In a horrifying Christmas incident, a man dressed as Santa Claus drove to his former in-laws’ house, where his ex-wife lived, and brutally killed nine people either by shooting or arson. Known as the Covina massacre, the perpetrator, Bruce Jeffrey Pardo, carried out the heinous act on Christmas Eve in 2008 in Los Angeles County, California.
Bruce, 45, traveled 20 miles to Covina where his ex-wife Sylvia and her family were hosting a Christmas party. He opened fire on the 25 party attendees around 11:30 pm. Tragically, his eight-year-old niece, who innocently greeted him at the door mistaking him for Santa, was among the victims.
Armed with weapons and a device for igniting fires, Bruce unleashed terror on the partygoers, resulting in the deaths of nine individuals, including his ex-wife, in-laws, and other family members. Three others were injured in the attack.
The motive behind the massacre was suspected to be the recent finalization of Bruce and Sylvia’s divorce, where she was to receive certain assets. Bruce had been planning the attack for months, acquiring ammunition, guns, and constructing a device to set the house on fire.
In preparation for the crime, Bruce ordered a customized Santa suit, rented cars, and made other arrangements. After the killings, suffering severe burns, he managed to change clothes and flee to his brother’s house, where he eventually took his own life.
Further investigation revealed that Bruce had booby-trapped another rented car and intended to target his mother as well. However, due to his injuries, his plans were thwarted. The police found the booby-trapped car outside his ex-wife’s divorce attorney’s home, and another car parked at his brother’s house exploded upon discovery.
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