In Grapevine, generally known as the Christmas Capital of Texas, the festive spirit of Christmas morning in 2011 was shattered by a horrifying murder-suicide, carried out by a person ominously dressed as Santa Claus. When the police reached the home the place the killings occurred, they discovered seven our bodies mendacity amongst reward wrapping paper.
Aziz Yazdanpanah, 56, an Iranian-born man killed his estranged spouse, their two teenage youngsters, his spouse’s sister, his brother-in-law and his niece on the household’s Christmas gathering.
When Aziz arrived on the home, his niece texted her boyfriend complaining about his presence. “We simply received right here and my uncle is right here too. Dressed as Santa. Now he desires to be all fatherly and win father of the 12 months,” she mentioned.
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Twenty minutes later, she and her household had been gunned down. Dressed in a pink and white Santa go well with, Aziz referred to as 911 to report the murders earlier than taking his personal life.
Holiday bloodbath
Three minutes after the decision, police arrived on the scene to find a devastating tragedy. Aziz had fatally shot his estranged spouse, Fatemeh Rahmati, 55, their 14-year-old son, Ali, and their 19-year-old daughter, Nona. He additionally killed his spouse’s sister, Zohreh Rahmaty, 58, her husband, Mohamad Hossein Zarei, 59, and their 22-year-old daughter, Sahra.
The victims had been shot within the head, chest and abdomen a number of instances. Two handguns had been discovered on the scene.
A household good friend instructed native information that Aziz was apparently instructed he wasn’t welcome to the gathering and that will have been the ultimate breaking level for him, the Independent reported.
The good friend spoke to Aziz on Christmas Eve and he instructed him that “his sister-in-law had management over his spouse and youngsters and they might take heed to her when she referred to as him evil.”
‘I’m taking pictures individuals’
A recording of a 911 name made by Aziz captured the chilling final phrases of the killer who admitted to the dispatcher that he was taking pictures individuals.
In the decision, he was heard saying “assist” twice after which “I’m taking pictures individuals,” adopted by heavy respiration earlier than the road went lifeless and he shot himself.
But earlier than he killed himself, he tried to stage the scene by inserting one of many two weapons used within the hand of his lifeless brother-in-law.
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What was the motive?
Aziz’s marital and monetary troubles led him to kill his household, however have additionally mentioned his actual thought course of could by no means be recognized. Aziz was a former actual property skilled who was out of labor on the time of the killings.
In August 2010, the couple filed collectively for chapter. When the household’s monetary troubles intensified, Aziz’s spouse held down jobs at two spas to boost their youngsters. In April 2011, she moved out of the household’s residence in into the condominium complicated two miles away. Aziz remained of their residence and continued to wrestle financially.
The bloodbath stays the deadliest crime within the historical past of Grapevine.