Posted on 12/27/2008 9:37:19 AM PST by Maelstorm
COVINA, Calif. - A man who carried out a Christmas Eve massacre and arson dressed as Santa at the home of his former in-laws apparently intended to flee the U.S., but his plans were dashed after the inferno he created severely burned his arms and melted his red costume onto his body, police said Friday.
Bruce Jeffrey Pardo, a laid-off aerospace worker, apparently shot some of his nine victims execution-style in a plot to destroy his ex-wife's family after a costly divorce that was finalized last week. He had an airline ticket for a Christmas morning flight to Canada and $17,000 in cash on his body, some attached to his legs with plastic wrap and some in a girdle, Covina police Chief Kim Raney said. He did not know the Canadian destination.
Armed with four guns, wearing the Santa suit and carrying a fuel-spraying device wrapped like a present, Pardo showed up at the home at 11:30 p.m. Wednesday as a party of about 25 people was under way.
Raney said Pardo, 45, fired a shot into the face of an 8-year-old girl who answered the door and at first fired indiscriminately, then apparently targeted relatives of his ex-wife as other guests fled.
"There's some information that he stood over them and shot them execution-style," Raney said.
Pardo retreated to the front door and retrieved a device that mixed carbon dioxide or oxygen with high-octane racing fuel, police said. Fleeing guests saw him spraying the fuel inside the house when the vapor was ignited, possibly by a pilot light or a candle, and exploded.
"Mr. Pardo was severely injured during that explosion," Raney said. "He suffered third-degree burns on both arms and it also appears that the Santa Claus suit that he was wearing did melt onto his body."
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
She apparently filed for divorce at least 6 months before he lost his job.
And the monetary settlement came after he lost his job.
she filed for divorce before he lost his job.
After he lost his job the terms were changed to his favor.
You don’t think he would have killed 9 people if he hadn’t suffered monetary loss.
I disagree.
I think murder - especially the rampage that took 9 lives - involves more than financial suffering.
It took an incredible amount of rage and hatred to do what he did.
And maybe I’m crazy, but $10 grand, a ring, and a dog doesn’t seem like a situation that would provoke that kind of a rage.
I’ve seen men and women get screwed over much worse than this, and 99.999% of people don’t “snap”.
Oh sure - they may fight, and drink, and tell the kids nasty stories about each other - but shoot little kids and burn 9 people? nosirree.
He should have gone after the judge and the attorney and not innocents.
I think financial suffering can do a lot to a person. When you have nothing financially, you've got nothing to lose.
It's too bad the stupid Family Court judge didn't see it that way.
“She apparently filed for divorce at least 6 months before he lost his job.”
And don’t forget about that first bitch and set of kids of his that was a drag on his wallet.
She’s just lucky he didn’t know where her Christmas party was that night!
At least the disabled boy wasn’t asking for any money - heck, he turned out to be profitable!
Must be why he didn’t get shot in the face.
I agree with that. Judging from the facts that have come to light. This man seemingly had NO redeeming qualities. If he wanted to take revenge on the wife who "had done him wrong", it would have been bad enough had he had found a way to do just that, but he wanted to wreak havoc on others as well. It's clear that with all the preparation involved, this was not a case of someone "snapping" and acting on the spur of the moment. No, he carefully thought out a fiendish plan that, by dressing as Santa, took the innocence and joy of the Christmas season and turned it into a deadly nightmare.
Armed with several guns and a flamethrower disguised as a present, he approached his former in laws house where a holiday gathering was in progress. A gathering that had guests of all ages most of whom, I think it pretty safe to say, were not involved in his marital troubles. When the door opens he shot an eight year old child in the face, and then proceeded to indiscriminately shoot the other guests, seeking out his ex wife, her parents and other members of her family. Then using the device he brought with him he set the house on fire trapping other attendees, many of whom jumped from upstairs windows in order to escape certain death. According to a surviving sister of his ex wife heard on a 911 call, he continued to shoot even after the fire started.
After suffering extensive burns to his arms, he made his escape and drove to his brother's house, broke in and killed himself. A airline ticket and cash found on his body indicated that suicide was not his original plan. His intent was to create as much carnage as possible and then fly to Canada. He meant for others to die, even after he was miles away. It was discovered that the rental car that he had used was booby trapped.
Somehow, no matter what he had been through, I can't manage to come up with any justification for the horrific acts that he carried out. He had free will and he was to blame for all of this, no one else.
He had more than “nothing”, and his other failed marriage must not have helped matters much.
There are many people in this world alot worse off than this bozo who would never dream of committing such an evil act.
Heck - I’ve had times where I’ve had alot less than this guy.
Shooting a kid never entered my mind.
sheer evil.
True, but an unfair settlement drove him to this act.
"Since the date of separation, she bought a new 2009 luxury car, has gone several days gambling in Las Vegas, has frequently been out dining at finer restaurants . . . took a trip to Primm Casino-Resort . . . purchased golf school lessons, has taken a recent vacation to Magic Mountain Amusement Park and visited massage parlors,"
And she needed his money?
“True, but an unfair settlement drove him to this act.”
Awww...poor wittle baby.
Life has been unfair to millions of people who somehow manage to not become evil murderous fiends.
“And she needed his money?”
It would seem - no.
And when you are pointing out character flaws - it is always good to put both people side by side and accurately report what both have done, yes?
We found this out the hard way when our dead family member got massacred all over again in the press.
Very difficult to defend yourself when you are dead.
And to just ignore what drove him to such an act?
And when you are pointing out character flaws - it is always good to put both people side by side and accurately report what both have done, yes?
Yes, you've done that with both Pardo and his ex-wife./s
Very difficult to defend yourself when you are dead.
And that doesn't apply to him?
“And to just ignore what drove him to such an act?”
People get treated unfairly every day.
People get outright screwed every day.
I would guess that today there are alot of people suffering much greater financial loss than this idiot due to unfair conditions.
One of the greatest lessons my father taught me? “Life isn’t fair”
“Yes, you’ve done that with both Pardo and his ex-wife./s “
His final act speaks for itself.
Nothing can top that.
“And that doesn’t apply to him?”
To the guy who murdered 9 people, then chose to put a bullet in his own head?
I thought you had that one covered.
Some react differently. Some commit suicide. Some try to hurt the people who caused it. Pardo chose the latter.
His final act speaks for itself.
And the reasons he did it would explain such an act.
I thought you had that one covered.
Ignorant to a cue, are you? Well, Life isn't Fair.
It certainly wasn’t fair for that 8 yr. old was it?
At least she will survive.
I would say for the 9 victims - the unfairness that befell them was much greater than anything this pathetic jerk suffered.
At least when some murderous jerks snap, they manage to only kill their ex.
This guy takes the time to dress as Santa while he kills children.
That takes a special kind of sick twisted mind to come up with that - I don’t care what your sob story is.
You can take a mans wife, money and house, but you don’t mess with his dog.
Pretty much.
I hope the Family Court is proud.
I don’t think that this journalist was the original source for that statement. I think it came from the police spokesperson. I noticed the mention of O2 or CO2 in the first coverage.
Gotta go now - to a Christmas party! (no, I’m not kidding)
Have fun.
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