The ex-husband of the Tracy woman charged with murdering and raping an 8-year-old girl said today he was in "shock and complete disbelief" when his ex-wife was arrested for such a heinous crime.
John Huckaby told ABC's "Good Morning America" that he knew his ex-wife, Melissa Huckaby, as a carefree, nonviolent person, someone he "could not see doing something like this."
John and Melissa Huckaby were married in 2003 and separated a year later. The couple divorced in 2005. John Huckaby said he hasn't talked to his former wife for more than three years.
Melissa Huckaby, 28, was charged Tuesday with murdering Sandra Cantu, whose body was found in a suitcase pulled from an irrigation pond 10 days after she went missing. Prosecutors added to the charge the special circumstances of rape with a foreign object, lewd or lascivious conduct with a child under 14 and murder in the course of a kidnapping.
Huckaby has not entered a plea. Her next court appearance is April 24.
"My initial reaction was shock and complete disbelief," John Huckaby told the ABC program. "It's not something you want to think anyone possibly (is capable) of doing — let alone somebody that you knew and that's a mother of your child."
John Huckaby said their 5-year-old daughter, Madison, is in a "safe place" and doesn't know anything about the case.
Melissa Huckaby was awarded sole custody of Madison after the couple's divorce. In divorce papers, Melissa Huckaby accuses John Huckaby of child abduction, domestic violence and alcohol abuse. John Huckaby denies the allegations.
John Huckaby said Melissa Huckaby suffered from depression but was not a violent person.
He also said he hopes the allegations aren't true.
"Mainly for my daughter," he said. "I do not want my daughter growing up with that type of legacy to look forward to."
all this news and you still think is no her come on she did it and she is a monster i do not know her but she is not going to show how evil she is i really dont think she got rape i think they are just making it up so we could feel sorry for her but i know that if she gets out she wont last on the streets
My praytes are not endiing for the family of beautiful Sandra, what pain they must suffer!! The rest of us feel so helpless to help and ease their pain. Lives have been changed and what path they will take now is never known. Please stand by them and offer them all the help you can. When you cook, make a litte extra and send it over, daily functional activitys may seemm natural to us, but are so very difficult for them. Don't end your prayers for them, pray for them, without ceasing. God will provide for them. We all are so shocked and stunned by this, some of us never met that family, and we feel the agony of the loss of the child, can you imagine the shock they endure??
Sad has said that the child was not being watched!!! Sorry bout ya sad, but as a mom and Grandma WE cannot watch our babys 24 hours and let them grow up to be normal healthy adults!! We teach them, we love them, WE DO WATCH them and hope we have given them what they need. We do not expect a neighbor or anyone in our own front yard to harm our babys or to be such a monster, especially under these conditions in which the children were so close!!!!
How dare any of us to jusge this family!! They were attacked by an evil monster that came from the pits of evil. They had no defence and neither would you had that monster chosen your child!!
May our Father show you mercy and love, to the family and to your wonderful city.
Trisha
I am SHOCKED that I have not heard where his daughter is at and if they took her to get examined. The lawless family is acting dumbfounded..they know better...they just rather pray and let God deal with their family issues. Meantime their EVIL daughter/granddaughter turns into a monster and kills an angel.
Do you not know she already admitted to it???? I guess IGNORANCE REALLY "IS" BLISS!!! People like you are too blind I guess to consider the fact that child molesters are addicts they know it's sick and illegal to do what they are doing so they will find ways to do these demented things while leaving no one to be suspicious. They are sick but not stupid. I guess you and your sources are fooled by the whole woman sunday school teacher act. How dare she use God to do these things to children!!!!! Children are Gods most precious gift to us and to abuse that gift is like spitting in Gods face. And for you to place blame on her mother, think about the fact that this poor woman is going to live with the fact that she trusted this woman around her little girl for the rest of her life. She is being punished enough without people speaking on her as a bad mother. I didn't see one video or photo of that baby not having a smile on her face or looking like a very happy little girl. So maybe you should find some more realiable sources before you open that gutter trap you call a mouth!!!!!
Sandra and her family are in my prayers
From this article...
"Melissa Huckaby accuses John Huckaby of child abduction, domestic violence and alcohol abuse. John Huckaby denies the allegations."
Was he "shocked" when he heard the allegations against him as charged by his ex-wife?
You are a nuts, too! You are blaming the mother of Sandra~saying if she would have kept her home this wouldn't of happen???WTF! Are you sick? Wow, who give a crap if MH'S daughter is beautiful, SANDRA WAS BEAUTIFUL, ALL children are beautiful! So, lets say she is innocent because your neighbor only knows the person she exibits ! You are a funny person! Lots of killers and rapist are so nice to the ones they don't want to kill or rape! Don't you know that? You are just ignorant!
Besides, does anyone remember that they reported that she was involved in a past drugging of another child???
I do believe Johnny Huckaby should NOT be allowed access to his child. Whether or not MH is a liar , the COURTS took away his visitation and gave him 1/2 hour supervised visits for a REASON. They don't just take those rights away on a whim.
badattitude: I agree wih your comments on free speech wholeheartedly!!! My point earlier was not to say people aren't entitled to their opinions but there are so many silly conspiracy theories being thrown out there. Case in point? What horsesence wrote about this having something to do with a cult and the church, etc. I agree, something seems amiss with this "church" but until we know all the FACTS, lets just stick to what we all know right now and dispense with the ridiculous theories and conjecture.
That is discusting. how dare you write a comment blamming the mother at a time like this. Are you listening to the news. It does not matter if her daughter is beautiful or not. SANDRA WAS BEAUTIFUL TOO AND ONLY 8 YEARS OLD!!!! How can they be wrong, she said it was her suitcase. she had a note in her driveway, " Cantu, WHitehall , Water. Then she swallowed 3 razor blades, too bad she did not succeed!!!! She said Sandra was friends with her daughter so Sandra trusted her!!! SO NOW SHE IS ARRESTED AND SHE TOLD THE COPS NOW IT WAS AN ACCIDENT, SO GO FIGURE SHERLOCK HOLMES, SHE DID IT SOME HOW, SO IS SHE STILL NICE, YOUR SO CALLED FRIEND KIDNAPPED RAPED, AN 8 YEAR OLD CHILD WITH A FOREIGN OBJECT. If you watched the video of Sandra skipping it looked like she was skipping home, then she stopped as it looked like someone hollered to her, betcha Melissa, Your sicko nice friend. Like we all said before that church is a little weird. AGAIN LITTLE SANDRA WAS BEAUTIFUL, SANDRA SANDRA, !!!!!!!!!!MH SHOULD OF KILLED HERSELF OR DONE WHAT SHE DID TO SANDRA TO HERSELF OR YOU MAYBE YOU WOULD OF FOUGHT HER OFF!!!!
Rest in Peace Sandra. God Bless Cantu and Chavez Family
Strength of rights and protections should go to the victims!
Not convicts who gets free room and board, food, medical treatment, education, do the victims get any of these previleges? So why are the prisoners mollycoddled?
We are curious beings and yes, curiosity did kill the cat...I think some of us are trying to be fairly responsible and others already want to hang her high. I'm sure the police have had the same questions we are all asking and are in fact looking at others even though they don't say so. This investigation would not be thorough and complete if they did not do so. I donot feel superior to the poloice at all. I have stated that I think they are doing a great job and we will find out the facts at the appropriate time.