Bruce Jeffrey Pardo dressed in a Santa Claus costume burst into a Christmas Eve party
at his former in-laws and opened fire, killing at nine people before taking his own life.
(AFP/Getty Images)

A video image showing firefighters outside a blazing house in Covina, California,
where a man dressed as Santa opened fire at a Christmas Eve party, leaving more
than three people dead, and (inset) Bruce Jeffrey Pardo, the gunman.

This undated police handout photograph shows a makeshift gas dispenser which Bruce Jeffrey Pardo used inside the Knollcrest house where he killed nine Christmas Eve party guests. After running out of bullets, Pardo used the makeshift gas dispenser to spray the inside of the home with a combustible vapor consisting partly of auto-racing fuel, which quickly ignited in an explosion, gutting the dwelling.

This undated police handout photograph shows a makeshift gas dispenser which Bruce Jeffrey Pardo
used inside the Knollcrest house where he killed nine Christmas Eve party guests.

This undated police handout photograph shows a makeshift gas dispenser which Bruce Jeffrey Pardo
used inside the Knollcrest house where he killed nine Christmas Eve party guests.

This undated police handout photograph shows a makeshift gas dispenser which Bruce Jeffrey Pardo
used inside the Knollcrest house where he killed nine Christmas Eve party guests.

The 2008 Dodge Caliber driven by suspect Bruce Jeffrey Pardo. In a final act of destruction encountered by authorities after Pardo had killed himself, his rental car was discovered to have been booby-trapped with the remnants of the Santa suit rigged to a homemade fire bomb. The bomb ignited when authorities tried to defuse it, engulfing the car in flames, but no one was hurt.

A Santa Claus suit is seen in the 2008 Dodge Caliber driven by suspect Bruce Jeffrey Pardo, in this handout photo released December 26, 2008. In a final act of destruction encountered by authorities after Pardo had killed himself, his rental car was discovered to have been booby-trapped with the remnants of the Santa suit rigged to a homemade fire bomb.

The 2008 Dodge Caliber driven by suspect Bruce Jeffrey Pardo is seen after a homemade fire bomb
placed within it exploded, in this handout photo released December 26, 2008.

Christmas decorations and a wreath on the front door are pictured at the home of the late Bruce Jeffrey Pardo in Montrose, Calfornia, a suburb of Los Angeles December 26, 2008. Pardo, dressed in a Santa Claus suit opened fire on partygoers at his former in-laws home in Covina, California on Christmas Eve, then set the house ablaze, causing nine deaths, then left the scene, and drove to his brother's home where Pardo killed himself with a gun.

A firefighter removes debris from the scene in Covina.
(Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)

Smoke rises from the site of the burned home in Covina. Partygoers fled the house
in panic, running to neighbors' homes and calling police.
(Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)

Firefighters survey the damaged home on Christmas morning.
(Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)

A Los Angeles County coroner's official reviews the scene at the home where a man
dressed as Santa Claus opened fire. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)

L.A. County coroner's officials remove the body of Bruce Jeffrey Prado from a house in Sylmar.
(Ken Hively, Los Angeles Times)

Los Angeles County firefighters at the home in Covina, Calif., that was set on fire during
a Christmas Eve murder rampage.

A burnt vehicle sits on a tow truck as it is removed from the crime scene at the site of the Christmas Eve
shooting and fire at a home that left eight people dead in Covina, California December 26, 2008.

A Covina police officer (R) and a firefighter walk from the crime scene of the Christmas Eve shooting and fire at a home that left eight people dead in Covina, California December 26, 2008. Tents (background) are in use to process the crime scene.

A Bomb Squad and L.A. County sheriff's office official investigate the scene.

A container in which high octane fuel is held and the box in which the compressor came from are seen in this handout photo released December 26, 2008. At Pardo's home, police found a supply of racing fuel, empty handgun boxes and two high-powered shotguns, Covina Police Chief Kim Raney said.

These are the remains of the burned home in Covina, Calif., that was set on fire during
a Christmas Eve murder rampage, allegedly committed by Bruce Pardo.

People believed to be relatives of the Ortegas gather near the ruins of the family home.
(Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

Burned remnants including photos of Joseph Ortega and his family sit on the property
at the Ortega home in Covina. (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

An impromptu memorial is set up near the ruins of the Ortega family home in Covina, California.

Pardo’s former wife Sylvia Ortega Pardo, 43.

Covina Police Chief Kim Raney tells media members about the 8-year-old girl who was shot in the face
at a Christmas Eve party as she opened the front door to a man dressed in a Santa suit.
(Barbara Davidson, Los Angeles Times)

Bruce Jeffrey Pardo biography