Two arrests in Barstow woman's killing

Updated at 4:45 p.m. with additional information.

BARSTOW • Two men have been arrested in connection with the killing of a 29-year-old Barstow woman and ex-soldier whose body was found in the desert around Apple Valley last week.

San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department deputies arrested Melvin Satcher, 23, of Barstow, Monday evening and Phillip Franke, 22, of Las Vegas, early Tuesday for suspicion of murder. Satcher was arrested on the 600 block of East Third Street and Franke was arrested on the corner of West Fredricks Street and May Avenue in Barstow.

Sandi Lee Duncan’s body was found in the open desert southeast of the intersection of Dale Evans Parkway and Stoddard Wells Road around 7:35 p.m. Sept. 21. Fingerprints confirmed her identity after deputies received tips, according to a sheriff’s report.

Deputies believe, due to evidence found at the scene, that Duncan was murdered. Miller said Satcher and Franke were friends of Duncan’s. Duncan’s cause of death and other information from the autopsy and investigation are not being released at this time.

Sheriff’s spokesperson Jodi Miller said that Satcher and Franke were in the military. Franke is on active duty in the Army, while Satcher was in proceedings for being absent without leave, according to Miller. However, Fort Irwin spokesman John Wagstaffe said he could find no records of Franke or Satcher serving in the military during the last 120 days.

Duncan had been stationed at Fort Irwin, but was medically discharged after being injured on duty, according to the report. Wagstaffe confirmed Duncan was medically discharged from the Army in 2006, but could not confirm that she had been stationed at Fort Irwin.

Duncan had been taking classes at Barstow Community College and living in Barstow. BCC spokeswoman Maureen Stokes said that Duncan was a natural science and math major. Duncan enrolled in classes during the spring, summer and fall semesters this year, but dropped her classes Sept. 21, according to Stokes, the same day her body was found.

BCC professor Dennis Conrad had taught Duncan in a public speaking course this fall. He said she was a model student and well-liked by her classmates. The class held a moment of silence for Duncan, according to Conrad.

Duncan previously lived at a house on the 1200 block of West Buena Vista Street. A former neighbor of Duncan’s, who declined to give her name, said that she was a quiet woman and that she didn’t talk to people in the neighborhood often. The neighbor also said Duncan had lived with a man and his children on Buena Vista Street.

Franke is at the West Valley Detention in Rancho Cucamonga and has his first court hearing scheduled for Wednesday. Satcher is being held at the Central Detention Center in San Bernardino and has a court hearing scheduled for Thursday. They are being held without bail.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Homicide Detail at (909) 387-3589 or report information anonymously through WeTip at (800) 78-CRIME (27463).

Contact the writer:
(760) 256-4126 or dheldreth@desertdispatch.com