Severe burns stopped Santa killer fleeing after slaughter

A MAN who dressed as Santa and carried out a Christmas Eve massacre and arson at the home of his former in-laws intended to flee the US, but was hampered by his severe burn injuries, police said.

The inferno created at the home in Covina, California, 25 miles from Los Angeles, burned the killer's arms and melted his red costume on to his body.

Instead of fleeing to Canada, he shot himself at his brother's home hours later.

Unemployed aerospace worker Bruce Pardo, 45, apparently shot some of his nine victims execution-style in a plot to destroy his ex-wife's Sylvia's family after a costly divorce finalised just last week.

He had airline tickets to Canada and £11,300 in cash on his body, some attached to his legs with plastic wrap and some in a girdle, Covina police chief Kim Raney said last night.

"There's some information that he stood over them and shot them execution-style," Mr Raney said.