The Christmas Eve tragedy

A man plotting revenge against his ex-wife, dressed up like Santa and went to his former in-laws' Christmas Eve party and slaughtered six people before killing himself hours later. Three people were listed as missing after Bruce Pardo's rampage and it was feared their remains were among the ashes of the home, which Pardo set ablaze using a bizarre homemade device that sprayed flammable liquid. Pardo, 45, had no criminal record, no history of violence. He was angry following last week's settlement of his divorce after a marriage that lasted barely a year.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. In past years, a neighbor dressed as Santa Claus and entertained guests. But the neighbor had moved away and there was no Santa. Pardo came 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. 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.  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. 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. 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. Investigators found three more bodies amid the ashes later in the day. None of the dead or missing have 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. 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. 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. He also served regularly as an usher at evening Mass at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Montrose. Jan Detanna, the head usher at the church, was stunned when told about the violence. Detanna told the Times: "He was the nicest guy you could imagine. Always a pleasure to talk to, always a big smile." 

Celebrity Lawyer

Richard A Hutton, who represented Paris Hilton on drunken driving charges, has sprung into the spotlight. Hutton, of Glendale law firm of Hutton & Wilson, gradually built a powerful law career representing the famous in public intoxication cases. He took over Hilton's representation after Paris was arrested for driving on a suspended license...

LA Immigration Lawyers

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Hyacinth Leus
Vakili & Leus LLP
3701 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles CA 90010
Phone: 866-696-0519

The Law Office of Catherine Haight
6080 Center Drive, Suite 725 Los Angeles CA 90045
Phone: 866-632-2705

Edgardo Quintanilla Law Firm
Specializing in Appeals
13701 Riverside Drive, Suite 200 Sherman Oaks CA 91423
Phone: 866-435-1669

Fong & Chun LLP
6255 Sunset Blvd #915 Los Angeles CA 90028
Phone: 866-781-6108

Law Offices of Patricia S. Depew
1801 Century Park East, 24th Floor Los Angeles CA 90067
Phone: 866-435-2735

Holt & Associates
1617 Broadway Santa Monica CA 90404
Phone: 866-435-2710

Immigration Law Offices, LLP
Fakhrudeen Hussain
6316 Van Nuys Blvd. Van Nuys CA 91401
Phone: 866-821-3638

Vakili & Leus LLP
3701 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles CA 90010
Phone: 866-696-0519

U.S. Law Center
1801 E. Heim Avenue Orange CA 92865
Phone: 866-655-3956

Los Angeles Criminal Lawyers

Los Angeles Criminal Law Lawyers

Criminal Defense Team
10940 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles CA 90024
Phone: 866-697-6581

Criminal Defense Team
10940 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles CA 90024
Phone: 866-697-6581

The Law Offices of Paul S. Geller
225 S. Lake Ave., 10th Floor Pasadena CA 91101
Phone: 866-798-2919

Criminal Defense Network
Helping Individuals Accused of Crimes Nationwide
Phone: 866-640-2751

The Brewer Law Firm
5030 Campus Drive Newport Beach CA 92660
Phone: 866-435-2718

Mueller & Mueller, Attorneys-at-Law
1026 Palm St., Suite 212 San Luis Obispo CA 93401
Phone: 866-370-4283

Law Offices of Moghaddami & Sadigh
333 E Glenoaks Blvd Glendale CA 91207
Phone: 866-265-9329

Fay Arfa, A Law Corporation
California State Bar Certified Specialist - Criminal Law
California State Bar Certified Specialist - Appellate Law
10100 Santa Monica Blvd. Los Angeles CA 90067
Phone: 866-768-1152

Law Offices of Scott R. Spindel
Experienced Criminal/DUI lawyers available 24/7.
We fight for your rights.
16255 Ventura Blvd., Suite 1018 Encino CA 91436
Phone: 866-348-6614

L.A. Family Law

Los Angeles Family Law Lawyers

The Osser Law Offices
3345 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles CA 90010
Phone: 866-435-1656

Diamond, Burt & Akhkashian, LLP
3055 Wilshire Blvd #1200 Los Angeles CA 90010
Phone: 866-715-6758

Law Offices of Jesus Zuniga
43545 17th St. W Ste 602 Lancaster CA 93534
Phone: 866-653-3045

Law Offices of Boyle, Olson & Robinson
301 East Colorado Blvd. Pasadena CA 91101
Phone: 866-739-0243

Harrison, Tibor & Castillo, APC
617 West Seventh Street Los Angeles CA 90017
Phone: 866-435-4215

Law Offices of Mark J. Warfel
292 Foothill Blvd, Suite A Arcadia CA 91006
Phone: 626-301-9327

Law Office of Jones & Roach
1950 East Chapman Ave., Ste. 1 Fullerton CA 92831
Phone: 866-784-3017

Law Office of David P. Schwarz
3 Hutton Center Drive Santa Ana CA 92707
Phone: 866-709-1804

Los Angeles Bankruptcy Lawyers

Los Angeles Bankruptcy Lawyers

3055 Wilshire Blvd #1200 Los Angeles CA 90010
Phone: 866-715-6757

Frandzel Robins Bloom & Csato
6500 Wilshire Boulevard, 17th Floor Los Angeles CA 90048
Phone: 323-852-1000

Law Offices of Patricia S. Depew
1801 Century Park East, 24th Floor Los Angeles CA 90067
Phone: 866-435-6067

Wadhwani Law Firm
Offices in Sherman Oaks, Long Beach & Montclair
15233 Ventura Blvd., Suite 1120 Sherman Oaks CA 91403
Phone: 866-729-8033

Law Office Nicholas Gebelt
15150 Hornell Street Whittier CA 90604
Phone: 866-682-1359

Weintraub & Selth
12424 Wilshire Blvd #1120 Los Angeles CA 90025
Phone: 866-435-2704

Law Offices of Richard T. Baum
11500 West Olympic Blvd. Suite 400 Los Angeles CA 90064
Phone: 866-639-3418

Legal Helpers
The Nation's Largest Bankruptcy Law Firm
Phone: 866-469-0793

BetterBankruptcy.com, Inc.

Business Law Companies in Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles Business Law Lawyers

The Law Offices of Wendy D. Meyer
1755 N Wilton Place Los Angeles CA 90028
Phone: 866-290-4399

Richard Macias
Creim Macias Koenig & Frey LLP
633 W. 5th Street, 51st Floor Los Angeles CA 90071
Phone: 866-270-7328

Nash & Nash
401 Via Corta Palos Verdes Estates CA 90274
Phone: 866-646-0546

Creim Macias Koenig & Frey LLP
633 W. 5th Street, 51st Floor Los Angeles CA 90071
Phone: 866-270-7328

Bishton-Gubernick
6701 Center Drive W. # 925 Los Angeles CA 90045
Phone: 866-686-6164

Nash & Nash
401 Via Corta Palos Verdes Estates CA 90274
Phone: 866-646-0546

Law Office of Matthew A. Sumrow
Over 14 years experience in business and corporate law.
4695 MacArthur Court Newport Beach CA 92660
Phone: 866-741-4274

Robinson & Schmidt
Linda MacAllister
12100 Wilshire Blvd. 8th Floor Los Angeles CA 90025
Phone: 866-292-9497

Law Offices of Harold C. Klaskin
12021 Wishire Blvd. #510 Los Angeles CA 90025
Phone: 866-711-1872
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Mesereau is the criminal defense specialist who successfully gained an acquittal on all counts for celebrity Michael Jackson, earning his own celebrity status when Barbara Walters named him among the year's "Ten Most Fascinating People". He was named GQ Magazine's "Man of the Year". Mersereau, who represented actor Robert Blake and boxer Mike Tyson, is a graduate of California's Hastings Law School.

The most successful and famous female attorney in the U.S. is Gloria Allred. She took a completely different path to achieve her prominence. An English teacher working on her master's degree, Gloria Allred was raped in 1966. She was pregnant and unable to obtain a legal abortion. Allred nearly died from the complications of an illegal procedure. The experience led her to law school and turned her passion for defending the rights of women and minorities into a celebrity career. Gloria most recent high-profile case was serving as legal counsel for witness Amber Frey, protecting and enabling her to testify in the Scott Peterson murder trial.

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