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Sandra Cantu Case

posted May 1, 2009 8:46 AM by Dani Pedlow   [ updated May 5, 2009 2:11 AM ]

The most significant point I would like to make is that initially when I began to feed information to my liaison and Officer Timothy Bauer, there was no reward being offered.

I was contacted the Sunday following her Friday disappearance. My assistance was about doing the right thing. My motives never changed. I had already directed them to the barranca, church, trailer park,  (someone she knew) vehicle, gloves, and away from her father-prior to the reward being offered.

My experience in life has demonstrated to me that when a person or agency vehemently denies affiliation with a person, when logic and proof suggests otherwise, there are far more lies hidden beneath the surface worthy of further investigation. One thing is glaringly transparent, when there is something being covered up there is a Pandora’s box waiting to be opened and addressed.  What other improprieties have gone undetected or ignored? Rewards are designated to individuals involved at the discretion of the Police Force but the monies awarded to private individuals are paid for by donations from the public sector and monies designated by the Governor. This money does not emanate from “The Police Force”.

There were other emails involved and numerous telephone calls to Officer Timothy Bauer’s acquaintance Lisa. I live in Los Angeles and my cell bill on the way home from Vegas, March 30th would reflect long telephone calls to her number. My experience would legitimize an impartial party over seeing the reward distributions in cases of this nature. Initially the police were pointing the finger at the Mexican father. From the onset, I said he had nothing to do with it. I said the culprit lived in the park and she knew “him.” I saw her looking up and smiling at “him” (I never fathomed a woman capable of such a heinous act).

The church being searched prior to Melissa’s interview, should be a clue. And of all the things, why a church-and the gloves I described?


This is a travesty of great proportion when a baby is murdered and The Police investigating need to be investigated.


 

Please Note:

  • Sandra Cantu's body was not found until April 6, 2009; several of days after the emails below were sent.
  • The emails shown after the article justify the "claims" made in the article.
    • The church where Sandra was believed to be killed is located on W Clover Road and the irrigation pond where her body was found is surrounded by gravel and sand and located on Whitehall Road.
  • The areas highlighted in yellow clearly show the inconsistencies.
 

Psychic makes claim to reward money in Cantu case

By Mike Martinez
San Joaquin Herald
Posted: 04/30/2009 03:51:11 PM PDT
Updated: 04/30/2009 07:18:05 PM PDT

TRACY — A Southern California woman is in a dispute with Tracy police over whether her psychic predictions helped them solve the Sandra Cantu murder case.

She thinks she's entitled to at least a portion of the reward money, totaling more than $30,000, but Tracy police say they never used any information provided by any psychics during the investigation.

Dani Pedlow, based in Los Angeles, said she predicted the little girl would be found in a "barranca—" a Spanish word for canyon or ravine — and that she was killed in a church, and the killer was someone in the trailer park the little girl called home.

Pedlow said she helps solve crimes for a living and recently helped find a Las Vegas runaway and described on a New York radio show how police would capture a serial killer.

She was contacted by a local resident who is also one of her clients.

"At the time, I hadn't ever been to Tracy and wasn't even quite sure where it was,'' Pedlow said. "I texted and e-mailed her from Las Vegas. I told her I see a barranca. I talked about a church. I told her I see the church straight across from the park, and I see water, sand and gravel. I had the sense of something being dragged.''

Although there is no park near the Clover Road Baptist Church, which was searched as part of the investigation, behind it is a large, open grassy field.

Melissa Huckaby, 28, of Tracy, has been charged with murdering 8-year-old Sandra Cantu, and with enhancements — kidnapping, lewd or lascivious acts on a child and rape by a foreign object — she could face the death penalty if convicted.

Huckaby lived with her grandparents, who operate the church, which is near the Orchard Estates Mobile Home Park, only a few doors down from Cantu.

Sources have said the girl appears to have been murdered in a crawl space underneath the church, where investigators also found a pair of gloves. Sandra, who was last seen around 4 p.m. March 27 on videotape surveillance captured in front of her home, was found 10 days later stuffed into a suitcase that floated to the surface of a retaining pond at a local dairy.

Police said a farmworker at the dairy noticed the suitcase and notified authorities.

"We never reviewed or utilized any information from a psychic during this investigation,'' Tracy police Sgt. Tony Sheneman said.

Huckaby publicly admitted the suitcase the girl was found in belonged to her but said it was stolen from her driveway the day Sandra disappeared. She's scheduled to return to court May 22 for further arraignment.

Pedlow delivered a letter with her contact information to Tracy police explaining why she believes she's entitled to the reward money. She said police told her they hadn't decided who to give the reward money to, but no one has ever called her, not even from the Tracy Crimestoppers, the nonprofit organization that offers rewards to people who help solve local crimes.

"It sounds like subterfuge," Pedlow said. "They put the brakes on. No one would respond. I understand because I live in Los Angeles, but one sentence about not having made up their minds sounds to me like they are trying to distance themselves from me."

Scott Webb, executive director of the Modesto-based Sund/Carrington Foundation, said it is paying a little more than $20,000 to the anonymous tipster who found the suitcase April 6 just off of Whitehall Road north of Tracy.

Webb said the organization has never paid any psychic reward money in the more than 40 cases it has helped solve.

"Tracy police has identified an individual who was responsible for (Sandra's) recovery," Webb said. "We had several large donations, but we've been receiving cards, letters and financial support from all over the country. I think the community should know they've been very helpful in this situation. Many other families are going through the same thing, and they don't get the same amount of attention.''

Reach Mike Martinez at 209-832-3947 or mike.martinez@bayareanewsgroup.com.   


Link to this article:
http://www.contracostatimes.com/sandra-cantu-case/ci_12265572



Slain Tracy Girl's Mother Speaks Out

Police Search For Killer

POSTED: 5:56 am PDT April 9, 2009
UPDATED: 5:41 pm PDT April 9, 2009

TRACY, Calif. -- The mother of slain 8-year-old Sandra Cantu spoke out early Thursday as Tracy police continued their search for the child's killer.
Angie Chavez and Maria Chavez
Angie Chavez and Maria Chavez
Police meanwhile were working with an FBI profiler in an effort to get a better idea of who was responsible for the slaying. No arrests have been made.Sgt. Tony Sheneman told reporters that police are still getting lots of tips, adding that at least one psychic has been in contact with the department.Cantu's body was found Monday in a suitcase in an irrigation pond north of Tracy. She disappeared from a West Clover Road mobile home park on March 27, setting off an intense hunt that drew national media attention."I loved her so much," Maria Chavez said during an emotional interview with Matt Lauer on "Today.""We don't have any idea who could have done something this horrible to her," added Angie Chavez, Cantu's aunt. "We just are praying that whoever did this gets caught."Angie Chavez described Cantu as fun-loving and full of energy."She loved Hannah Montana," the aunt recalled. "She used to sing 'Best of Both Worlds' all over the house and color and garden. She loved to cook. In fact, the last time that I saw her, she helped me make breakfast."She recalled how during a trip to Disneyland, Cantu bravely rode the Matterhorn roller coaster."At 4 years old, I thought that was pretty incredible," she added.Cantu's family members late Wednesday removed stuffed animals and toys from a large shrine that took shape in recent days outside of Orchard Estates Mobile Home Park, where the girl lived with her family. They planned to donate the items to hospitals and organizations that benefit children.Sheneman said police on Thursday took an unusual envelope from the shrine."On the exterior of the envelope, it said, 'From Sandra, To My Killer'," Sheneman added. "We collected that. We have no indication that it's connected with the investigation, but we will take a look at it."Anyone with information about Cantu's death may contact Tracy police at 209-831-4550. Cantu's family members ask that anyone wishing to make money donations in Cantu's memory contact the Carole Sund/Carrington Foundation or Tracy police Crime Stoppers.

Copyright 2009 by KCRA.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


Link to this article:
http://www.kcra.com/news/19136354/detail.html#

--- On Sun, 3/29/09, lisa ad <la_notarynow@yahoo.com> wrote:
From: lisa ad <la_notarynow@yahoo.com>
Subject: Missing 8 yr old girl (Sandra Cantu) from Tracy, Calif
To: danipedlow@yahoo.com

Date: Sunday, March 29, 2009, 8:59 PM

Hi Dani,

Thank you for your quick response.  Sandra's mobile home park is across the street from a Wendys restaurant and AM/PM gas station on the corner of Tracy blvd.  The two churches that I know of are down the street. One is Belavista Lutherine church across from a school and
park (on lowell/tracy blvd). Next on is St. Bernards, park nearest to St. Bernards is a block down with a playground.  Can you tell me more
about the Baranca?  The gravel/sand is everywhere around the mobil home park. Near the freeway and across. There are hotels across the street from the mobil park.  Does this help?
 
Lisa

--- On Sun, 3/29/09, Dani Pedlow <danipedlow@yahoo.com> wrote:
From: Dani Pedlow <danipedlow@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Missing 8 yr old girl (Sandra Cantu) from Tracy, Calif
To: la_notarynow@yahoo.com
Date: Sunday, March 29, 2009, 12:46 PM

Dear Lisa,
Am picking up a big W. Am sensing she met someone at an old church on a corner with a lot of stucco. Looks two story. On a corner. Park across the street or close by. Let me know if this makes sense. Will write more later.
Have a Very Blessed Day!!! Dani
I see a place where he took her near a baranca. There is a lot of sand or gravel.

--- On Sun, 3/29/09, lisa ad <la_notarynow@yahoo.com> wrote:
From: lisa ad <la_notarynow@yahoo.com>
Subject: Missing 8 yr old girl (Sandra Cantu) from Tracy, Calif
To: danipedlow@yahoo.com
Date: Sunday, March 29, 2009, 9:41 AM

Hi Dani,
Hope all is well. Think of you often.  Hoping you can possibly help this family. I don't know her, but I really feel you can help them.  I am going to give them your name and contact information-ok? 
Please let
me know if I can help. Thank You!
 Lisa

8-Year-Old Tracy Girl Reported Missing

TRACY, Calif. (CBS13) ―
 Sandra Cantu was reported missing Friday (3/27) night. CBS


An 8-year-old Tracy girl has gone missing, and police are asking for help from the public to find her.

Sandra Cantu of Tracy has been missing since about 3 p.m. Friday, according to Tracy Police. She was playing at a friend's house at the Orchard Estates mobile home park located at 812 West Clover Rd. She was last seen returning home from her friend's.

Sandra is 4' tall, weighs 45 pounds, and has brown hair and eyes. She was last seen wearing a pink "Hello Kitty" t-shirt and black leggings. She was reported missing to police at 7:53 p.m.

Detectives say Sandra has never run away before, and always lets her mother know where she is going and when she will be coming home.

Police say they have no indication that Sandra was abducted; however, multiple agencies are assisting in the search on the ground and in the air, including the Office of Emergency Services, the CHP and the FBI.

Anyone with information about the possible whereabouts of Sandra is asked to call the Tracy Police Dept. at 209-831-4550 or call the Center for Missing and Exploited Children at800-843-5678.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)




Psychic in rift with Tracy police over Cantu case posts her predictions about Sandra

By Kari Hulac
Friday, May 1st, 2009 at 9:37 am in Crime.

Whatever you believe about psychics, Dani Pedlow’s initial thoughts about the Sandra Cantu case certainly seemed to have a tinge of truth, assuming this e-mail exchange she posted on her website this morning is true.

The posting is in response to our story about her beef with the Tracy police department.

Police and psychics working together to solve crimes isn’t anything new, but in the case of the Sandra Cantu murder case, this time it seems to be more a situation of Police vs. The Psychic.

The Los Angeles-based Pedlow, whose claim to fame is she predicted on live radio how a Poughkeepsie, N.Y., serial killer would be found, is upset because she swears she sent some tips to the Tracy police that identified where Sandra’s body would be found and is entitled to some of the reward money.

(Incidentally, Bay Area residents, Pedlow says she did undergraduate work in psychology and minored in criminology at Cal Poly and was offered a scholarship to U.C. Berkeley, but she instead went to New York to work on the radio.)

Here’s a few tidbits from her website biography:

“My life as a clairvoyant began at birth. It always was. It was never a choice, it was part of my identity. My listening to The Spirit within me, led to resistance from my parents. My persistence was greeted with hostility and denial in the beginning, then things were altered by defining moments in my life.

“One of my first defining moments occurred when I was 4 and a half years old. My father, sister, and I were taking a walk in Niagara Falls Park. My sister was learning to walk and was slow, so I ran ahead. In Niagara Falls, due to the forceful winds, metal trash cans at the park are placed in iron rod receptacles which shield them from tipping over due to the strong gusts of wind. I spotted a trash can and I turned around to “announce” to my father that there was a gun in that trash can. My father said, “no, there isn’t.” I remember the sense of frustration and anger that people were denying what I would “sense.” I said, “yes there is.” I ran ahead and proceeded to rock that iron rod container until both the trash can and receptacle were laying on the ground-against the protests of my father. I yelled there is a gun in there- “then he responded it is a toy gun.” I said “no it is not,” and I retrieved it.”


Link to this article:
http://www.ibabuzz.com/onassignment/2009/05/01/psychic-in-rift-with-tracy-police-over-cantu-case-posts-her-predictions-about-sandra/