Found Deceased TX - Katherina Gonzalez, 5, Dallas, 31 August 2014 *Arrest*

[borndem]

Suspect does not live in same apartment, but lives right across the street from where she was being cared for.
Vacant apartment is directly next door to suspect's apartment.

Did someone break into the vacant apt. where she was found? Do we know? Or were they just open?

Is that area where the apts. are a good neighborhood? The surrounding homes not too far from it look pretty nice. There's an elementary school nearby. Just wondering what type apt. complex it was.... pretty nice, average, etc. Does anyone know?

 

[Honey_West]

I am getting depressed today. Too much crime going on.

:grouphug:

 

[katydid23]

Whats with all of these 17 yr old child killers lately? Just went through this with Jenise and Jessica already. :cry:

 

[margarita25]

BBM:

Whats with all of these 17 yr old child killers lately? Just went through this with Jenice and Jennifer already. :cry:

Notice I didn't make this comment because I don't want to sound like a broken record.
(And don't want Gitana coming after me again haha heehee lol---one of these days I'll find that study I'm looking for )

 

[Starry Night]

Did someone break into the vacant apt. where she was found? Do we know? Or were they just open?

Is that area where the apts. are a good neighborhood? The surrounding homes not too far from it look pretty nice. There's an elementary school nearby. Just wondering what type apt. complex it was.... pretty nice, average, etc. Does anyone know?

Bordem I checked for registered sex offenders in the area where she went missing and found about 130 in the area. That doesn't really mean much in itself. There is one guy living in the apartments where she was murdered but his crime was relatively minor compared to other RSO's living nearby with much more serious offenses. Then I tried to check crime stats in that Dallas Beat 243 but the info I brought up was so convoluted....it would take someone from Dallas area here on the Board to give us an insight into the neighborhood demographics and economical stats.
What we have left after even studying all that is a family member who perpetrated and who can see that coming?

 

[Starry Night]

I am very curious now about where he is from. He has the looks in his photo of someone from Interior Mexico-Mexico City or Monterrey? Or another country further south? Central America? I don't know how to phrase this and be non-offensive or culturally incorrect. He looks intelligent in his photo.

I need to shut up.

 

[KateB]

Yes, 17 is an adult in Texas. However, the laws about the death penalty and such still applies to someone under 18, even though they are an adult. 17 goes straight to prison, they are not in the juvenile system.

Whats with all of these 17 yr old child killers lately? Just went through this with Jenise and
Jessica already. :cry:

And Alanna Gallagher.
I remember reading about the death penalty exclusion for 17 yr old killers in TX adult court from Alanna's thread last summer. Here's the case link on the Supreme Court decision that was shared then. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roper_v._Simmons

 

[SCHMAE]

http://wfaa.mlnwap.com/article.html#!/11687/483df983d6a9c7c46734616dd486d461

''Washington said relatives at the scene were screaming at Sanches to tell police what happened to the child.''

Relatives immediately suspected he knew ? Is this because they knew she was outside playing with him OR something more tipped their radar?

 

[Starry Night]

Over 500 comments on WFAA Facebook.....outrage, pain etc for this dear child.
https://www.facebook.com/wfaachannel8

The ordinary civilian doesn't know how to process a crime of this magnitude in any society. Thank God for Law Enforcement-to keep us all from being animals because of rage, blood lust,revenge, hate etc.

 

[OkieGranny]

http://www.wfaa.com/story/news/crim...llas-katherine-strangulation-murder/14937575/

Washington said Katherine and her cousin were standing in front of the apartment where police later found her body... "When I walked down this way and they were behind me, he kept telling her 'Come on, come on,'" Washington said.

Less than an hour later, Washington said he heard yelling. "A lot of men were running around with her picture on a cellphone and said, 'Have you seen her?' he said. "And I knew I had just seen her."

 

[Starry Night]

http://wfaa.mlnwap.com/article.html#!/11687/483df983d6a9c7c46734616dd486d461

''Washington said relatives at the scene were screaming at Sanches to tell police what happened to the child.''


Relatives immediately suspected he knew ? Is this because they knew she was outside playing with him OR something more tipped their radar?

Prolly that he was with her the last they knew........and he was silent and shell-shocked at what he'd done and frozen as to what to say. What a horrible scene it must have been.

 

[Eileen730]

Washington said relatives at the scene were screaming at Sanches to tell police what happened to the child.

"He was like, 'I don't know; I was asleep,'" Washington said. "And I said, 'That's a lie


http://www.wfaa.com/story/news/crim...llas-katherine-strangulation-murder/14937575/

 

[sophiebelle]

So she was staying with an uncle and he let her go outside where she connected with her cousin? I wonder if cousin lives there too and where are this child's parents? I get mad reading this!

 

[OkieGranny]

So she was staying with an uncle and he let her go outside where she connected with her cousin? I wonder if cousin lives there too and where are this child's parents? I get mad reading this!

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/cri...ody-vacant-apartment-police-article-1.1923884

An uncle was caring for Kathrine and her siblings at the Sontera Palms apartment complex as her parents were at work Sunday, police said.

I'm assuming the uncle is the cousin's father. Could be wrong, though.

 

[blue22]

Those under 18 y/o at the time of the crime cannot be given DP. About a year or two ago, the US Supreme court ruled that a penalty of LWOP also could not be automatically given to that group -- however -- LWOP can be given at the judge's discretion after a hearing is held where mitigation vs. aggravation can be argued. NC had the first case heard & judged: in the case of Laurence Lovette, convicted of M1, kidnapping, & robbery of Eve Carson, president of the Univ. of NC, Morehead Scholar, and outstanding young citizen. The jury convicted him of those charges, and the State of NC Statutes were, at that time, that the penalty of M1 was either LWOP (absolutely no parole) or the DP. LL got LWOP and went to prison for several months. Then the US Sup. Court issued their new ruling, and the sentence was suspended (with him remaining in prison), and the hearing proceeded with him, under the judge's discretion, getting LWOP due to the aggravation factors of the case. It will be interesting to see how this somewhat new law is handled in each state.

Yes, that's what I meant with the laws still applying even though he is considered an adult at 17...since he is not yet 18. Since the new law, typically here (DFW metroplex, where he is) a 17 year old who commits a crime like this is given life with the possibility of parole after 40 years. That is the stiffest sentence he can receive being under 18.

 

[carbuff]

I think I'm gonna go have a good cry for all the sadness and waste of life and everything else. Some days it's just too much, y'know?

 

[MsMarple]

An older cousin, how much older? Was the cousin also the babysitter?

I'm guessing your hackles rose too when you heard "older cousin."

Poor little Katherine, she just turned five. I can't even begin to imagine the horror she went through at the hands of someone she trusted and probably loved.

ETA: Police did say that while Sanches-Zenteno was with family at the apartment complex, he was not babysitting the little girl.

http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2014/09/01/witness-led-police-to-relative-suspected-of-killing-5-year-old/

 

[borndem]

Bordem I checked for registered sex offenders in the area where she went missing and found about 130 in the area. That doesn't really mean much in itself. There is one guy living in the apartments where she was murdered but his crime was relatively minor compared to other RSO's living nearby with much more serious offenses. Then I tried to check crime stats in that Dallas Beat 243 but the info I brought up was so convoluted....it would take someone from Dallas area here on the Board to give us an insight into the neighborhood demographics and economical stats.
What we have left after even studying all that is a family member who perpetrated and who can see that coming?

You're so right, S-Night. Who can see that coming? And from what I read here, the 17 y/o cousin hasn't been over here very long.

Thanks for doing the homework related to RSO's, and crime stats. Convoluted -- yes -- I was looking for the number of murders last year in a city 30 miles from where I live, and the figures were convoluted as well. I finally found what I wanted, but it tired me out while looking, looking, looking.

We should learn more as we move along...

Good to "see" you again!

 

[Starry Night]

I think I'm gonna go have a good cry for all the sadness and waste of life and everything else. Some days it's just too much, y'know?

Honey, I feel you. I wish I could cry. I haven't cried in a long time. When it comes Heaven will hear it as Heaven will hear you.
Just keep being carbuff please and never give up the fight.
:heartbeat::heartbeat::heartbeat::heartbeat::heartbeat::heartbeat:

 

[borndem]

Yes, that's what I meant with the laws still applying even though he is considered an adult at 17...since he is not yet 18. Since the new law, typically here (DFW metroplex, where he is) a 17 year old who commits a crime like this is given life with the possibility of parole after 40 years. That is the stiffest sentence he can receive being under 18.

Exactly -- except it took you about 20 words to explain it, and it took me about 80! Ummppfff. Brevity is not in me!!

And possibility of parole is just that: "possibility." And I know Texas is tuff.