Bruce Jeffrey We strive to bring awareness back into focus with our coverage, which features Crime stories that are underpinned by reliable information from up-to-date sources, as told by compassionate storytellers. himself, his rental car was discovered to have been booby-trapped Covina police Lt. Pat Buchanan said that in his investigation, he's found that most people who knew Pardo agree that this attack was completely unexpected and out of character. The kids were later sent to a camp that helps with grief. Since 1846, AP has been covering the worlds biggest news events, committed to the highest standards of objective, accurate journalism. Nine people were killed at a Christmas Eve party. A video image showing firefighters outside a blazing house in in panic, running to neighbors' homes and Its been said that Pardo suffered from severe third-degree burns on his arms which had occurred from the fire this makes police believe he didnt follow through with his Canadian escape route due to his injuries.Police searched Pardos house in Montrose, they recovered five empty boxes for semi-automatic handguns, two shotguns, and a container for high octane fuel tank gasoline. Leticias daughter, however, had been shot, so the family had already made their way to the hospital. There was no indication that Pardo ignited it; it couldve been ignited by a pilot light or a candle inside the house.. Pardo died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to Assistant. The Southern California News Group is one of them. 2. Our groundbreaking Augmented Reality technology accurately recreates crime scenes and allows users to experience and investigate them just as detectives at the actual crime scenes did. Yuzefpolsky and her husband took in her sisters youngest daughter. had killed himself, his rental car was discovered to have been booby-trapped Happy New Year everyone! A Bomb Squad and L.A. County sheriff's office official investigate the scene. Homicide for the Holidays Preview 203: Christmas Mourning. Welcome to episode of Myths, Magic & Murder. It was not clear Friday whether the victims died from the fire or gunshots. According to public records, the Knollcrest Drive home is owned by Joseph Ortega. 2008. Tents We're working to give you the tools, stories, and technology that will help shine a spotlight on victims and their stories. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! family home in Covina, California. trey parker house kauai; mccormick and schmick's prosecco sangria recipe; katherine bouris wife; Payroll Services It was speculated that Pardo had planned to flee to Canada as he had prior to the attack purchased flight tickets to Canada. A Covina police officer (R) and a firefighter walk from the crime He would mock the police with letters while confessing to his murders. "Our kids are our future, and we have to be the example for them," she says. April 26, 201601:53. It was Sylvias third marriage, according to friends. Nine people, all related, were killed inside the home of Joseph and Alicia Ortega on Christmas Eve. After investigators with the Los Angeles County Department of Coroner wrapped their investigation, police began a secondary crime scene investigation. The killings went on for nearly a decade. The couple divorced earlier this year, after an apparent dispute over Pardos disabled son. It became his obsession. Investigators found nine bodies in the charred ruins of a home on a quiet suburban street Thursday and Friday. The police found torture devices in Dean Corll's parent's cabin. Her then-8-year-old daughter, Katrina, was wounded by a gunshot to the cheek after Santa figure came to the door. dispenser which Bruce Jeffrey Pardo used inside the Knollcrest house COVINA A gunman dressed as Santa planned on fleeing to Canada with $17,000 after committing a Christmas Eve massacre that took nine lives at the home of his former in-laws. People are as obsessed with serial killer crime scene photos as with some of the most horrendous crimes in history. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Bethany, 23 year old criminology and criminal psychology student. Once Pardo had finished shooting, he unwrapped the homemade flamethrower and used it with gasoline and set the home alight. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. where he killed nine Christmas Eve party guests. Throughout the late morning and early. when their ex son-in-law Bruce Pardo, 45, dressed as Santa Claus carried out a brutal attack killing nine people gathered at his ex-wife . Dont give up, Yuzefpolsky said. All divorces are bad, said Lt. Tim Doonan. In July of 2008, Bruces employer realized Bruce had been fraudulently billing clients for hours he didnt actually work and was fired. He had a plane ticket to depart early Christmas morning from LAX to Canada. You also receive detailed insights into each investigation with our cutting-edge tools, while our 3D re-creation of profiles elevates your access and knowledge of each story. home with a combustible vapor consisting partly of auto-racing fuel, the Murderpedia project stay alive. Images of serial killer crime scenes have been taken for more than a century. Instead driving to kill Sylvias attorney, Bruce then went to his brothers, where he killed himself because of how badly he was burned. We are going through a lot of background work to find out more about who he is and what might have been his motivation besides the obvious marital issues, Raney said. The victim in this picture is a 14-year-old girl called Dawn Basom, who had recently lost her father. Ten children are now orphaned as a result of the massacre, according to family friends. Quick Description: This house was the scene of a 2008 massacre. Along with finding $17,000 in cash, which was secured to his legs inside a girdle. Several onlookers used in-car GPS devices and printed MapQuest directions to locate the site. Covina police still have an open investigation at Pardos home in Montrose as they try to uncover more clues. Ordaz attended Christmas parties at the home in the past. The photo above shows the tools the authorities found at the back of his VW Beetle in August 1975. eight people dead in Covina, California December 26, 2008. Five days after the massacre of nine members of a Covina family on East Knollcrest Drive, their home has become a sort of attraction for the curious. During their murdering spree, they left behind some of the most unforgettable serial killer crime scene photos in history. Witnesses later told police they recognized Pardo as the shooter. These were the tools used by Dennis Rader, the BTK killer. He committed the crimes between 1997 and 2001 before being caught in 2002 and convicted to life in prison. new content, we kindly appreciate any donation you can give to help Theyre burning down someones house.. She had severe injuries, but none to cause her death. "You don't want that anger to live within you day to day and grow, just like it did with this monster.". (Barbara Davidson, Los Angeles Times). When his divorce was finalized shortly before the holiday, the spousal support ended up being waived as at the time he had lost his job. These bodies were retrieved after Mansion Family murdered several people on Cielo Drive. He suffered third-degree burns on both arms when the device he was using to torch the house exploded, police said. This is one of the most famous serial killer crime scene photos in history. Carol Sanchez, who claims to be Pardos ex-girlfriend , pulled up to the front of the crime scene Friday. In this photo, investigators have the body they found beneath John Wayne Gacy's garage floor on December 22, 1978. Police didnt think their deaths were purely coincidence, and they believed their suspect was still at large. Theres some information that he stood over (some of) them and shot them execution-style., All indications are that (Pardo) intended to commit this crime and then flee the country.. with the remnants of the Santa suit rigged to a homemade fire bomb. Few serial killer crime scene photos are as unforgettable as the images the mass suicide generated. Bruce Jeffrey Pardo, who was wearing a Santa costume, entered a property belonging to his former in-laws in Covina and killed nine people either by shooting or arson from the fire he started. If there was ever a sign that Covina is a small town not used to mass tragedy, perhaps it was the barricades used to string crime scene tape outside the demolished Ortega home. He was last employed by ITT and worked on foreign government radar system projects. at his former in-laws and opened fire, killing at nine people before taking his own life. Officers parked at a cross street and worked their way down the street and saw the house engulfed in flames, Buchanan said. I appreciate that.". Bertillon also came up with a tripod that placed the camera right over the corpse to offer a "Gods-eye-view" of the crime scene, which proved very popular with investigators. But many of her family members were killed. Instead, he committed suicide after accidentally burning himself when fuel he sprayed in the home exploded prematurely, officials said Friday. The ribbons are strung from one end of the street to the other and even attached to the barricades outside the crime scene. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Now, she's opening up about her journey forward. (AFP/Getty Images). Hes still shooting out there, a woman sobbed, to the dispatcher. And he was out for blood. They said SWAT officers ordered them to stay in their homes Wednesday night as they canvassed the neighborhood, unsure if the gunman was still in the area. . a Christmas Eve murder rampage, allegedly Dennis Rader (BTK Killer) This is one of the most famous serial killer crime scene photos in history. Leticia managed to escape the chaos and called 911 from a neighbor's home. He obviously just went psycho after the divorce! East entry down the hall from the west entrance. But Bruce didnt realize there was an open flame somewhere inside the house, which led to an explosion that left him horrifically burned. Pardo began shooting at fleeing members of the party (it was said there was around 25 people at the party). Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Some of them ran through doors, broke windows with furniture and some jumped from second-story windows., PHOTO GALLERY Covina Christmas massacre aftermath. This photo shows Leonard Lake's compound. Once Bruces autopsy was finished, investigators were able to conclude he had committed suicide, and that there was no second shooter. The case with its house fire, many crime scenes and multiple victims on a rainy holiday has proven to be a teachable moment for other departments around the country. Inside the vehicle, police found a Santa suit and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Its unusual enough to where we believe it is something that was used to propel an accelerant.. Tents (background) are in use to process the crime scene. Homicide for the Holidays airs Saturdays at 6/5c on Oxygen. handout photo released December 26, 2008. The Covina home was devastated by flames that engulfed it Wednesday night and into the early morning of Christmas Day. The monster knew what he wanted to do; and got this family in the heart.. a Christmas Eve murder rampage. Monetary donations to help the family and checks can be mailed to Ortega Family Fund, C/O Law Offices of Scott J. Nord, 500 N. Brand Blvd., Suite 550, Glendale, CA 91203. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times), A Los Angeles County coroner's official reviews the scene at the Shoko was sentenced to death and hanged in 2018. Five more bodies were recovered by the coroner Thursday afternoon, according to McCraken. The fact that he showed up at the party with a Santa outfit puts a sick twist on it, said neighbor Dave Ritchie. Pardo, dressed in a Santa More details emerged about the sequence of events that Pardo went through on Christmas Eve. Without a doubt, this is one of the most terrifying serial killer crime scene photos ever. Police also found another bullet hole in the ceiling, and they believed there might have been a second shooter at the scene. Despite the rumors, he acted alone, so he and his wife Sonya were never part of the scariest serial killer couples. Can You Tell Why This Weird Picture Of A Family Sitting On A Bench Is Going Viral? One of the first famous crime scene photos was taken on May 5, 1903, in the home of a Parisian woman named Madame Debeinche who had been murdered. Everywhere you turn there are memories of what we used to have, and then memories of that night. dressed as Santa Claus opened fire. They were primarily used in portrait photography. Divorce records indicate Pardo had been required to pay his ex-wife $10,000 on Dec. 19. Investigators found nine bodies in the . (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times), Burned remnants including photos of Joseph Ortega and his family The Covina Massacre Covina, a Los Angeles suburb, was a grisly scene on Christmas Eve, 2008. On Christmas Day, police also interviewed Leticia, who said that despite the Santa Claus costume, beard and hat, she could identify the shooter: her sisters ex-husband, Bruce Pardo. Officials still do not know whether the nine victims died of gunshot wounds or were burned to death, according to Los Angles County Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter. I lost my identity completely, Yuzefpolsky said. PHOTO GALLERY Covina Christmas massacre evidence. The first twelve of Bryant's 35 victims were killed here, at the Broad Arrow Cafe. The owners of the home at 1129 Knollcrest Drive, and their daughter, were believed to be among the victims, police said. When a Connecticut woman lost her three daughters and parents in a house fire two years ago, Yuzefpolsky encouraged her daughters to write letters to the woman. Marshall was the founder and leader of Heaven's Gate, a UFO cult that committed mass suicide in 1997. In today's episode we discuss the tragic 2008 Christmas Eve killings in Covina, CA. The Columbine episode came out only 5 years after the massacre and made E&D look like these charismatic bad boy villains. Ill be exploring unsolved cases, mysterious cases, serial killers, mass murder and all things true crime. they were searched for explosives by SWAT members before the crime scene investigators took this photo. While investigators in Ohio struggled for a fifth day to find a motive and the person or people responsible for the massacre of eight members of the same family, officials . But in the middle of their holiday celebration, the doorbell rang, and what unfolded next was incredibly gruesome. A crime scene photo shows where Bailey abducted Shawn Moore, whom he killed and disposed of in the nearby woods. Bruces getaway car was also parked about 500 feet from the house of Scott Nord, Sylvias divorce attorney. Pardos wife of one year had filed for divorce a week prior to the massacre. She was the only one of his victims he did not mutilate. In a period of four years, he killed, dismembered, and castrated 12 people and was never caught. causing nine deaths, then left the scene, and drove to his brother's Im glad at least the little girl and her mum survived. Using CrimeDoor you can explore evidence, review thousands of case files, look . Pardo then walked into the residence and opened fire on the 25 guests with a semi-automatic handgun, officials said. Bruces neighbour said, I still wonder if the suit hadnt lit how the story would have ended. This picture shows the office area where Barton committed most of his crimes. The Covina Massacre is Hello squirrel friends! A Bomb Squad and L.A. County sheriff's office official dispenser which Bruce Jeffrey Pardo with the remnants of the Santa suit rigged to a homemade fire bomb. Bruce Jeffrey Pardo dressed up as Santa and unexpectedly arrived at the Ortega home of his ex in-laws house at around 11:30pm and immediately shot an 8 year old girl who opened the door. Pardo, her former brother-in-law, had carried a small arsenal of guns and fuel to torch the familys home that Christmas Eve. In a final act of Learn more about policies and standards in APs Statement of News Values and Principles. The photos also form an essential part of crime history. Once you mix those two together it turns into a vapor which he atomized the house with, Raney said. According to talk there is some discussion being that the divorce may have been caused by Pardo concealing a child from a previous relationship. In June 2008, Bruce Pardo was ordered to pay $1,785 a month in spousal support. Armed with four semi-automatic handguns, Pardo continued into the home and began firing indiscriminately at the 25 guests attending the party. In a final act of destruction encountered by authorities after Pardo Police discovered the body of the gunman, Bruce Jeffrey Pardo, 45, of Montrose, at his brothers home in the 15800 block of Joseph Court in Sylmar early Thursday. On December 24, 2008, the Ortega family invited all five of their adult children and their families to their home in Covina, California, a quiet, low-crime community about 22 miles east of Los Angeles. This picture shows the body of Elizabeth Stride, one of Jack Ripper's victims. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. Leticia Yuzefpolsky's family members were killed on Christmas Eve by her ex brother-in-law, dressed as Santa. It was part of a plan triggered by his ex-wifes decision to divorce him. placed within it exploded, in this Im not going to allow you to continue to consume us with your evilness. He ate part of the remains and disposed of the rest of the remains using a vat of acid in his house. In the wake of mass shootings like that in Orlando, Leticia encourages those affected to move forward as she has: with love. Thirteen sons and daughters lost at least one parent that night. In the end, he was involved in the kidnapping, raping, and torturing of up to 25 people, including an infant. He suggested taking pictures of everything on a crime scene, including broken doorways, bloodstains, and broken furniture, among other things. Different type of magazine from a different gun, photographed from outside the building. In the above photo, authorities are investigating a burnt Pontiac that contained the bodies of two of his victims. He did have some intended targets, Raney said, those being family members and immediate family of his ex-wife.. The bomb ignited when authorities tried to defuse it, engulfing the Pardo dressed in a Santa Claus costume burst into a Christmas Katrina usually writes: Itll be hard, but just have hope. Here's the story behind it. The home was later bulldozed and Doonan expected the investigation to be wrapped up by Friday night. Shortly after the doorbell sounded, police received 911 calls from the Ortegas neighbor. Touhey wasnt the only local politician to become involved in the tragedy. We More white knights pick on Doug via Twitter The Ricky Gervais special is fucking great We Greetings crime junkies of the world, welcome to our fourth installment of True Crime Hello! Touhey said he was there to support a friend of his, who lived in the neighborhood. During his Christmas Eve killing spree, Bruce pulled out a homemade flamethrower to spray 18 gallons of gasoline into the house once he ran out of bullets. The killer, Bruce Jeffrey Pardo, showed up at a holiday party wearing a festive Santa Claus costume. Looking into Bruces past, investigators discovered he had an ex-wife named Sylvia Ortiz, whose divorce from Bruce was finalized on December 18, 2008 just a few days before the holiday. Its such a tragedy., Staff Writer Ben Baeder and the Associated Press contributed to this story, Christmas Eve massacre leaves 9 dead in Covina, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), LA County restaurants must provide recyclable dishes beginning May 1, El Monte man gets 21 years for killing his boss at Alhambra newspaper, Yellen says US could hit debt ceiling as soon as June 1, The cost of high-speed rail in California might surprise you, Accused killer was a nice guy, usher at Montrose church, Christmas for quiet Covina neighborhood will never be the same, Baldwin Park man arrested after fatal hit and run in Irwindale, Norwalk, Mayfair baseball players suspended after disturbing brawl, will miss some playoff games, LA County Fair 2023: Hot Cheetos Cheese Pickle Pizza, dining discounts, much smore, Cold, drizzly week ahead for Southern California, San Gabriel Valley baseball teams learn their opponents for CIF Southern Section playoffs, 5 best Mothers Day dining options in the San Gabriel Valley, San Gabriel Valley softball teams learn their opponents for CIF Southern Section playoffs, Santa Anita horse racing consensus picks, Sunday, April 30, 2023, Organizers cancel Pasadena Chalk Festival, sparking move to keep it in the city, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Between the shooting and the fire, Leticia lost her mother, her father, two sisters, two brothers, two sisters-in-law and a nephew. However, those photos. COVINA - It was a Christmas Eve massacre, a mass murder so chilling that it was unimaginable even to a 30-year veteran of the Covina Police Department. I know this is a super short case, but I wanted to do a post today! Police believed Bruce might have planning on also murdering Scott, who resided over their somewhat contentious proceeding.. Last year, when a gunman killed 20 children and six adults at a Newtown school, they again wrote letters. A place for all my true crime interests. Firefighters and police Friday continued to sift through the rubble of the site of a mass murder and fire. Twenty-nine of the victims' remains were found under his house. In a matter of minutes, Yuzefpolsky lost nearly everyone shed looked up to: her parents, two brothers and two sisters. Bruce Jeffrey Pardo, the gunman. One nephew, with his parents dead, became the guardian of his three minor siblings. Police believed Bruce had been planning on escaping to Mexico after his killing spree. Los Angeles County firefighters battled the blaze at the two-story home, which is located in the middle of a cul-de-sac in what police described as an upper-middle-class neighborhood. The autopsy also revealed he had horrific third-degree burns on his hands and arms, and part of the Santa pants had melted to body. Bruce Pardo was ordered to pay $10,000 to Sylvia, while she was allowed to keep the couples dog, an Akita. And when they performed autopsies on the bodies from the Ortega house, they found all of the victims had been shot at least once with a 9mm handgun. Friends of the victims came Thursday and Friday to lay flowers and light candles at the scene. need your help for this. It was found in Washington by hunters. crime scene at the site of the Christmas Eve Calif., that was set on fire during Murderpedia has thousands of hours of work behind it. COVINA MASSACRE PHOTO GALLERIES Memorial. After the heinous crime, Pardo drove to his brother Garys home in Sylmar with third degree burns on his arms and parts of the Santa suit melted to his skin, Raney said. Gacy killed more than 30 boys while pretending to be a clown known as "Pogo." She was murdered while heading home. He embraced her three children and took them as his own.. It is very unclear what ensued after that as people were fleeing the residence any way they could, Buchanan said. The bodies have not yet been identified as they are badly burned. Inside of Pardos package was a pressurized homemade device that sprayed a flammable liquid throughout the first level of the home, Raney said. Pardo used the makeshift gas dispenser to spray the inside of the Sometimes, he would use a stone stuffed into a sock to murder his victims. "That's what I think has helped me have more peace, really having the gratitude for the love that has been brought to our family from people we didn't even know," she says. The recipe was one from Leticia Yuzefpolskys childhood and a reminder of festive meals she hadnt enjoyed since Bruce Pardo walked through the door of her parents home in Covina five years ago, killed her family and burned the place down. The homemade device was comprised of a tank filled with a compressed gas identified as either carbon dioxide or oxygen and another smaller tank containing high-octane racing fuel. Above is a photo of one of John Collins' crime scenes. We have to keep moving in our everyday moments, she said. There are those moments we think weve been through the worst so this cannot break us.. One of the photos shows crime scene markings in a classroom. Actress Sharon Tate, her three friends, and a friend of the groundskeeper ended up dead following an attack by the murderous cult members. I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and that 2019 treats you well. at a Christmas Eve party as she opened In 2008, a man dressed in a Santa suit entered the home of his ex-wife's family during a Bruce Pardo married Sylvia Ortega, but their relationship quickly went sour. Authorities said the home was a total loss.. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. They were borrowed from the Farmers Market. They arrived in a brown envelope with no explanation. And Bruce began to plot ways to get back at Sylvia. These were the tools used by Dennis Rader, the BTK killer. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times), Smoke rises from the site of the burned home in Covina. at the Ortega home in Covina. Around the same time, a man reported a mysterious car parked in front of his Pasadena home. When his divorce was finalized shortly before the holiday, the spousal support ended up being waived as at the time. Christmas decorations and a wreath on the front door are pictured He was never like this; I am shocked, Sanchez said from her Volkswagen Jetta. In this 1985 photo, deputy sheriffs from Washington County are searching for victims of Gary Ridgway. Investigators found nine bodies in the . Required fields are marked *. Neighbors and Raney said the Ortega family apparently had a yearly tradition where a neighbor dresses up as Santa and comes to the house and joins in the festivities. Claus suit opened fire on partygoers at his former in-laws home in CrimeDoor is a trusted news resource for those seeking the freshest perspective on cases worldwide. The fire grew to approximately 40 to 50 feet and took 80 firefighters an hour-and-a-half to get under control and extinguish. PHOTOS: The massacre at Columbine High School and the days that followed Breaking News News PHOTOS: The Columbine High School shooting and the community that came together in its wake. showing that Lanza had "an obsession" with the 1999 Columbine massacre, during which two teenagers killed 12 students and a teacher Police believed Bruce might have planning on also murdering Scott, who resided over their , In June 2008, Bruce Pardo was ordered to pay $1,785 a month in spousal support. In this 2005 family photo provided by El Siglo de Torreon, Joseph Ortega, center left, and his wife Alicia Ortega, center right, are seen with their children during their 50th wedding anniversary at an unidentified location in Mexico. Most of the bodies were found in the living room area but other areas of the home still need to be searched, Winter said. Pardo and Sylvia married in January 2006, but not long after grew apart when Pardo refused to open a joint account with his newly wedded wife along with Pardo expecting his wife to take care of her own three children with her own finances. Police said they had unconfirmed reports that Pardo worked as an engineer in the aerospace industry. Pardo was armed with four handguns, Raney said, and added that all four were emptied of ammunition when found. The serial killer took the lives of eight nurses before he was stopped. 'My mom's house is on fire!' Five days after the massacre of nine members of a Covina family on East Knollcrest Drive, their home has become a sort of attraction for the curious. Hardy robbed and raped the girl before killing her. where a man dressed as Santa opened fire at a Crime scene photos of the victims of the Columbine High School massacre, including where they died and how their bodies were found. Her body lay on the ground, with her limbs bent at unusual angles. The mother of two believes it's also imperative to foster love not just for the healing effect, but to teach our children a better way to exist in the world. He disguised himself as a family man and a church leader, and he would taunt the police with details of his brutal crimes before he was finally arrested. edinburgh council orb myhr,
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