update,,,,this could get ugly,,
TRACY (KRON) -- Investigators searching for the killer of eight-year old Sandra Cantu are serving search warrants Tuesday morning at a church just an eighth of a mile away from the mobile home park where the girl lived.
Police strung crime scene tape around the Clover Road Baptist Church as investigators prepared to scour the property. They're not saying right now how the church may be connected with the investigation.
The search warrants are being served just hours after police confirmed a body found in a suitcase at an irrigation pond about two miles from the church and mobile home park contained the child's remains.
Tracy Police Chief Janet Thiessen says Sandra was identified by the same clothes she was last seen in on March 27 – a pink “Hello Kitty” t-shirt and black leggings.
"Our heartfelt sympathies go to Sandra's family and friends," said Thiessen. "We will determine the person or persons responsible for this reprehensible act, and we will bring them to justice."
According to Sergeant Tony Sheneman, workers at a local dairy farm were preparing an irrigation pond for drainage on North Tracy Boulevard around 10 a.m. when they noticed the suitcase that floated to the surface. Workers knew of the search for Sandra and immediately called the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Department, who then contacted Tracy police. Police and the FBI arrived around 10:30 a.m.
The large piece of rolling luggage was removed from the water around 5:40 p.m. and transported to the San Joaquin County morgue.
Sheneman says they spent hours in the area where the luggage was found, “We found lots of footprints and lots of tire tracks. I can’t say they will lead us anywhere.”
“This is an unimaginable loss for any parent,” Sheneman said.
Tracy police say they will release more information at a press conference Tuesday at 3:30 p.m