Sandra Cantu's Mother Has No Forgiveness for Daughter's Killer, Melissa Huckaby, in "Suitcase Slaying"

By: Naimah Jabali-Nash
Topics: Daily Blotter

Maria Chavez, right (AP)

STOCKTON, CA (CBS/AP) The mother of 8-year-old murder victim Sandra Cantu, whose body was found in a suitcase one year ago, says she agrees with the life prison sentence for Melissa Huckaby, the Sunday school teacher who pleaded guilty to kidnapping and murdering her daughter.

But Maria Chavez, of Tracy, in northern California, said there is no forgiveness.

Chavez says it's "difficult to understand" why she Huckaby killed Sandra. On Tuesday, Chavez told NBC's "Today" show that she "can't forgive somebody that took my little girl from me."

Huckaby, 29, sobbed in court Monday as she apologized. "I still cannot understand why I did what I did. This is a question I will struggle with for the rest of my life," she said, before before being sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.

Details of Sandra Cantu's's murder were slim until a judge lifted a gag order Monday. An investigative summary disclosed by authorities said investigators found contusions on Sandra's head and body. Injuries to the outside of her genitals were congruent with a bloodstained rolling pin that investigators found inside the church where Huckaby taught.

On April 6, 2009, in an irrigation pond, police found Sandra Cantu's body stuffed in a black suitcase. Video surveillance had captured the girl's last known whereabouts in the Orchard Estate Mobile Home Park on March 29. Approximately eight minutes later the video shows Huckaby driving her SUV away from the mobile home park in the direction of her grandfather's church, where police say the bloodstained rolling pin was found.

Huckaby pleaded guilty to first-degree murder. As part of the plea deal, prosecutors did not pursue the death penalty, and dropped charges accusing Huckaby of sexually abusing the victim.

Angie Chavez, Sandra Cantu's aunt, told Judge Linda Lofthus, "The only solace we have as a family is to know that she [Huckaby] will never do this again."

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by brooklolly January 18, 2012 10:25 AM EST: This case is so similar to another trailer park death. But, the killer in that case was a cop who lived in the trailer park.
http://someonesheknowsmovie.blogspot.com/; Reply to this comment


by greatlakes99 June 17, 2010 11:41 AM EDT: I'm interested in the comments on forgiveness. Does forgiveness come by choice or by grace?; Reply to this comment

by ClarksvilleTN June 16, 2010 4:53 PM EDT

To make such hideous remarks, I assume you've ready the bible? Do you have scripture to back any of this up??? Those are some mighty big words your using. God knows and sees all, my friend.

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by ClarksvilleTN June 16, 2010 4:55 PM EDT: I would have addressed it to you, however, You didn't post your name out of shame, I'm sure.


by traffic101 June 16, 2010 11:22 AM EDT: I think she should be impaled at a public place until death and then her body tossed on a fire.; Reply to this comment


by Wildwood1966 June 16, 2010 9:39 AM EDT: forgivenessis for your soul- carryng that the rest of your life hurts you; Reply to this comment


by bullwinkle64 June 16, 2010 3:58 AM EDT: You would assume the little girl is in Heaven. If not, then there is of course no Heaven. If Huchaby asked God for forgiveness and was executed in theory she would go to Heaven also. So by executing her she goes to Heaven or oblivion. Why take a chance with those 2 options when life is prison can be a real hell for those of her ilk.; Reply to this comment

by pak31 June 16, 2010 12:42 AM EDT

Does anyone know why this woman did what she did? Was it a sexual fantasy? She did the crime fairly quickly. She must have planned it.
This case never quite made sense to me. I want to know the why. What is mentally wrong with this killer? No one has ever reported on that.

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by evilbible June 16, 2010 1:25 AM EDT: She did what she did because she's a christian. what many "christians" don't know about the old testament, is that "god" TOLD ABRAHAM AND THE JEWS TO RAPE VIRGINS, AND CLEANSE THE LAND OF CANNAN.

AND NOW IT'S CALLED ISRAEL, AND THE CLEANSING IS STILL GOING ON.

THE BIBLE IS FILLED WITH GENOCIDE, VIRGIN RAPE, RACISM, SLAVERY, AND ETHNIC CLEANSING. NOWHERE IN THE KORAN WILL YOU FIND THE WORD RAPE.

THE MUSLIM EXTREMISTS ARE SIMPLY DOING WHAT JEWS AND CHRISTIANS HAVE BEEN DOING FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.

WITH THAT SAID, RELIGION IS SIMPLY A TOOL USED TO INCITE VIOLENCE AND HATRED AGAINST PEOPLE OF OTHER RACES, TRIBES,OR RELIGIONS.

IT'S ALL ********. THE MOST RELIGIOUS PEOPLE IN THE WORLD, ARE THE MOST EVIL.


by concerned16 August 14, 2012 3:34 PM EDT: @evilbible-really? this is absurd! She was an psychotic sociopath because she was raised in a church does not explain her actions. She was no christian. You can go to church all your life and not know God and Jesus. Your comments are offensive to those of us that are true Christians. I will pray for you. You may not believe in God but he believes in you

by pak31 June 16, 2010 12:40 AM EDT

I always struggled with what forgiveness means. I think both posters are okay. It's hard to forgive. But another thread to say what the other believes? We can all voice our opinions but not all will agree. I think what jnost meant was that forgiveness means not forgiving the action but the person. I respect people who forgive because according to religion, God forgives all people even killers. So if He forgives, why can't man? I think it's very hard to forgive someone but it at least frees one part of the burden in your mind and let's that person move toward redemption. That being said, I don't know how I'd feel if it were my own unless I went thru it. It's a two way street.

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by traffic101 June 16, 2010 11:26 AM EDT: Leave it to God to forgive her if he sees fit. She should have been executed. Life in prison is too good for this piece of trash.

by jnostromo June 15, 2010 4:31 PM EDT

I would not forgive this piece of human garbage either if it was my child. Life in prison is too good for her, she should be executed.

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by whatevernameyouwanttouse June 15, 2010 8:12 PM EDT: @jnostromo, right on, I totally agree.

@browniesanyone, what you FAIL to realize is that you are raising a non sequitur in this thread (in other words, "it does not follow"), saying to jnostromo that he fails to realize your subjective point of view. it is better to start your own thread than trash jnostromo or devalue what he/she wrote.