The man who found Sandra
May 01, 2009 | 6613 views | 57 
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Thousands of volunteers, Tracy police officers and FBI agents searched around the clock earlier this month for Sandra Cantu.
But it was a dairy farmworker just going about his job who led to the discovery of the 8-year-old girl’s body.
Jose Luis Franco, 40, found a suitcase in a dairy lagoon on April 6 containing what was later found to be Sandra’s body and alerted the police. Later this month, the Carole Sund/Carrington Foundation will reward him with a little more than $20,000 for his discovery, according to Tracy police spokesman Sgt. Tony Sheneman.
Franco, who speaks only Spanish, said Friday night through translator Laura Flores that the reward is “like a blessing.”
He has worked for Bacchetti & Silva Dairy north of Tracy for 11 years. He plans to put most of the money in a trust fund for the education of his four children, hoping they can go to college.
Franco said the Tracy police and the foundation told him a week ago that he’d earned the reward money, but he hadn’t told anyone but his wife, Margarita Franco, and his children. He said he was waiting until he actually has the check in his hand, adding that the rest of his family and friends will surely be happy for him when he tells them.
“I thought of spending it (at first),” Margarita said jokingly, through the translator. “We’ll pay for our children’s education. It’s going to come in handy.”
Scott Webb, the foundation’s executive director, said Franco will get the money within the next couple of weeks. Webb said the foundation put up $5,000 initially, and the rest of the money came from donations.
“It’s very important that common people come forward and help to share information to solve the case,” Webb said, “so I’m very glad that they took the time to do that.”
Franco said he was nervous when he first found the suitcase, but after police and FBI told him he wasn’t going to be held responsible for anything, he was able to relax.
The Francos moved to Tracy in 1991 from Jalisco, Mexico, where Jose was born. Before he worked for Bacchetti & Silva, he worked for a farm in Mountain House.
While Franco will receive the reward money, a few psychics have come forward recently, saying they felt the money should be theirs.
Sheneman said that the money will go only to Franco.
“We did not review or utilize any tips or information provided to us by psychics,” he said.
• Contact Tracy Press reporter Justin Lafferty at 830-4269 or jlafferty@tracypress.com.
But it was a dairy farmworker just going about his job who led to the discovery of the 8-year-old girl’s body.
Jose Luis Franco, 40, found a suitcase in a dairy lagoon on April 6 containing what was later found to be Sandra’s body and alerted the police. Later this month, the Carole Sund/Carrington Foundation will reward him with a little more than $20,000 for his discovery, according to Tracy police spokesman Sgt. Tony Sheneman.
Franco, who speaks only Spanish, said Friday night through translator Laura Flores that the reward is “like a blessing.”
He has worked for Bacchetti & Silva Dairy north of Tracy for 11 years. He plans to put most of the money in a trust fund for the education of his four children, hoping they can go to college.
Franco said the Tracy police and the foundation told him a week ago that he’d earned the reward money, but he hadn’t told anyone but his wife, Margarita Franco, and his children. He said he was waiting until he actually has the check in his hand, adding that the rest of his family and friends will surely be happy for him when he tells them.
“I thought of spending it (at first),” Margarita said jokingly, through the translator. “We’ll pay for our children’s education. It’s going to come in handy.”
Scott Webb, the foundation’s executive director, said Franco will get the money within the next couple of weeks. Webb said the foundation put up $5,000 initially, and the rest of the money came from donations.
“It’s very important that common people come forward and help to share information to solve the case,” Webb said, “so I’m very glad that they took the time to do that.”
Franco said he was nervous when he first found the suitcase, but after police and FBI told him he wasn’t going to be held responsible for anything, he was able to relax.
The Francos moved to Tracy in 1991 from Jalisco, Mexico, where Jose was born. Before he worked for Bacchetti & Silva, he worked for a farm in Mountain House.
While Franco will receive the reward money, a few psychics have come forward recently, saying they felt the money should be theirs.
Sheneman said that the money will go only to Franco.
“We did not review or utilize any tips or information provided to us by psychics,” he said.
• Contact Tracy Press reporter Justin Lafferty at 830-4269 or jlafferty@tracypress.com.
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which comments are negative?
People seem to have different values regarding whether or not everyone should speak English in the USA. Do you think this is a negative comment?
Sometimes I wonder if people think everyone should speak English as a result of hearing politicians when they use it as part of their campaign to get votes or to get elected. A temporary political move that some people possibly take a bit too serious.
Sometimes politicians create descrimination with their temporary campaigns for votes.
Sometimes people have trouble with those who speak a different language because they think someone is talking behind their back. Maybe a gossiper has trouble because they need to always know what someone else is saying just in case someone is saying something about them behind their back.
These may not actually be negative comments, but just parts of their own personalities.
In my own opinion, the only negative is that the person who quoted the original comment about speaking English, took the attention away from the very important subject of the article.
The media has a way with focusing on the negative. It was not necessary for the TP to make that statement in the first place. But why include it? Because some people don't like hearing about good things that happen to other people so the media has to find something that people can pick on that person about. Just a financial move. Someone gets accussed of doing something bad and tons of people jumps on them. But when someone does something good only a few people come out and be happy for them.
Look at all attention someone got for killing Sandra. So many people had a lot to say about the accussed. A lot of people expressed their desires to see her executed although California has only executed 13 people since 1976.
And look at how very few people in comparison have come out to thank Mr. Franco. People can't be happy for him. If he had done something bad, he would have gotten more feedback about what a bad person he is.
This is my opinion. I am truely sorry if any one gets offended by anything I write. It is not my intention to offend or be hurtful.
I hope that everyone will go out and do something to make our children's lives happier and safer.
With that being said, in my experience with some of the forensic cases that I have worked on, if it were not for reward money being offered many times the authorites would not get leads or cooperation if it is a cold case. It is my opinion that it should be a private matter.
It is a great thing that Mr. Franco acted as fast as he did by having someone notify the authorities, any more exposure in the infested water or being found much later would have been a terrible thing, this way there is enough to determine the cause of death and collected of evidence that was not destroyed.
However, I do not feel that this article was necessary to add. A sad tradgedy happend. The reward money was not putting a dollar in a machine and winning $20,000. A little girl lost her life for those funds to be available. This is a case that since it was offered for the recipient, that maybe the Tracy Press should have let Mr. Franco accept the reward in private and not make it out to be that some kind of lottery was won.
I wonder though with some of the negative comments that have been written, is it because Mr. Franco is an immigrent? That with the ecomomy being the way it is, not getting money handed to you?
Finally why do many have to come on here and fight? No one thinks or feels the same but why do hurtful things need to be said?
Ok, I am off of my soapbox. Hope you all have a great rest of the week!
As a mother I could never ever know what she is going through, because my kids are safe. I am lucky and fortunate and My heart goes out to her.
Secondly, why do you all fight about the most ignorant and stupid selfish things.
How does A LITTLE BABY BEING murdered have anything to with race or culture?
We are ALL immigrants.
If I moved to another country I would stick out like a sore thumb, I would be stared down and insulted for not speaking nor understanding the language of the country I was moving to. It would be MYSLEF wanting to understand other's and I do believe that when you move somewhere else to another country, you SHOULD learn the language. That isn't racist it just a fact.
Noone wants to turn the table around. IN AMERICA we say what we want right.
Thirdly,
Why the heck is everyone fighting? Weren't WE JUST ALL together different cultures holding hands and being united as one?
Think about the petty things you say in life, and if you have children Really think about what is more important OUR CHILDREN BEING SAFE? or our skin being the same color?
You say the money "was like a blessing" Well you Mr. Franco are a blessing to thousands of people who prayed that Sandra would be found.
God used you... a dairy farmer, imagine that! God works in mysterious ways.
I've read on here about how many ways you should spend your reward money.But it is "your reward","your blessing".To use it towards your childrens education, is a beautiful thing. , Sandra's family said she love to be helpful. Her spirit lives on!
And I know she is so happy you found her.
God used you Mr. Franco, He heard the prayers of thousands. When God blesses one of His children... the devil and his little demons, come to try and steal it. But I pray Our Heavenly Father will protect you and your family. Those who curse others.. will be cursed themselves.
...those who bless others will be blessed themselves.
Thank you Mr. Franco
And may God Bless You Always.
I just have to say that my parents raised four girls in rural north California. They both spoke, understood, and read English. However, they seldom spoke it because they were afraid of people making fun of them because of their accent. I even have an accent, and people forget that I am bilingual. I have an accent in both Spanish and English. I hated to speak English growing up because kids would make fun of me. Now I see some of my former classmates on the streets asking for money because they claim to be homeless. I have a BSA and am working on my Masters. Maybe the English speaking people should go around the state or even the country, corner-to-corner to help all of these homeless and take them to the farms so they are the ones working and can speak the "native language."
In addition, all of you who feel that the farm-workers or any immigrant should speak English, but know that because they get off work until 6 or 7 p.m, you should start a small school in the farms and give your time to help these people learn. I do this with kids who need help. I offer my FREE services to anyone who needs help, and I do this after working 8 hr/day and going home and maintaining my household. My children are third generation and they are bilingual, and even like that, ignorantes still give them a hard time because of their last name or the color of their skin. Some of you need to get a life. Go back to school and learn some history, particularly about California!
Worms appear when green comes in form of money.
What can this "psychic" tell us about the US economy? World Status?
I don't feel this so called psychic should even show their face...Sandra is gone, you failed, if you really are a psychic????
Besides, wouldn't a real psychic know in advance that this would be their only way to collect the money ?
I feel as you do regarding the money. I hope his four children will be like four "Sandras" making the world four times better?
My thoughts go to Maria, Sandra's mom, and wonder how she is holding up? Sandra's father, Daniel, too. Both, I imagine, have lots of regrets on what they "should have dones". I hope they will let go of, "what ifs" and turn the energy of grief, and follow the example of Mike Ucci's dad in bringing awareness to teenager and driving....
I hope they will after a time, turn their energy to bring awareness to young children. Thanks to Abercrombie for attending the school and teach awareness to young children! (according to recent article)
Prayers are with the family of Sandra Cantu.
As for the psychics trying to claim the money ‘should be theirs, ARE YOU KIDDING ME!! How greedy can you be? Trying to benefit from the death of a little girl! You know damn well you had nothing to do with her being found! Get over it and get a life! These people have no respect and admiration for what the big picture is, and are only looking for ways to profit from this tragedy. That is really sad! You (the so called “psychics”) really should be extremely ashamed of yourselves!
It is hard to keep track of who says what when. We are compassionate about this story.
Thank goodness I have spell check.
No one called me persoanlly a racist, but tracymomandteacher said to tracymama - "racist a bit?" so I felt since I had the same point as her, I would be included in that remark.
I'm definitely not racist. Though I still do beleive that someone in another country should learn the main language, whatever that may be.
I also am not commenting on this gentleman personally, but more as a broad immigrant issue.
These comments, though off the subject of this article, are not "crap" as 2tears may say. It is a very real issue that our whole country is dealing with now. This all started with the simple observation on the part of tracymama - wow, I bet she did not know it would get this heated.
It's never too late. And you're already ahead of many of the posters. Often, it's just a matter of taking a little more time and anticipating the questions your statement unnecessarily creates.
Good thing he does not read english cause he would be reading some of this crap! Most likely he does understands spoken english quite well, more than you would think. The issue here is that he is not fluent and educated enough to articulate with the press,so he needed a translater. If he has kids most likely they speak more english than spanish if they are living in the U.S. I also doubt he is illegal or else he would of not come forward.
So I think the title of this article is misleading and this story by Tracy Press is weak. I am glad they will reward him, when and if they do. Instead of phsycics who because they speak english think they deserve the reward.
I am amazed people are not forcing him to be computer literate also. He is a humble farm worker who did a good deed, I would say he is a model immigrant. Everyone in that community should thank him, if this article does nothing more.