HOLIDAY SPECIAL: The Santa Claus Massacre 2

Murder: True Crime Stories | Hosted by Carter Roy
Release Date: December 18, 2025

Episode Overview

This holiday special of Murder: True Crime Stories dives deep into the horrifying Christmas Eve massacre that devastated the Ortega family in Covina, California in 2008. Host Carter Roy reconstructs the tragic rampage carried out by Bruce Pardo, a man in a Santa suit, exploring the meticulous planning, personal motivations, and long-lasting impact of this notorious crime. The episode also highlights the resilience of the surviving Ortegas and how their community came together to support them in the aftermath.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Ortega Family: Holiday Traditions and Tragedy (03:30–09:30)

• Ortega Family Background:
  • Joe and Alicia Ortega were the beloved heads of a large, generous family with deep roots in the Covina community.
  • Their home was the embodiment of Christmas cheer, decorated to the nines and filled with food, laughter, and as many as 25 family and friends each Christmas Eve.
• Sylvia Ortega’s Story:
  • Sylvia, one of the Ortega children, recently finalized a difficult divorce from Bruce Pardo.
  • The divorce followed Sylvia discovering that Bruce abandoned his disabled son and exploited the situation for tax benefits.
  • The 2008 Christmas party was particularly meaningful and a much-needed escape for her that year.
• Night of the Attack:
  • Family poker games and festivities lasted late into the night.
  • At around 11 PM, Letecia Ortega’s daughter Katrina excitedly greeted a man dressed as Santa (Bruce Pardo) at the door, thinking him part of the holiday fun.
  • The joy turned to terror—Pardo immediately pulled out a handgun and began shooting into the crowded home.
  • Chaos erupted as everyone scrambled to escape. Letecia and her husband acted quickly to save their own children, discovering later that Katrina had been shot in the face but survived (09:00–09:50).

Notable Quote

“Katrina was especially excited to see the man in the jolly red suit approaching. … But her surprise soon turned to horror. The man dressed as Santa put down the package, reached into his suit, and pulled out a 9 millimeter handgun. And then he began firing.” — Carter Roy (08:45)

2. The Attack and its Immediate Aftermath (09:50–14:20)

• The Fire and Explosion:
  • After the shooting, Pardo retrieved a homemade device and sprayed accelerant throughout the home.
  • An open flame ignited the fuel, creating a massive explosion and a quick-spreading inferno.
  • Witnesses saw a blue Dodge Caliber racing away from the scene, later confirmed as Pardo’s rental car.
• Police Response:
  • Police scrambled to identify the perpetrator; Letecia Ortega recognized Bruce Pardo as the attacker, despite his disguise (11:10).
  • 911 calls and frantic rescue efforts followed as the house was consumed.

Memorable Moment

“He began spraying everything with some kind of flammable liquid. The walls, floor, furniture, even the ceiling. … A jet of liquid fuel caught an open flame. A massive explosion rocked the house.” — Carter Roy (09:50–10:50)

3. The Pursuit, Suicide, and Unveiling of Pardo's Plot (14:20–21:00)

• Bruce Pardo’s Flight:
  • Severely burned, Pardo fled to his brother Brad’s house, considered seeking medical help but decided instead to end his life.
  • Brad discovered Bruce’s body, prompting a police response at 3:30 AM.
• Evidence and Planning:
  • Police found $17,000 cash, a plane ticket to Moline, Illinois, and clear signs Pardo meticulously planned the attack and had prepared for escape.
  • They discovered a second getaway vehicle near the home of Sylvia’s divorce attorney, indicating Pardo’s plan to kill again.
  • The blue Dodge Caliber exploded when touched by police, destroying further evidence but confirming the lengths to which Pardo booby-trapped his path (18:45).

Notable Quote

“When they touched the suit, an explosive ignited. The car burst into a fireball. The force of it sent the bullets flying in all directions. Miraculously, no one was hurt.” — Carter Roy (18:45)

4. Motive, Profile, and The Legacy of Violence (21:00–28:30)

• Why Did Bruce Pardo Kill?
  • Police and FBI pieced together a criminal profile: Pardo, distraught after losing control in his marriage and family, harbored anger, humiliation, and a sense of betrayal after his mother sided with Sylvia.
  • The case is categorized as a "family annihilator" — typically men with no criminal history, acting out extreme domestic violence after a perceived family breakup.
• Intended Escape:
  • Pardo had planned to kill Sylvia’s attorney, then flee to Mexico using the stockpiled supplies in a rented Toyota RAV4 parked strategically in Glendale.
  • The plane ticket was likely a diversion for investigators, highlighting his elaborate preparation and intent to disappear.
• The Aftermath for Survivors:
  • Letecia Ortega, now the oldest surviving sibling, became matriarch to her orphaned nieces and nephews.
  • The community provided intense emotional, logistical, and financial support.
  • Letecia eventually became a certified grief counselor; her daughter Katrina, inspired by surviving gun violence, became an advocate for change in gun legislation, organizing school walkouts after the Parkland shooting (2018).

Notable Quotes

On Motive (23:20):
“Like with typical cases of domestic violence, the vast majority of family annihilators are men. … The motives behind these are financial trouble, power struggles, untreated personality disorders, and the most common: family breakups. It was clear that the divorce triggered Bruce.” — Carter Roy

On Resilience (27:50):
“Letecia encouraged herself, her daughters, and her nieces and nephews to focus on love. Their love for everyone who was left, as well as for the ones they’d lost, was going to carry them forward. And with a lot of time and grace, it did.” — Carter Roy

On Survival (28:10):
“Her survival back in 2008 had been a real Christmas miracle. Despite being shot point blank in the face, the bullet missed everything vital. The damage had been almost entirely cosmetic, and Katrina made a full recovery.” — Carter Roy

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Letecia’s Recognition:
  “During the attack, something about the killer struck Letecia Ortega. He seemed familiar. And then it hit her. She’d seen part of his face, just enough to realize the killer Santa was really her ex-brother-in-law, Bruce Pardo.” (11:10)

• Summary of Motive:
  “Bruce Pardo was an angry, disturbed man with a vendetta. And with his violent act, he joined the ranks of a particular subset of killers. The family annihilator.” (23:00)

• Community Response:
  “Over 1,500 people came to remember and honor the Ortega family and offer condolences to the survivors.” (26:50)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Background & Family Introduction: 03:30–06:00
• Divorce & Estrangement: 06:00–07:30
• The Party & The Shooting: 07:30–10:30
• Explosion and Escape: 10:30–12:00
• Police Investigation: 14:20–15:30
• Bruce Pardo’s Suicide: 15:30–16:45
• Bruce’s Elaborate Planning Exposed: 16:45–19:00
• The Discovery of Second Escape Vehicle & Motive: 19:00–20:30
• Aftermath & Family Recovery: 25:00–28:30

Conclusion

The “Santa Claus Massacre” episode exposes the shattering impact of one man’s destructive rage on a loving family and explores the resilience required to rebuild after unimaginable loss. Through a meticulous investigation, Carter Roy highlights how holiday joy was weaponized, how vengeance can escalate into mass murder, and how community and love ultimately outlast even the darkest horror.