Death penalty sought in Seal Beach massacre

Updated 10:27 PM EST

SANTA ANA, Calif. - Prosecutors will seek the death penalty for the man they called a "methodical and merciless killer" who stormed through a salon and killed eight people.

Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said Friday that Scott Dekraai has been charged with eight counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.

Rackauckas choked up several times during an emotional news conference while saying the rampage was triggered by a long-running custody dispute that Dekraai had with his ex-wife, Michelle Fournier. She was one of the people fatally wounded.

"In a selfish, cruel act of senseless violence, eight innocent people were murdered," Rackauckas said.

Ex-wife feared Seal Beach suspect as unbalanced
Seal Beach survivor thought shooting was prank
Seal Beach remembers victims after salon attack

He said Dekraai, 41, arrived at Salon Meritage in downtown Seal Beach on Wednesday carrying three weapons and dressed in body armor. At one point he stopped to reload before he continued killing people.

"For almost two minutes Dekraai shot victim after victim, executing people by shooting them in the head and chest," the district attorney said.

Rackauckas said the bloodbath was triggered by Dekraai's desire for revenge against his ex-wife, who he believed was interfering in the raising of their 8-year-old son.

"That little boy's a victim," the prosecutor said. "Now his mother has been murdered, and he has to grow up knowing that his dad is a mass-murderer. So what kind of sick, twisted fatherly love might that be?"

Dekraai appeared briefly in court Friday afternoon, where angry friends and relatives of the victims screamed insults. One person shouted, "I hate you."

Superior Court Judge Erick L. Larsh ordered a medical review after Dekraai's attorney said his client wasn't getting his needed antipsychotic medication while he is held in jail without bail. Attorney Robert Curtis also said he would likely request that the trial be moved out of the area.

Fournier had recently told friends and family and said in court documents that she feared for her safety as Dekraai became more and more unbalanced.

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[jeannettelj]

The last person executed in Calif was on death row for nearly 30 years. He was sentenced to death for killings in 1977 and executed in 2006. 30 years at taxpayers expense. What's the point?

[hawkman1001-2009]

Those who drafted the Second Amendment (the right to keep and bear arms) of the U.S. Constitution back in the 1700s would be shocked and appalled at the way in which it is being interpreted today. Yet the National Rifle Association and the other assorted gun crazies in the US seem to have a stranglehold on politicians and any attempts at reasonable gun control.

Despite many circumstances like this, with an obviously deranged individual going on a shooting rampage, the usual response from the gun crazies is to call for even more guns with the twisted thought that somebody could have just shot this guy.

What a sick society.

[enaid3]

This case will be in our courts for countless years and money spent. With Governor Jerry Brown the death penalty will never happen. He's the one who started this "cruel and unusual punishment" movement when he was Governor years ago.There are hundreds of people waiting on death row getting older and older, as we taxpayers pay for them to have a great existence behind the prison walls. They are spared nothing. We're told it's their right.Until the people of California insist on implementing a death penalty that was voted in 3 times, we will continue to keep these killers in high style.

[helmyelsaid]

justice

[helmyelsaid]

justice

[Imthaid2]

This is the kind of insanity an unjust court system and ruthless lawyers bring. ANYONE who has ever gone through a custody dispute knows exactly what I mean.

[Transatlantique]

Let me get this right....they want to kill someone, who was trained by the US marines to kill, for killing people. Hummmh. It won't bring back the dead or justify this case no matter how great it might feel to kill this man. There is another side to this story, and one that is often overlooked. If we don't start raising boys to be gunless peaceful people instead of angry gun toting "men," then this kind of thing will happen again. If she suspected he could do something like this, then why mess with an ex marine? Society created this man, society has itself to blame.

[Mungam44]

This guy does not deserve to be kept in clothes, food and all of the other necessities of life at taxpayer expense when California,
like most states, is fighting to keep its financial head above water. But, the flawed system will allow appeal after appeal and the victims will probably never have justice served in their behalf. Get on with canceling his library card and then move on to the next deserving candidate.

[jerryomara]

Yes imagine if the greatest liberal of all time Jesus was here shame he is just a fairy tale character. To the rest of you into the death penalty remember to tell your little off springs as they head for Sunday School that only God can take a life. And for you anti choice people keep it your self that ain't life.

[mari1963]

With those man boobs of his, he'll find himself a nice boyfriend in jail.