Friday, October 14, 2011

Seal Beach Massacre: 8 Dead, 1 Critical Condition





Scott De Kraai


Since I've been concentrating on a personal project, I don't know if this story has hit the national news or not. However, it is all over the news locally in greater Los Angeles since Seal Beach is located just a skip over the county line into Orange County.

On Wednesday, October 12th, Scott Evans De Kraai entered Salon Meritage where his ex-wife, Michelle Fournier De Kraai was working and started shooting. This is the worst mass killing in Orange County history. Along with his former wife, five other people died at the scene, and two additional victims were reported dead at the hospital. One victim still remains in critical condition but is expected to survive. De Kraai was apprehended a short time later.

From my understanding De Kraai was in a custody battle with his ex-wife over their young son. The latest news coming out of the MSM is that De Kraai suffered PTSD from a tugboat accident in 2007 where one of his legs was severely mangled and a friend died.

I personally don't believe De Kraai's PTSD had anything to do with the fact that he went on a shooting rampage in the salon where his wife worked. Custody issues bring out the worst in people, as I've seen over and over again in the cases I've followed. Consider filicide, which is more common than what De Kraai ultimately did. There are parents who make the choice to kill their children, just to hurt the other parent.

Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckus has filed eight murder charges and will seek the death penalty against De Kraai.

Please say a prayer for the victims. Those killed inside the salon were:

Randy Lee Fanin, Owner, Salon Meritage
Michelle Fournier De Kraai, employee
Victoria Ann Buzzo
Lucia Bernice Kondas
Laura Lee Elody
Michelle Daschbach Fast
Christy Lynn Wilson

Elody's mother, Hattie Stretz, is the lone survivor who watched her daughter die in front of her eyes. Dave Caouette was killed in his car outside the salon.

ABC Seal Beach Suspect Had PTSD

NBC Victims Identified

8 Dead at Seal Beach Salon Shooting

DA Seeks Death Penalty Against De Kraai

NBC Complete Coverage

6 comments:

CaliGirl9 said...

Right now there is a defense attorney/public defender gearing up for an insanity defense. And it takes only ONE juror to gum up the works. Jury consultants will be working overtime to identify that person.

Not saying I don't agree with a possible death penalty here. So sad that the child this is all "over" will grow up as good as an orphan. He's going to need treatment for PTSD and a host of other things. Poor kid.

Sprocket said...

He definitely planned this because he had 3 weapons (from my understanding) and was wearing body armor. He threatened to do exactly what he did, prior. I don't see how that equates to his leg injury that supposedly caused him PTSD then this. Creative lawyering.

I'm wondering if the case will even stay in Orange County.

I wouldn't be surprised if it is moved a few counties away....

Anonymous said...

from "my 2 cents"
Hi Sprocket - I wanted to say "thanks" for posting about this terrible tragedy that occurred here on Wednesday, affecting so many loved ones.

I knew one of the victims, Christy Wilson. She was best friends with one of my dearest friends. She was a manicurist at Salon Meritage and she's the victim who had just testified in court for Michelle the day before the shooting. They now believe that Michelle's ex-husband "targeted" some of the victims - people Scott believed had helped enable Michelle with her custody battle. Which would have left Christy at the top of that list of people in the salon that day. I know EVERYONE killed or injured that day has a heartfelt story to tell and leaves behind many, many loved ones - - - but I can only share some of Christy's. She had 3 children and was a very recent "grandma". She and her husband had a very wonderful & loving marriage. She was an active, fun loving, friendly and kind person.
I'm not sure why I'm posting this, other than it feels good to share things about the victims with people who didn't know them. How senseless this was and how so many loved ones lives have been changed for eternity.

I hope people reading these articles will be encouraged to express to their family & friends how they feel about them, spend more time with them and so forth. We have certainly learned that there's no guarantee of what tomorrow may bring. Thanks for letting me "share".

Sprocket said...

Thank you My 2 Cents for sharing what you know about Cindy.

This is terrible tragedy. It's not just the eight victims, it's the many, many ripples in the pond, that the loss of these precious lives will affect. Husbands, daughters, sons, brothers, sisters, grandparents, friends.

Anonymous said...

As I learned of the horrible acts at Salon Meritage I couldn't help but think of the salon where I've gone for 20 years. Everyone is so vulnerable....wrapped in a towel or a smock, foil wrappers or perm rods in our hair, stylists and clients engaged with each other in conversation in the mirror, concentrating on color formulas and cuts and not at all on protecting oneself from a murderer! I feel so deeply for the lady whose daughter was killed while cutting her hair! Imagine the pain of that! And the salon owner who died in his wife's arms as she vainly attempted CPR.....all too horrible to imagine!

SeniorMoments

Bonnie Russell said...

Scott telephoned the police earlier, telling officials he planned on killing people and perhaps himself. In ten years since founding Familylawcourts.com, the site has never commented on Fathers Rights groups. (The murder rate seemed self-explanatory.)

However, after many fathers rights groups along with their equally lame, girlfriends/follow up wives expressed support for the mass murderer, (while vilifying his now dead,former wife), that changed. Fathers rights groups have their own page.
http://www.familylawcourts.com/fathers_rights.html

The site as always had a page for PTSD....which is both real, and over-used by defense attorneys.
http://www.familylawcourts.com/post_traumatic_stress_disor.html