On Friday, March 16, 2007, Hanna Denise Montessori would have been 19 years old. Unfortunately, she was murdered in Santa Ana, CA on January 19, 2004 at the age of 15. Today the man who was standing trial for her murder was convicted, but for the family and friends of Hanna, and for everyone whose lives she touched, it has been an nightmarish odyssey.
A few of you who have read here over the past few years know I followed a Jane Doe murder in Orange County, quite by accident and compassion initially. My first entry was in March 2004, "Santa Ana Teen’s Murder Still Haunts Me". I explained how this beautiful young girl reminded me of my granddaughter, the same age, who was living with me at the time. I felt bereft and I'm not the kind of person who tends to get involved in the lives of people I don't know. But, there was just something about her---
Later, the murdered girl was identified as Hanna, age 15, of Georgia and Maine and she had been missing for some time; her brother found her photo on a missing children’s website and that was how the family found out she had died--and how they brought her home for burial. An interesting crossing of e-mails happened as a result of my initial entry. Some of the commenters at this blog were family members, a few were friends from her schools, and there were others who simply wrote compassionately, I think.
The wheels of justice move very, very slowly. I had been told by a few family members via e-mail that first year that Hanna’s birthday had been March 16. One asked me if I would help keep Hanna's memory alive by mentioning this on the blog. On March 16, 2005 I titled an entry It’s Hanna Montessori’s Birthday and Her Death Remains Unsolved. One year later I wrote Celebrating Hanna Montessori's Life on What Would Have Been Her 18th Birthday.
In December 2005, Jonathan Phong Khanh Tran of Garden Grove was arrested as a suspect. And several more months passed with no news and then I heard from a family member again that the trial would soon be underway.
Two weeks ago, Tran's trial began in Santa Ana and I followed through Google alerts since the Los Angeles Times doesn’t cover Orange County news unless it is a high profile case. Some of the testimony in the case which the papers ran was absolutely heartbreaking. This morning Tran was convicted of Hanna Denise Montessori’s murder and I found out via Google and Reuters a few hours ago.
First of all, I don’t know if it was synchronicity or what that drew me to this child when I saw her photo. I suppose I didn’t have strong enough boundaries and projected that she could have been my granddaughter. But, the mystical part of me would like to think that the Holy Spirit somehow got me interested. All I know is that I am glad Hanna’s family will have some closure on what has been a horrific experience for them. For California murder trials, this one went quickly once it got underway and I suppose there will be appeals, etc., but it looks like Tran could receive up to 55 years in prison.
I do not feel elated tonight. A man will be punished for ending a young girl’s life, but what a tragedy that the crime ever happened in the first place. A rebellious young girl ran away and simply didn't understand how dangerous life can be. We all feel so invincible when we are young. Again, all of you who read this who are directly connected to Hanna by blood or friendship, I offer my condolences. I certainly know that a stranger deeply affected me—and that the Internet does have the power to bring people together whose paths would never have crossed otherwise. On March 16, I will celebrate Hanna's life on what would have been her 19th birthday. And personally, I take great comfort in this line from "I Never Sang For My Father:" "Death does not end a relationship."
