As the holiday season approaches, we can start remembering major events that happened in the past. Christmas true crime is one such event, and it is abundant.

On December 24, 2008, a horrible tragedy occurred, now called the Covina Massacre. On a day that’s supposed to be filled with festivities and joy, one man, Bruce Jeffrey Pardo, decided to incite the opposite. Pardo, filled with rage, vengefully went after his ex-wife and her family. His rage stemmed from his recent divorce which had just been finalized that past week.

As Pardo prepared to “light up” his ex’s home, he decided to play into the festivities of the season. Pardo appeared on his ex’s doorstep in a bright red and jolly Santa suit. He knocked on the door, heard the kids inside making excited squeals for Santa, and started shooting. The family ran around, screaming as they recognized him immediately. In a feeble attempt to avoid the spray of bullets, they ran and hid under the table.

Pardo then attempted to light the house on fire. He had created a device made from two fuel tanks fused together as a way to quickly consume the house in flames. He killed nine people and injured three others.

While his original plan was to escape to Illinois with a pre-purchased plane ticket, Pardo’s explosive device malfunctioned, and he suffered several debilitating burns from the fire and explosions. Pardo drove to his brother’s house where he then committed suicide as his final act in the desperate rampage.

Happy Holidays, Wolves! Interested in more True Crime? Submit your stories to @chs.wolfhowl for our later issues!