Prosecutors announced Friday that the man responsible for eight deaths in a Seal Beach hair and nail salon shooting may face the death penalty.
Scott Dekraai, 41, protected himself with body armor and carried three handguns into Salon Meritage on Wednesday, when he killed six people on the scene, according to a press release by the Orange Country District Attorney’s office.
Two victims were pronounced dead at the hospital. The remaining victim, 73-year-old Harriet Stretz, remains in critical condition.
Prosecutors said Dekraai wanted revenge against his ex-wife Michelle Marie Fournier, with whom he fought over the custody of their 8-year-old son, according to the Associated Press.
According to the district attorney’s press release, Dekraai was accused of getting into a verbal argument regarding custody dispute on the phone with Fournier Wednesday morning.
Dekraai is charged with eight felony counts of special circumstances murder for committing multiple murders and one felony count of attempted murder.
At 1:21 p.m. Wednesday, Dekraai entered Salon Meritage with three weapons — a 9 mm Springfield rifle, Smith & Wesson .44-caliber Magnum revolver, and a Heckler & Koch .45-caliber pistol.
After killing patrons and employees, including his ex-wife, at random, Dekraai was also accused of killing a victim — David Caouette, 64, of Seal Beach — parked in his car outside the salon, according to the press release.
Dekraai fled the scene in his white Toyota Tundra pick-up truck. He was stopped by police 30 seconds later with large amounts of ammunition in his trunk.
He is being held without bail in Orange County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court for a continued arraignment Nov. 29.
The victims of the shooting are: Victoria Ann Buzzo of Laguna Beach, David Caouette of Seal Beach, Laura Lee Elody of Huntington Beach, Randy Lee Fannin of Murrieta, Lucia Bernice Kondas of Huntington Beach, Michelle Daschbach Fast of Seal Beach, Michelle Marie Fournier of Los Alamitos and Christy Lynn Wilson of Cerritos.
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