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Vanessa Pham’s killer sentenced to 49 years

By WTOP Staff

FAIRFAX, Va. – A Fairfax County judge Friday sentenced a Falls Church man to 49 years in prison for murdering college student Vanessa Pham.

Pham, 19 of Falls Church, offered to give Julio Miguel Blanco Garcia and his infant a ride to the hospital in June 2010 when Blanco Garcia, high on PCP, stabbed her at least 13 times, killing her.

In August, Blanco Garcia was found guilty and the jury recommend the 49-year sentence, representing a 30-year prison term plus 19 years for Pham’s age.

“This is a truly innocent victim,” Fairfax County Chief Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Casey Lingan said after Friday’s sentencing hearing.

Lingan said Pham’s family gave up what little they had to send her to college.

“There was palpable sadness,” he said of a meeting with the Pham family after the sentencing. He said there’s no way to quantify the loss of her young life.

Lingan said that Pham’s mother, in her impact statement, wrote about how she won’t see her daughter fall in love, marry or have children. Something as simple as having a conversation with her daughter has turned into “a one-way conversation with a tomb stone.”

Defense lawyers told the judge that Blanco Garcia was remorseful and took full responsibility for what he did as they tried to argue for a lesser sentenced for their client.

Before Judge Jane Roush sentenced him, Blanco Garcia spoke to the Pham family saying he was “deeply sorry for what I did and I hope my punishment will help them in their grieving process.”

Ray Morrogh, county commonwealth’s attorney, said he asked the jury for a life sentence and he was disappointed with the jury’s recommendation.

“I think this case is more about lust rather than PCP. We maintain and we’ve always maintained that Mr. Blanco Garcia abducted Vanessa (Pham) to rape her,” Morrogh said.

Pham fought back but ended up losing that fight and losing her life too, he said.

Pham, a graduate of Madison High School, was killed while on summer break from Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia. Her body was found in her white, Scion hatchback just off U.S. 50 in the Merrifield area of Fairfax County.

Her murder went unsolved for nearly 2.5 years despite the release of surveillance video that showed her car in Fairfax Shopping Plaza minutes before her body was discovered.

Police connected Blanco Garcia, a day laborer, to the killing using fingerprint evidence from a 2012 arrest for shoplifting.

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Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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