Kianna Jackson, a 20-year-old woman, was tragically murdered on October 6, 2013. She was one of four women who fell victim to the heinous crimes committed by Franc Cano and Steven Dean Gordon. Both men were convicted sex offenders who targeted vulnerable women working as prostitutes in Santa Ana and Anaheim. The victims, including Kianna Jackson, were kidnapped, raped, and murdered by Cano and Gordon.
Kianna Jackson's body was never recovered, but the discovery of Jarrae Nykkole Estepp's
body led detectives to crucial evidence that connected Cano and Gordon to the other murders. The investigation relied heavily on DNA evidence and data retrieved from GPS-tracking devices that both men were wearing due to prior sex offenses. The fact that the two were able to socialize, which violated their terms of release, caused widespread criticism of probation officials in the area.
Franc Cano pleaded guilty to the kidnapping, rape, and murder of Kianna Jackson, along with the other victims, and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. His co-defendant, Steven Dean Gordon, was convicted of the same killings in 2016 and sentenced to death in 2017. Gordon acted as his own attorney during his trial and ultimately conceded that he deserved the death penalty for the killings.
The case drew significant attention due to the brutal nature of the crimes and the failures in the probation system that allowed Cano and Gordon to continue their criminal activities. The families of the victims, including Kianna Jackson's, have expressed their grief and sought justice for their loved ones.
