Prosecutors reveal tragic death of Orange County woman passionate about Southeast Asia and dogs.
Julie Anne Sanetra, a former National Merit Scholar from Costa Mesa, was found dead last week in what authorities describe as a brutal act allegedly committed by her boyfriend, Daniel Allen Aldrich, 49. The 38-year-old, known for her love of animals and her academic dedication to Southeast Asian studies, was killed following an argument with Aldrich, according to prosecutors.
“She was a sweetheart. My firstborn. I was extremely proud of her,” Sanetra’s mother, Anne Booth, said from her home in Laguna Hills.
Born and raised in Orange County, Sanetra was the eldest of three siblings. She was active in Girl Scouts, a dedicated member of the Venturing Crew, and graduated as a National Merit Scholar, later pursuing a degree in Southeast Asian studies at UC Berkeley. Her mother described her as particularly fascinated with cultures of Southeast Asia, including India and the Middle East. She even learned Bangla, the language spoken in Bangladesh and parts of India.
After a decade living in the Bay Area, Sanetra returned to Southern California, where she lived independently in Irvine while working as a pricing analyst. Despite the distance, she kept close ties with her family, especially her mother, with whom she spoke daily.
“I would be talking to her on the phone and she would say, ‘Mom, I gotta call you back, I see a dog,’” Booth remembered.
An animal lover who took joy in walking and babysitting dogs, Sanetra would often care for her neighbors’ pets, free of charge, after losing her own dog, Chica, a few years ago. “We love her, we’re missing her tremendously and just trying to cope with the fact that I’ll never see her again,” Booth said.
Booth said she had “no idea” who Aldrich was, adding she knew little of her daughter’s relationship with him. Aldrich was arrested on October 22 after landscapers discovered Sanetra’s body hidden in a trash can outside his Costa Mesa home.
Prosecutors claim Aldrich killed Sanetra after a night of drinking, strangling her and inflicting fatal wounds with a folding knife. They say he left her body on his couch overnight before concealing it in the trash can the next morning. Afterward, Aldrich allegedly packed a bag and drove to his mother’s house in Glendale.
“Julie Sanetra did not deserve to be strangled and stuffed into a trash can like a piece of garbage,” Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in a statement. “The callousness of this crime shocks the conscience, and we will do everything to get justice for Julie and her loved ones.”
Aldrich faces charges of murder along with a felony enhancement for the personal use of a weapon.
