Stuti Gokhale
In January 2006, Hawaii residents Larry and Toshie Mendonca faced the worst nightmare of their lives. Their 27-year-old daughter, Sandra Galas, was found brutally murdered in her house’s garage, depriving them of her presence forever. NBC’s ‘Dateline: The Other Side of Paradise’ delves into this heartbreaking case and chronicles how Sandra’s parents fought tooth and nail for several years to ensure her killer was brought to justice.
Who Are Larry and Toshie Mendonca?
Lawrence “Larry” Mendonca was of Portuguese origins and served in the Air Force for 22 years, while his wife, Toshie, was Japanese. The couple had their son, Lawrence Jr., in 1976, and their daughter, Sandra, was born on May 15, 1978, in Misawa, Japan. Larry retired after a few years, and the family moved to Kauai, Hawaii, where they created an idyllic life on a sprawling ranch in Anahola. After graduating high school, Sandra moved to New York for her college. When she returned, she fell in love with Darren Galas, a charming highway construction worker.
With their families’ blessings, the couple tied the knot in 1999 and eventually had two sons, Austin and Brayden. Larry and Toshie were ecstatic to be with their grandkids and doted on them. Unfortunately, the Galas family fell apart in 2005 when Sandra discovered Darren’s infidelity and separated from him. This shocked Larry, but he supported her decision, and she soon moved out and started working at a local restaurant. Sandra also began dating Ryan Shinjo, and the couple became quite serious quickly. Meanwhile, she shared custody of her sons with Darren.
The Mendoncas’ world shattered on January 25, 2006, when Ryan found Sandra dead in her garage. The autopsy indicated she had been beaten and strangled to death, making it a homicide investigation. Naturally, Larry was devasted at losing his beloved daughter but promised to seek justice for her. The journey ahead was quite draining, as he and Toshie had to wait several years before the killer was held accountable.
During the initial investigation, the police suspected Darren and questioned him. He claimed that Sandra was supposed to pick up their sons from his house on January 25, but she never came. Sensing he might be lying, the detectives searched his home for evidence but had to let him go when they were left empty-handed. Given Darren and Sandra’s rocky marriage and how she had been applying for divorce, her parents were sure he was responsible for her death.
Moreover, Larry and Toshie wished to get custody of their grandsons and raise them, but it was eventually granted to Darren. The retired Air Force Officer claimed on the show how the latter allegedly brainwashed the young boys against their mother and grandparents. Nevertheless, Larry continued fighting for justice and knocked on every door in the city to seek help in his mission. During this time, he met veteran police officer Darryl Perry and shared Sandra’s story.
Having lost his young son, Chief Perry empathized with the Mendoncas and decided to take over the investigation. Eventually, in 2008, the detectives found Darren’s DNA on the clothes Sandra was found in, and Larry and Toshie hoped for a breakthrough. Sadly, since the victim and her estranged husband were still legally married when she died, the evidence was not enough to indict the suspect. The case went cold again, but the Mendoncas and Chief Perry refused to give up hope.
Luckily, in 2012, Chief Perry reassigned the case to a new investigator, who soon unearthed the most crucial evidence. He found letters exchanged between Sandra and her divorce attorney, wherein she expressed fear of Darren, as he was jealous of her and Ryan’s relationship. She additionally mentioned how her estranged husband had been allegedly harassing her. Soon after, detectives also got hold of Darren’s calendar, where he regularly kept a log of the times he felt angry at Sandra’s behavior.
This included minor things, such as times when the victim was a little late picking up her sons from their father’s home. While Darren made an entry almost daily, the police quickly noticed no mention of January 25, 2006. Since Sandra had failed to turn up to pick up the boys, it was evident that Darren should have detailed it in the calendar. Hence, the lack of entry was enough for the investigators to charge him with second-degree murder. Though indicted, Darren soon walked out on bail, deeply upsetting Larry and Toshie.
Larry and Toshie Mendonca Are Moving Forward in Life Today
The delay in justice angered Larry for the next six years, as he was adamant about seeing the investigation through to the end. Unfortunately, his old age and deteriorating health took a toll on him, and he suffered a heart attack in February 2017 aged 75. But despite his frail condition, Larry constantly hoped that Sandra’s killer would be soon brought to justice. His and Toshie’s prayers were partly heard in January 2018: Darren accepted a plea deal and pled no contest to the charges of second-degree assault with severe bodily harm.
Though this meant Darren would get a reduced sentence, the Mendoncas’ legal counsel advised them that given the lack of evidence, it would be better if the case avoided trial. Hence, with a heavy heart, Larry and Toshie attended his hearing in June 2018, where he was sentenced to a maximum of ten years behind bars, with the minimum term being 8.5 years. Nonetheless, the grieving father delivered an emotional impact statement in court, detailing the family’s pain for the past several years.
Albeit, troubles were far from over for the Mendoncas, as in March 2022, Darren’s minimum term was reduced by six months. Larry has been very frustrated at this decision and fears that his daughter’s killer could get even more reductions in his sentence in the next few years. He and Toshie reside in Kauai, where they run the Never Forget Sandy G Foundation with their son. It was started a few years after Sandra’s death and helps raise money for the YWCA to aid domestic violence survivors and raise awareness.
The organization initially helped find leads in Sandra’s case by organizing golf tournaments but has still kept the tradition going. Now in their 80s, Larry and Toshie lead a quiet life and continue giving back to the community in small ways. Their son, Lawrence Jr., visits them frequently from Texas. The Mendoncas hope that Darren repents his actions someday and that Sandra’s sons have a decent life ahead.
Read More: Where Are Sandra Galas’ Sons Now?
