"Santa Gunman" Had Lost Wife, Job

Officials Release Details Of Murderous Christmas Eve Rampage In California

(AP)  Bruce Pardo's ambitions rarely panned out quite as he envisioned.

He lost his electrical engineering job. His marriage ended after two years. Even his planned getaway to Canada after a murderous rampage at his former in-laws' house ended instead in his suicide after he badly burned himself while torching the house.

The 45-year-old Pardo, accused of killing nine people and injuring three others, wasn't known well by neighbors, who described him as a quiet man. Friends said he volunteered as a church usher.

But on Christmas Eve, police said he wreaked unimaginable havoc when he showed up at a party at his ex-wife's parents' home dressed as Santa Claus, leaving behind charred corpses and endless questions.

"It's a shock to everybody that knew him," said Jan Detanna, head usher at the Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Montrose, where Pardo volunteered. "You just don't know what's going on sometimes."

Some described Pardo as a big man with a firm handshake who seemed upbeat and doted on a big, brown Akita dog he owned with his former wife.

Police said Friday that Pardo ditched his plan to flee to Canada after suffering burns in the attack on the home in Covina, 25 miles east of Los Angeles. He was later found dead, a plane ticket and cash strapped to his body, and parts of his Santa costume fused to his skin.

Officials also released a 911 call filled with frantic appeals for help. "My mom's house is on fire!" said a caller phoning from a neighbor's house. "He's still shooting at them!"

Emerging details indicated Pardo devised an extensive plan to destroy his ex-wife's family after a costly divorce that was finalized last week, just months after losing his aerospace job.

No bodies were identified because of charring, but police Lt. Tim Doonan said all were Pardo's former relatives. He declined to say whether his ex-wife and her parents were among them, but said they were unaccounted for.

The victims were believed to range in age from 17 to 80. Police Chief Kim Raney said "he stood over them and shot them execution-style."

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 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. The girl survived.

Pardo retreated to the front door and retrieved a device that mixed carbon dioxide or oxygen with high-octane racing fuel. 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."

Pardo then drove to his brother's home in the Sylmar area of Los Angeles, broke in and shot himself in the head. His brother discovered the body early Thursday. Pardo 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 wrapping and some in a girdle, the chief said.

Before the suicide, Pardo used remnants of the Santa suit to booby-trap his rental car to explode, the chief said.

Raney said Pardo wired the suit so when it was lifted it "would pull a trip wire or a switch, ignite a flare inside the car that would then ignite black powder and he had several hundred rounds of handgun ammunition inside the car."

The device went off as a bomb squad worked to disarm it Thursday but no one was hurt.

A search of Pardo's own home in Montrose, a suburb northeast of Los Angeles, turned up racing fuel, five empty boxes for high-powered semi-automatic handguns and two high-powered shotguns.

The police chief said Pardo had no military experience, and in a resume he claimed to have a bachelor's and master's degree in electrical engineering.

Court records show Pardo's ex-wife, Sylvia Pardo, 43, filed for a dissolution of marriage on March 24, 2008, and they were legally separated after about two years of marriage. The two reached a settlement on Dec. 18.

Bruce Pardo owed her $10,000 as part of the settlement, according to court documents that detailed a bitter split. He also lost a dog he doted upon and did not get back a valuable wedding ring.

"No counseling or delay could help restore this marriage," the settlement stated. "There are irreconcilable differences which have led to the complete breakdown of the marriage."

The couple had no children together, but Bruce Pardo had a son from a previous relationship who had "some challenges," Raney said without elaboration. "I'm not sure he was supporting the child but he does have at least one child," he said.

[remrafbn]

amy said "The court system is not to blame as well as guns for our actions."

Do you think that Cho could have killed as many without a gun? Guns are at the epicenter of our homicide and suicide problems. Close to 70% of all homicides and close to 60% of all suicides are gun-related. I wonder why people have the nerve to say that we should ignore thr role of guns in our homicides and suicides.

[remrafbn]

Rosinocchio said "If she had any education at all she would realize her copy paste approach to the subject straight from the HCI/Brady *** websites!"

You should be the last person to talk about the education of others. You do not have any. You have shown extreme ignorance about this subject.

Rosie is really Pinocchio. She posts data from the gun lobby and claims it to be from the Department of Justice. She claimed the Department of Justice reports more than 200,000 women defending themselves against rape with guns every year. I asked her how could that be possible when they just report less than 100,000 rapes and attempted rapes per year. I said she was lying. She was I was lying. She demanded a link and so did I. I posted mine and she disappeared. Rosie also claimed that another shooter built his own guns. I researched every news report about that case and there was no mention whatsoever of her claim. She said she was going to review the "history" in her browser to find the source. She never did. She said the Brady Campaign reported around 2 million DGUs per year. That was also proven a lie. Now we call her Rosinocchio!~ She is a pathological LIAR!~

[amy19811]

Ok, first and foremost for all of you people out there who want to blame a particular gender and the court system for this individual''s actions you are only allowing violence like this to carry on and in fact are allowing these individuals a scape goat to blame their actions on.
We should start looking at the fact that the majority of people who are honestly in a manic state do not have the ability to plan these types of things they tend to just act without a plan. This man was in a mindset to plan what he thought would be the perfect murder and he obviously was planning long enough to rent a car, Santa suit, and get an airplane ticket.
There is no one particular *** who commit crimes like this for instance, Andrea Yates.
I do not feel sorry for the individuals who commit these types of crimes however I feel more concern for the individuals that will suffer due to the actions committed by some individual who acted out, or threw a spoiled fit.
The court system is not to blame as well as guns for our actions. This is why we are born with brains (for thinking), legs for walking, and hands to do with whatever we please. So quit encouraging behaviors by making excuses for people and let''s as a country start making people be accountable for their own actions.

[erasmus606]

They''''re preparing us for socialist censorship when the Democrats get total control next year.

Posted by txgrouch2008 at 06:27 PM : Dec 29, 2008

You just wait and see. After Obama has been in there for awhile, you will be wondering what ever possessed you to vote for Bush.

[erasmus606]

You sure know how to pick ''''em.

Posted by txgrouch2008 at 02:59 PM : Dec 29, 2008

Yes I do! I know an intelligent person when I see them.

[erasmus606]

And nothing like responding to my post nearly FOUR HOURS LATER...

Posted by txgrouch2008 at 02:59 PM : Dec 29, 2008

This is the SECOND time I responded to it. A bunch of comments were deleted.

[erasmus606]

txgrouch - Texas
rowdy - Texas
tucker - Texas

Hmmmm, I''m beginning to think that the only intelligent person living in Texas is TUCKER!

[erasmus606]

The biggest loser is YOU, skulking around here past 1 am to post your sniping judgemental self-righteous trash.

Posted by txgrouch2008 at 08:41 AM : Dec 29, 2008

Too stupid to know about the difference in time between the east and west coast, I see.

[erasmus606]

Remrafdn is the best lover I have ever had!~

Posted by remrafbn at 10:53 AM : Dec 29, 2008

Hahaha, like yourself much?:)

[winsors1]

I know freedom of speech is one of many freedoms we have in this country. But I really wish CBS would just shut down "Post your Comments". The *** that people put here has been disgusting to say the least.
Anyway...I''m sure someone will have something negative to say about my opinion.....CBS if you have somebody that reads this stull. Please delete it, or better yet..just shut down the whole "Post Your Comments". I don''t think people actually understand your purpose in letting others share their thoughts on the articles you publish.

[rosieodminge]

I love how she trolls the stories involving firearms, lashing out against America and the 2nd Amendment, while sitting secure in a country protected entirely by the very people she loathes!

If she had any education at all she would realize her copy paste approach to the subject straight from the HCI/Brady *** websites!

The information is not earned, it is not researched, and it gets shot-down (pun intended) time and time again!

Obamalamadindong even knew that if he didnt mind his tongue on guns he would not have been elected.

Gun control is a dead social issue, it was fun for the left in the early 90''s until they achieved what they wanted, then got something they didnt, crippling lossed that took 2 decades to recover from!

I hope they are dumb enough to attempt another AWB, they''ll just get cleaned out faster!

Dems will do nothing for healthcare, foreign policy, the wars, or the economy. They are part of the same machine as the repubs, this one side vs. another is a slight of hand drummed up by politicians to distract the mouth breathing public while they rape our country.

[rosieodminge]

I have been reading articles on this website for 2 years. I have also talked to MANY people on this website.
Posted by erasmus606 at 04:56 PM : Dec 28, 2008





Sad, very sad.

[rosieodminge]

One last thing. I know you said you were going, but I know you will be back.

Are you aware that Canada and Australia''''s economy is the best in the world right now?





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by erasmus606





What a ******!

Singapore #1
New Zealand #2
USA #3

Canaduh & Asstralia #8 & #9

Youre so full of ***

hahahahahaha

[wl7bzh]

BY THE WAY I HAVE A PERMIT TO CARRY. DOWN HERE IN ALABAMA, WE HAVE VERY LITTLE CRIME OUTSIDE OF THE BIG CITY (BIRMINGHAM). NO ONE MESSES WITH ANYONE OR THEIR STUFF BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE HAVE A PERMIT AND/OR LOTS OF GUNS. IT IS AMAZING WHAT A DETERENT GUN OWNERSHIP AND CARRY PERMITS WILL DO.

Posted by KristianInAL at 11:55 PM : Dec 27, 2008

Very little crime in Alabama? And Birmingham with the rest of Alabama is going broke because?

It bet the little woman is impressed with her macho man being able to use the internet. EEEH Hawwww-hey babe, bring yo man nuther beer.

Football season? Bubba ya must be in hawg heaven.

[erasmus606]

You are ONE JUDGMENTAL FOOL, sitting in a JUDGMENTAL chair spewing about something YOU KNOW ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT!

Posted by RowdynTex at 04:32 PM : Dec 28, 2008

I obviously know more than you. I have been reading articles on this website for 2 years. I have also talked to MANY people on this website.

AND I have many relatives that live in the United States.

[erasmus606]

I see txgrouch and given it up.

Posted by erasmus606 at 04:46 PM : Dec 28, 2008

That should read: "I see txgrouch HAS given it up".

[erasmus606]

Yawwwwwwwwwwwwn....between you an erasmus606...playing with fools is something I''''m done with right now...it''''s just so.....boring!

Toots noor!

Posted by RowdynTex at 04:38 PM : Dec 28, 2008

Well of course it''s boring, you are losing! Isn''t that what you do, run away or change your name, when you are losing?

I bet you are a bitter, old, shriveled up prune that is full of hatred. And you haven''t anything better to do than sit on here 24/7, spewing that hatred. Maybe you should get a life.

I see txgrouch and given it up. He''s even more of a wimp than you.

[erasmus606]

Obama is a good start. It shows that the vast majority of people in your country have a brain, so maybe there is some hope.

Posted by erasmus606 at 04:31 PM : Dec 28, 2008

Although I doubt it. Ignorant people like you won''t stop until you destroy every last piece of decency that is left. Obama will be lucky to get a chance to do anything. You won''t be happy until you have destroyed your own country.

[erasmus606]

Posted by RowdynTex at 04:22 PM : Dec 28, 2008

There is something that you don''t seem to be getting.

I have never said that we don''t have crime. We were talking about GUNS and gun crime. Now, you can come up with a little fact here and a little fact there, but it don''t even come close "per capita" to you. And THAT is a FACT. And Toronto is one city, in one Province. Of course you choose Toronto because it''s the worst city in Canada. But when we read the stuff on CBS, it''s about ALL of the U.S. And it''s never-ending, day after day after day.

You are a whacko gun nut and will never be able to see the truth, so there really isn''t any point in discussing it further. Thank God there are some people in your country that do see the light. Maybe they can get things turned around. Obama is a good start. It shows that the vast majority of people in your country have a brain, so maybe there is some hope.

[joule18]

There is no excuse for what he did. It is horrific.

However, I was wondering why after less than 2 years marriage and no children between them, the judge awarded so much spousal support to the ex-wife.

This pressure on top of his job loss (and we don''t know how much the ex taunted him) as well as his not wanting the marriage to end probably sent him over the edge.

It seems as though the ex probably had more than enough support from family that she would have been all right even if she had walked away with a job of her own.