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hbugal
Lesigh
Member since 2/07 15928 total posts
Name:
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Man in Santa suit kills 8...
How horrible...
COVINA, Calif. – Stinging from an acrimonious divorce, a man plotting revenge against his ex-wife dressed up like Santa, went to his former in-laws' Christmas Eve party and slaughtered at least eight people before killing himself hours later.
Bruce Pardo's ex-wife and her parents were believed to be among the dead. Investigators planned to return to the scene Friday and sift through the ashes of the home, which Pardo set ablaze using a bizarre homemade device that sprayed flammable liquid.
Pardo, 45, had no criminal record and no history of violence, according to police, but he was angry following last week's settlement of his divorce after a marriage that lasted barely a year.
"It was not an amicable divorce," police Lt. Pat Buchanan said.
Pardo chose to exact his revenge at the annual Christmas party his former in-laws held at their two-story home on a cul-de-sac in a quiet Covina neighborhood 25 miles east of Los Angeles.
"Christmases were that special time of the year, it meant so much to them," Rosa Ordaz, a family friend of the victims, told KCBS-TV.
In past years, a neighbor dressed as Santa Claus and entertained guests. But the neighbor had moved away and there was no Santa — until Pardo arrived about 11:30 p.m.
The massacre began when an 8-year-old girl answered Pardo's knock at the door. Pardo, carrying what appeared to be a large present, pulled out a handgun and shot her in the face, then began shooting indiscriminately as about 25 partygoers tried to flee, police said.
A 16-year-old girl was shot in the back, and a 20-year-old woman broke her ankle when she escaped by jumping from a second-story window. Those two, and the 8-year-old, remained hospitalized Christmas Day. All were expected to recover.
The gift-wrapped box Pardo was carrying actually contained a pressurized homemade device he used to spray a liquid that quickly sent the house up in flames. Police said Pardo had recently worked is the aerospace industry.
David Salgado, a neighbor, said he saw the 8-year-old victim being escorted to an ambulance by four SWAT team members as flames up to 40 feet high consumed the house.
"It was really ugly," Salgado said.
Another neighbor, Jan Gregory, said she saw a teenage boy flee the home, screaming, "`They shot my family.'"
When the fire was extinguished early Thursday, officers found three charred bodies in the living room area.
"They were met with a scene that was just indescribable," police Chief Kim Raney said. Investigators found three more bodies amid the ashes later in the day.
None of the dead or missing has been identified. Authorities were unable to immediately determine whether the victims were killed by the flames or the gunfire.
Following the shootings, Pardo quickly got out of the Santa suit and drove off, witnesses told police. He went to his brother's home about 25 miles away in the Sylmar area of Los Angeles. No one was home, so Pardo let himself in, police said.
Police were called to the home early Thursday, and officers found Pardo dead of a single bullet to the head. Two handguns were found at the scene, and two more were discovered in the wreckage of his former in-laws' house.
Investigators seeking further information about Pardo's motives have begun searching his home in the suburban Los Angeles community of Montrose.
Pardo's next-door neighbor, who did not want her name published to protect her privacy, said he moved in more than a year ago with a woman and a child. She said they kept mostly to themselves and the woman later moved out with the child.
Pardo was often seen walking a dog around the neighborhood and working on his lawn, the neighbor said.
He also served regularly as an usher at evening Mass at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Montrose, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Jan Detanna, the head usher at the church, was stunned when told about the violence.
"I'm just — this is shocking," Detanna told the Times. "He was the nicest guy you could imagine. Always a pleasure to talk to, always a big smile."
Bong Garcia, another of Pardo's next-door neighbors, told the Times he saw Pardo between 9 and 10 p.m. Christmas Eve and spoke briefly to him. Pardo told him he was on his way to a Christmas party, Garcia said
SOURCE
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Posted 12/26/08 12:12 AM  |
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Long Island Weddings
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butterfly20
Party of 5 - 2015
Member since 4/06 7390 total posts
Name:
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Re: Man in Santa suit kills 8...
 thats horrible
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| Posted 12/26/08 12:15 AM |
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MrsPJB2007
MBA at your service!
Member since 7/06 12020 total posts
Name:
MJ
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Re: Man in Santa suit kills 8...
o...m...g. that is insane...this is such a terrible story. that poor family. 
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| Posted 12/26/08 12:17 AM |
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MissJones
I need a nap!
Member since 5/05 22150 total posts
Name:
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Re: Man in Santa suit kills 8...
What a piece of $h!t...he couldn't just let go and move on.
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| Posted 12/26/08 12:38 AM |
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CCMommy
EVERYTHING CHANGES
Member since 12/07 2528 total posts
Name:
CC's Mommy
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Re: Man in Santa suit kills 8...
Oh my god, how horrible
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| Posted 12/26/08 1:20 AM |
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timanda
Puppy Love
Member since 6/08 1627 total posts
Name:
Amanda
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Re: Man in Santa suit kills 8...
So sad.
 For the families of the victims.
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| Posted 12/26/08 2:21 AM |
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luvsbob4603
To a healthy 2013
Member since 5/05 21840 total posts
Name:
To a brand new year to a healthier me
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Re: Man in Santa suit kills 8...
O.M.G. That is just terrible.
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| Posted 12/26/08 7:36 AM |
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MrsM-6-7-08
<3
Member since 8/06 4249 total posts
Name:
Nicole
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Re: Man in Santa suit kills 8...
This is such a horrible story, and it really shows that you never ever know what someone is capable of when they get extremely angry
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| Posted 12/26/08 8:27 AM |
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Karen
Just chillin'!!
Member since 1/06 9690 total posts
Name:
Karen
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Re: Man in Santa suit kills 8...
I read about this last night and it bothered me all night . Talk about premeditation!!
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| Posted 12/26/08 9:02 AM |
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nicrae
He's here!
Member since 12/06 9289 total posts
Name:
Mommy
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Re: Man in Santa suit kills 8...
Awful
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| Posted 12/26/08 9:09 AM |
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anjerandunder
Positive thoughts worked!!!
Member since 6/06 1909 total posts
Name:
J
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Re: Man in Santa suit kills 8...
that is just horrible.
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| Posted 12/26/08 10:14 AM |
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Stacey1403
Where it all began....
Member since 5/05 24065 total posts
Name:
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Re: Man in Santa suit kills 8...
How do you just shoot an 8 year old in thre face
What a sick f*ck!!!!
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| Posted 12/26/08 10:44 AM |
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1stimemom
Love my boys
Member since 2/08 8766 total posts
Name:
Mrs Dee
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Re: Man in Santa suit kills 8...
I think the whole damned world has gone nuts!
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| Posted 12/26/08 10:46 AM |
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Cpt2007
A new love!
Member since 1/08 5946 total posts
Name:
Liz
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Re: Man in Santa suit kills 8...
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| Posted 12/26/08 10:55 AM |
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eroxgirl
My Loves
Member since 5/05 15697 total posts
Name:
Rebecca
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Re: Man in Santa suit kills 8...
HE SHOT AN 8 YEAR OLD IN THE FACE!!!
That part is the worst. And the coward killed himself. I'm sick to my stomach reading this.
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| Posted 12/26/08 11:25 AM |
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MarathonKnitter
HAPPY
Member since 2/07 17374 total posts
Name:
EMBRACING CHANGE
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Re: Man in Santa suit kills 8...
i had heard about killing the ex wife and in-laws, but i hadn't heard about the child.
makes me sick
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| Posted 12/26/08 11:47 AM |
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Ambersmom
Straight up nasty
Member since 5/05 7740 total posts
Name:
Sharon
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Re: Man in Santa suit kills 8...
Posted by eroxgirl
HE SHOT AN 8 YEAR OLD IN THE FACE!!!
That part is the worst. And the coward killed himself. I'm sick to my stomach reading this.
I know!!! The ex-wife had three children; none of which have been mentioned/accounted for
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| Posted 12/26/08 11:51 AM |
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CrankyPants
I'm cranky
Member since 7/06 18178 total posts
Name:
Mama Cranky
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Re: Man in Santa suit kills 8...
How horrible. Just horrible.
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| Posted 12/26/08 12:02 PM |
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FelAndJon
needs to update her avatar pic
Member since 6/05 10212 total posts
Name:
Felice (aka LuckyBride2004)
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Re: Man in Santa suit kills 8...
I saw it on the news last night. It took me a long time to fall asleep after seeing that. Just heartbreaking.
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| Posted 12/26/08 12:35 PM |
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Serendipity
Summer!
Member since 4/07 7631 total posts
Name:
PrayingWishingHopingALOT
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Re: Man in Santa suit kills 8...
That is a horrible story!
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| Posted 12/26/08 12:41 PM |
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Re: Man in Santa suit kills 8...
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| Posted 12/26/08 12:58 PM |
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Phyl
R.I.P. Sweet Mia ♥
Member since 5/06 28918 total posts
Name:
The Mystical Azzhorse! ™
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Re: Man in Santa suit kills 8...
I commented about this yeaterday. What is wrong with people 
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| Posted 12/26/08 1:04 PM |
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LemonHead
Sour Girl
Member since 3/08 5271 total posts
Name:
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Re: Man in Santa suit kills 8...
what a disgusting story
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| Posted 12/26/08 1:33 PM |
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JennCo
My greatest joy is my baby boy
Member since 1/07 2772 total posts
Name:
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Re: Man in Santa suit kills 8...
that gave me chills just reading it
for the family
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| Posted 12/26/08 1:39 PM |
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BRod-Cheng
I'm going to be a big brother!
Member since 6/07 1860 total posts
Name:
Betty
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Re: Man in Santa suit kills 8...
POS!!!!
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| Posted 12/26/08 1:48 PM |
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