Josephine Vargas, a 34-year-old woman, was tragically murdered on October 24, 2013. Her death was part of a series of heinous crimes committed by Franc Cano and Steven Dean Gordon, both convicted pedophiles. The two men were responsible for the kidnapping, rape, and murder of four women in Orange County, California, between 2013 and 2014. The victims, including Josephine Vargas, were working as prostitutes when they were abducted, taken to a body shop in Anaheim where Cano and Gordon were
living, and subsequently raped and murdered.
Franc Cano, 36, and Steven Dean Gordon, 53, were both arrested and charged with the murders. Cano was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to the crimes. Initially, prosecutors sought the death penalty for Cano, but they later decided that life in prison was a more appropriate punishment. During his trial, Cano expressed remorse for his actions and apologized to the families of the victims.
Steven Dean Gordon, who acted as his own attorney during his trial, was convicted of the same murders in 2016 and sentenced to death in 2017. Gordon ultimately conceded that he deserved the death penalty for his actions. The discovery of the body of one of the victims, Jarrae Nykkole Estepp, led detectives to crucial evidence that connected Cano and Gordon to the other murders. Authorities relied on DNA evidence and data retrieved from GPS-tracking devices that both men were wearing due to prior sex offenses.
The case drew widespread criticism of probation officials, as Cano and Gordon were able to socialize despite their terms of release, which prohibited such interactions. The two men even cut off their GPS devices and fled from California at one point. The bodies of Josephine Vargas, Kianna Jackson, and Martha Anaya have never been recovered, adding to the anguish of their families.
