brandon Johannson, Aaron Thompson’s Defense Points Finger at Shelley Lowe, Aurora Sentinel, Last Accessed: August 10, 2009. [↩]
2. Bill Johnson, Johnson: Prosecutor Defends Girl Ignored by Others, Denver Post, Last Accessed: September 16, 2009. [↩]
3. Thompson Charges, Verdicts, The Denver Post, Last Accessed: September 28, 2009. [↩]