A Family And An Island Mourns

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Sandra Galas

The bumper stickers read 'Never Forget Sandy G' and they're part of a crusade led by the father of slain 27-year-old Sandra Galas, Larry Mendonca.  At a time when Mendonca should be enjoying his retirement and his grandchildren, he is instead on a hunt to find his only daughter's killer.

Kauai resident Sandra Galas was many things to her nearest and dearest -- a mother of two small children, an accomplished traditional Hawaiian dancer, beautiful, vibrant, popular.  Her professional career was taking off having just landed a job as assistant food & beverage manager at Kauai's Grand Hyatt Resort and Spa.  Despite going through a divorce involving a nasty custody battle and restraining orders against her husband, Darren, things were looking up for Sandra.  She had even started dating again.

Given Sandra's new position working nights, the children would spend the evenings with their father and paternal grandmother.  Sandra would pick them up the following morning and prepare them for school and daycare at her home.

Police say that the morning of January 25, 2006 was business as usual.  At 7:45 am, Sandra dropped off her boys.  However, that evening she never showed up for work and her current boyfriend began to worry.  When he checked by her residence, he found the tragic sight of Sandra's lifeless body lying in her car.

Authorities were immediately called and initially all eyes were on Darren Galas, Sandra's ex-husband.  Police would later release him two days later without charging him due to lack of evidence.   While others were also questioned, Kauai police had few leads and fewer arrests. 

Cops believe that someone confronted Sandra in her garage and as she was trying to escape, she was strangled with a thin plastic cord.  Investigators say that the cord is similar to the cord found on a weed whacker.  The autopsy report also indicated blunt force trauma to Sandra's jaw and the entire right side of her face had been bruised.

Currently, Kauai police are asking for the public's assistance in solving their only homicide of 2006.  However, Sandra's father has also mounted a media campaign to keep his daughter's story in the public eye in hopes that a clue will come to light and Sandra's killer will be brought to justice. 

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Kauai cops continue to search for Sandra Galas' killer.