It's a horrific tragedy. That it occurred on Christmas Eve in the midst of a joyous family celebration makes it even more tragic.
Stung by a bitter divorce, on Christmas Eve Bruce Pardo dressed in a Santa suit and drove to his former in-laws' home on a quiet cul-de-sac in Covina, 22 miles east of Los Angeles. More than 25 members of the extended Ortega family, many of them young children, were gathered for their traditional Christmas Eve celebration. Adults were sharing the latest family news. Presents were being passed out to excited children. The table was spread with tasty holiday treats.
Relatives had been arriving all night. So when the doorbell rang at 11:30 p.m., one of the children ran to open the door. Pardo shot her in the face and proceeded to systematically shoot his way through the house, killing at least 8 people, including his ex-wife and her parents. Others were critically injured. He then sprayed the home with a fire accelerant and set it ablaze. In moments flames were shooting into the sky. Family members escaped by smashing through glass and jumping out of windows.
Police found Pardo hours later at his brother's house in Sylmar in Los Angeles. In an apparent suicide, Pardo died of a single gunshot to the head.
Police are still working to identify bodies found in the ashes, some from dental records. Some family members are still missing and others remain in the hospital in critical condition. There is speculation that the bitter divorce and a possible recent job loss may have pushed Pardo over the edge. Police are still investigating.
It's impossible to know if this most senseless of tragedies could have been avoided. Domestic violence charges can be brought when one party feels threatened or intimidated by the other. Threats, stalking, physical assault and abuse, annoying phone calls, sexual abuse, verbal abuse, emotional cruelty, financial abuse and social abuse are all actionable under domestic violence laws. Courts can order counseling, community service, fines, "No Harm No Strike" orders, restraining (stay-away) orders and even jail time in cases of domestic violence. To learn more about your rights, contact experienced criminal defense attorney Stephen Rodriguez.
