Grandfather killed family, officials say
A Canyon Country man shot to death his 8-year-old granddaughter and her mother before killing himself, authorities said Wednesday.
The bodies of Angelica Maldonado, 8; her mother, Crystal Marie Burton, 24; and her grandfather, Richard Boyd Burton, 52, were found about 8:45 p.m. Tuesday inside the family’s town home in the 1800 block of Annes Circle, said Craig Harvey, spokesman for the Los Angeles County coroner’s office. Autopsies are scheduled for today, he said.
“We have no motive at this time,” said Steve Whitmore, Sheriff’s Department spokesman.
Orance Hale, 49, who lives across from the victims’ residence, said he heard four or five gunshots about 4:30 a.m. Tuesday.
“I just thought it was firecrackers,” he said. “They were one by one every 15 seconds or so. It was 4:30 in the morning. I didn’t think anything of it.”
Hale said he was told that another young girl from the neighborhood had gone over to play with Angelica, saw blood and called her father, who broke into the house. The neighbor then called 911.
Hale said he had seen Angelica and her grandfather around before.
“The grandfather came to the door a few months ago and was helping her sell candy for school,” he said. “He was a very good grandfather. He took her to school every morning.”
Neighbor Brienna Adargo, 20, said she and her husband heard sirens and saw an ambulance sometime after 8 p.m.
“We didn’t hear any gunshots,” she said.
A memorial of candles and flowers was set up in front of the Annes Circle town home.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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