Alameda County Superior Court Judge Jon Rolefson sentenced Esteban for the first-degree murder of Le and then dumping her body in a remote part of Pleasanton. He handed down the sentence after telling the packed courtroom that Esteban "showed no signs of remorse" and saying her actions were "cold-blooded and premeditated." We always felt, sitting in trial, that she felt no remorse, just stared directly at our family with a blank stare," said Le's cousin Krystine Dinh.
"I guess, just a sense of relief that at the very least, we don't have to deal with this for another 20 years or so," Michelle's brother Michael Le said. He broke down as he talked his sister, the plans she had for her life, how she wanted to follow in their late mother's footsteps and become a nurse. Those dreams ended the day the 26-year-old student went missing from a parking garage in Hayward last year. The Le family's worst fears were confirmed when after weeks of searches by police and volunteers, her decomposed body was found in a remote area near Pleasanton.
Now, the family is trying to heal while hoping that their words will be remembered many years from now in 2029 when Michelle's killer could be up for parole. "We just want them to know after 25 years how unique this case was and to give a face to Michelle's case," Michael said.
Esteban's brother and sister left the courtroom without talking to the media.
The judge offered words of comfort to the Le family about their loss telling them, "You never get over it. You only get through it."
