One of the boys was Isaac Grimes, who was also 15 years old, and a classmate of Tony’s. “Eight hundred years wouldn’t have been enough,” he said. “You don’t have to do this,” she begged him. Wiki: Covina massacre. 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. With firsthand accounts from people close to the victims, Oxygen’s limited series will delve into the alarming cases that prove the holidays can turn the happiest time of the year upside-down in a split second. Returning to Brad Pardo’s home that same night, investigators searched Bruce’s car, which was confirmed as the one neighbors saw leaving the area of the Ortega home late at night. Photo: Joseph John Kotlowski/AP. Christmas was a particularly special time for the Ortega family of Covina, California. Christmas is a time for family gatherings and stuffing our faces with food. House for sale in 2010: Site Of Bruce Pardo’s Christmas Eve Massacre In Covina Up For Sale Just In Time For Halloween. Michele and McEnroe proceeded to mop up the grandparents’ blood with towels and rugs, according to NBC. It’s easily the favorite day of the year for many people. Don’t miss the premiere of the new season of “Homicide for the Holidays,” on Oxygen, Saturday at 7:30/6:30c, and continuing Saturday, Dec. 14, at 7/6c. Killer Santa: Covina Christmas Massacre . The remaining family meets for dinner, exchanges gifts, and share memories they have of the family they lost. Covina Christmas Massacre Bruce Pardo Ortega Family Christmas Massacre Christmas Day Massacre Christmas Saws Covina Christmas Eve Massacre Deflated Christmas Inflatables Christmas Horror Book Lawson Family Christmas Massacre Inflatable Christmas Yard Decorations Creepy Christmas House Christmas Party Teaser Christmas Haunted House Bruce Jeffrey Pardo Christmas Massacre Congo Covina … Pardo, her former brother-in-law, had carried a small arsenal of guns and fuel to torch the family's home that Christmas … 12 years later, Leticia and Katrina Yuzefpolsky, work to maintain the tight-knit family’s traditions and happier memories. However, in reality, Christmas is just another day and if somebody is planning something violent and sinister, the festivities won’t change their mind. Bruce and Sylvia’s divorce had apparently turned “very contentious,” Lt. Tim Doonan, of the Covina Police Department, told the Press Democrat, with Sylvia awarded a cash settlement and the couple’s dog, Saki. McEnroe told detectives that he finished Erica off while she huddled with her children, according to NBC News. Police said the family members were killed by … These are minor details in my life. It was Christmas Eve in rural Carnation, Washington, and grandparents Judy and Wayne Anderson were just finishing getting ready for their special holiday dinner. She and students across California and the U.S. joined for for 17 minutes on Wednesday — each minute representing a victim of the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Judy and Wayne’s daughter, Michele, and her boyfriend, Joseph McEnroe, had been plotting a massacre for weeks. A test is not going to break me.”. Thirteen children lost a parent during the massacre. He killed himself shortly afterward. “I really want our generation to wake up and say, ‘We can make things happen and make long-lasting change,'” Bella said. Katrina was the first one shot when her aunt’s ex-husband, Bruce Pardo, burst into her grandparents’ home on Christmas Eve in 2008. But sometimes, the ones who love us, have a different plan. You don’t want that anger to live within you day to day and grow, just like it did with this monster.”. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! In 2016, Leticia told Oprah, “I can’t do anything to change what happened. Tony Dutcher, 15, was waiting for a friend to join him for a sleepover in a lean-to he’d built near his grandparents’ home when two boys his age descended on the property. “I think they all should have gotten the death penalty.”. She loves playing softball and wants to keep it up in college while she studies business. He immediately began shooting, then used the flamethrower to torch the house in Covina. The Covina massacre occurred on December 24, 2008, in Covina, a city in the suburbs of Los Angeles, California, United States. When her gun jammed, McEnroe rushed to help, putting a bullet through Wayne’s skull before gunning down his wife, according to The Seattle Times. Share. The device apparently ignited an open flame elsewhere in the house, causing an explosion. The two high school sophomores, along with friend Glen Urban, had fallen under the spell of 19-year-old Simon Sue, who was born and raised in the small South American country of Guayana. 81: Covina Christmas Massacre. Michele’s brother, Scott, sister-in-law, Erica, 3-year-old nephew, Nathan, and 5-year-old niece, Olivia, arrived about an hour later, according to the Times. Homicide for the Holidays Returns on Saturday, December 7th. Christmas parties are a time for joy, laughs, and family. 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… Murder suspect Isaac Robin-McCain Grimes, 15, center, is escorted into the courtroom of the Park County Courthouse, Tuesday, March 13, 2001. Sylvia Ortega was one of the nine killed at the holiday get-together. Something triggered the trap, engulfing the vehicle in flames, although no one was injured, according to the Press Democrat. A time to be shared with the ones you love. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. An investigation later found that Bruce’s recent ex-wife — their divorce was finalized on Dec. 18, 2008 — was an Ortega. Although we do not pre-screen comments, we reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. She and her husband had seen a car leaving their cul-de-sac at around 11:45 PM. In the few seconds before the line went dead, she could be heard pleading with her attackers: “Not the kids, no!”. Even children weren’t safe from these shocking crimes from the past three seasons of “Homicide for the Holidays.”. Killer Santa: The Covina Massacre. About plans: Gunman in Santa Suit Had Ticket to Canada (Published 2008) On Christmas Eve 2008, however, the festivities turned into a nightmare, when a man dressed as Santa Claus walked into the house and opened fire with a pair of handguns, as told on “Homicide For The Holidays.”, The home soon went up in flames, prompting 911 calls from the neighbors. I’m fighting for them.”. Katrina said the video and walkout have become part of her healing process. Investigating the house after the fire had been put down, authorities found nine bodies, all burned beyond recognition. Pardo killed his ex-wife, who had recently divorced him, and eight of her relatives. More grim details of Christmas Eve shooting rampage in Covina emerge. Katrina, a junior in high school, is doing just that. Their initiation included burglaries Sue pressured them to commit, giving up the money they made from after-school jobs and being forced to watch gruesome, realistic faux-“snuff” movies like the “Faces of Death” series, the Post reported. According to Oxygen, “Someone dressed as Santa had unexpectedly arrived at the Ortega home and began shooting. Judy was wrapping presents in a back room. Going West: True Crime. 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 … This is the story of the Covina Christmas Massacre. In 2008, a man dressed in a Santa suit entered the home of his ex-wife's family during a Christmas party and opened fire on everyone inside before setting the home on fire. Katrina underwent surgery to remove bullet fragments and close the wound in her cheek that she got before escaping. Officers from the King County Jail lead Joseph McEnroe, center, into King County Superior Court, Tuesday morning Jan. 20, 2015. He immediately began shooting, then used the flamethrower to torch the house in Covina. “It’s not stopping me, it’s not instilling fear in me. Sue convinced the boys that he was part of a paramilitary group called Operations and Reconnaissance Agents, and that they should join him, according to the Post. Meanwhile, down at the main house, his friend Jonathan Matheny, 17, opened fire with an assault rifle, cutting down Tony’s grandparents, Carl and JoAnna, 60 and 58. Meanwhile, in nearby Sylmar, police responded to Brad Pardo’s home, where he had just returned from a Christmas party to find his brother, Bruce, lying dead of a single gunshot wound to the head. Michele and McEnroe targeted the parents first, shooting Scott and Erica multiple times as they entered the living room. Covina is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, about 22 miles (35 km) east of downtown Los Angeles, in the San Gabriel Valley.The population was 47,796 at the 2010 census, up from 46,837 at the 2000 census. It was packed with thousands of rounds of ammunition and a Santa-suit booby trap. Katrina Yuzefpolsky was 8 when a man dressed as Santa Claus shot her in the face and killed nine of her family members with guns and a homemade flamethrower at a Christmas Eve party in Covina. A Christmas Day trip to church now is followed by a trip to the cemetery. “Yes, we do,” he said, before shooting her in the head. Let's get completely out of any kind of holiday spirit by diving into a senseless and tragic murder of a family on Christmas Eve in 2008. Leticia’s 8-year-old daughter, Katrina, took a bullet to the face, but survived. Survivor of Covina Christmas massacre to join…, 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), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), Survivor of Covina Christmas massacre to join protesting students in Pasadena walkout, L.A. County sheriff searches offices of LA Metro, oversight board member in criminal probe, Pasadena’s Mayor Gordo asks police chief to offer reward for 10-year-old’s shooting, Coronavirus tracker: California reported 7,244 new cases, 425 new deaths and 410 fewer hospitalizations on Feb. 18, Montebello’s Beverly Hospital to hold vaccine clinics. According to Isaac’s mother, Donna Grimes, Sue convinced the sophomore that if he didn’t do as he was told — up to and including murder — he would have his family killed. Her mother, Leticia Yuzefpolsky — who also escaped the massacre with her other daughter — has worked to make life as normal as possible for her girls and for her niece, whom she adopted after the girl’s mother died in the attack. I can only focus on the future ... I’m not going to allow you to continue to consume us with your evilness. Katrina was the first one shot when her aunt’s ex-husband, Bruce Pardo, burst into her grandparents’ home on Christmas Eve in 2008. They dragged the bodies to a shed in the backyard, then lay in wait for the rest of the family to arrive, the Times reported. On December 24, 2008 a man showed up at a Christmas party in Covina, CA, wearing a Santa suit carrying a flamethrower... Support Ghost Town on Patreon. Here, we will take a look at five murder cases that took place around the most festive period of the … Charles Dutcher, father of Tony, said at Matheny’s sentencing that the 68 years wasn’t enough, according to the Post. This season’s stories include multiple murders in a town called Santa Claus, where it’s Christmas all year-round; a mother shot in the head in front of her small children on Thanksgiving; and a couple’s first Christmas in Florida that exploded in violence because of infidelity. Description. He immediately began shooting, then used the flamethrower to torch the house in Covina, 30 miles (48 kilometers) east of Los Angeles. The bloodthirsty duo arrived early at the Anderson home, both carrying handguns, according to The Seattle Times, a local newspaper. The Covina Massacre (2008) One week after his divorce had been finalized, Bruce Pardo showed up to his ex-wife’s family home on Christmas Eve 2008 and began shooting at 25 people inside, including the 8-year-old survivor who unluckily answered the door. “THE CHRISTMAS TALE SO SCARY THE COUNTRY CENSORED IT” and More True Holiday Horrors! Santa's slay: Bruce Pardo's family massacre at Christmas Bruce Pardo's divorce came through on December 18 - six days later he went on a rampage Tis the night before Christmas... so what better time to revisit the case of Bruce Jeffrey Pardo, a scorned divorcee who gunned down nine members of his ex's family on Christmas Eve 2008 - and that's just the start of it. He told them that Carl Dutcher was a racist, and thus needed to die, according to the Post. The Ortegas, Joseph and Alice, loved Christmas, and it was their favorite time of the year to spend time with their … A 9mm pistol lay on Bruce’s lap; a second was on the floor. #WeirdDarkness. This December, Oxygen brings viewers a fourth round of shocking true stories of holidays turned murderous, with the return of “Homicide for the Holidays,” premiering Saturday, Dec. 7 at 7:30/6:30c. Michele and McEnroe were arrested shortly after the killings and made full confessions. Sign up for our Crime Time Newsletter and subscribe to our true crime podcast Martinis & Murder for all the best true crime content. She plans on going to an elite school, possibly Harvard or Amherst. While McEnroe kept Judy distracted in the back of the house, Michele claimed that she confronted her father in the living room and tried to shoot him. Enraged over money troubles with her brother and parents, Michele had convinced McEnroe they had no choice but to kill her family, according to NBC News. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, sweepstakes, and more! When her friend Bella Marez — also Pasadena’s 100th Rose Queen — came up with an idea to make a video spreading the word about the walkouts, she immediately asked for Katrina’s help. In the middle of investigating the chaotic scene, police also received a tip from a neighbor. The Covina massacre happened on Christmas eve (Dec 24th) 2008, in Covina, California. Her sister, Leticia, survived, and told investigators that she recognized Bruce despite the Santa Claus get-up. The CHD, THC, and CBG benefits can help … Erica survived long enough to crawl to the telephone and dial 911, according to local NBC affiliate K5 News. Katrina Yuzefpolsky was 8 when a man dressed as Santa Claus shot her in the face and killed nine of her family members with guns and a homemade flamethrower at a Christmas Eve party in Covina. The perpetrator, 45-year-old Bruce Jeffrey Pardo, who had entered the house wearing a Santa suit, died from a self-inflicted gunshot to the head at his brother's residence in the early hours of the morni… We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions. Each hour-long episode will examine a devastating case and aims to help unveil secrets about the true motive of the killer. She has tried to teach the girls not to give power to their family’s killer, to continue celebrating Christmas, to associate Santa with good things, and to honor their loved ones by living life with purpose. Discover Ghost Town: Strange History, True Crime, & the Paranormal 81: Covina Christmas Massacre. She tries not to sweat life’s little irritations. He had helped build the lean-to, and Tony had taught him how to shoot a gun, according to the Denver Post. Victims: Ninth Body Found in Christmas Eve Massacre. “They’re seeing I’m finally going to make a difference and stand up for something that needs to be changed. Katrina and her close friend created a video to help spread the word about the walkout at their school in Pasadena, telling peers that it’s their “duty to stand together as a generation to demand change.”, “I’ve lived through it, and I’m still living my life as best as I can,” she said. In advance of the new season’s premiere, here are the most shocking stories from the last three seasons of “Homicide For The Holidays.”. Or, contact our editors by emailing moderator@scng.com. Homicide for the Holidays airs Saturdays at 6/5c on Oxygen. Katrina was the first one shot when her aunt’s ex-husband, Bruce Pardo, burst into her grandparents’ home on Christmas Eve in 2008. All four eventually pleaded guilty, with Sue getting 53 years in prison, Matheny 68, Grimes 60 and Urban two for his role, the Post reported. An autopsy showed that Bruce had shot himself. Update: 2019-12-25. Friends and relatives make their way to the funeral Mass for victims of the Christmas Eve massacre in Covina. Sue trained the boys in moving past motion sensors undetected and breaking and entering, according to the Colorado Springs Independent. Nine people were killed at a Christmas Eve party. I want that change. The Ortega Family Christmas Eve Massacre Christmas was a particularly special time for the Ortega family of Covina, California. A roast was in the oven. I don’t want other families to go through what me and my family went through.”. McEnroe told investigators that he apologized to both children before shooting them dead as well. Recently, she has been inspired by teenage survivors of the Florida shooting and their determination to effect change even though plenty of adults don’t think they should have a say in the discussion over gun laws. He killed himself shortly afterward. More than nine years later, Katrina is 17 and joining a growing number of teenagers who have survived gun violence and are demanding change to weapons laws. On Christmas Eve 2008, her former brother-in-law, Bruce Pardo, dressed up as Santa Claus and killed nine members of Leticia's family who had gathered for a holiday party at her parents' home in Covina, California. Nine people were killed, either by gunshot wounds or in an arson fire inside a house at 1129 East Knollcrest Drive, where a Christmas Eve party was being held. More than nine years later, Katrina is 17 and joining a growing number of teenagers who have survived gun violence and are demanding change to weapons laws. When Sue first spoke with investigators, he called his organization “just a good citizen’s group” and said that he was interested in a law enforcement career. If you see comments that you find offensive, please use the “Flag as Inappropriate” feature by hovering over the right side of the post, and pulling down on the arrow that appears. Killer Santa - Bruce Jeffrey Pardo - Murder, Mysteries, a… She and students across California and the U.S. are walking out of their schools for 17 minutes on Wednesday — each minute representing a victim of the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High … I will get through it,'” Katrina said. Crime Time is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. 00:37:08; In 2008, a man dressed in a Santa suit entered the home of his ex-wife's family during a Christmas party and opened fire on everyone inside before setting the home on fire. Alicia and Joseph Ortega were hosts of the Christmas Eve party at their Covina home where their former son-in-law opened fire on revelers. Grimes wasn’t joining his friend for a sleepover, however — he slashed his throat with a knife. There were pieces of his Santa Suit melted onto his body as well, from when he had torched the Ortega home using a homemade flamethrower at the end of his massacre. On Dec. 31, 1999, the small Colorado town of Guffey was stunned by a horrific triple-murder. That was the case of Bruce Jeffrey Pardo, the Killer Santa. Episode 107: The Covina Christmas Eve Massacre By Morbid: A True Crime Podcast. “I remind myself, ‘I’m OK. Investigators probed the triple-murder for months until they got a confession out of Grimes, who pointed to Sue as the mastermind, according to the Post. Pardo killed his ex-wife, who had recently divorced him, and eight of her relatives. “I know my family — my angels — are here watching me,” she said. There was more to the New Year’s Eve slaughter than initially seemed, though: Rather than a burglary or home invasion, the murder of the Dutchers was planned out — and the mastermind was miles away when Grimes and Matheny struck. Joseph and Alice invited their five adult children and their families to their home for food and fun, including a lively game of poker. They were left with little more than a neighbor’s tip about a suspicious vehicle leaving the area around 11:45 p.m. One responding fire lieutenant, in conversation with “Homicide For The Holidays,” described the scene as “apocalyptic.”. The elderly couple had no way of knowing they and their family were about to fall prey to a gut-wrenching mass murder. Police say the couple died in the shooting. Katrina was the first one shot when her aunt’s ex-husband, Bruce Pardo, burst into her grandparents’ home on Christmas Eve in 2008. They pleaded guilty at trial and were both sentenced to life in prison without parole. In the chaos amidst the fire response, authorities were only able to make contact at first with Leticia, who escaped the blaze with her husband and 8-year-old daughter — who had been shot. “I’ve survived being shot in the face, shot in the cheek, losing my family. ___________ Get 20% off your Microdose order AND free shipping by using promo code "goingwest20" at checkout! The city's slogan, "One Mile Square and All There", was coined when the incorporated area of the city was only one square mile. Instead of attending church on Christmas eve, they visit the cemetery where their family is buried.
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