June 10, 2013

Marcela Franco and Carlos Navarro Franco - victims of the Santa Monica Shooter

Marcela and Carlos
Marcela Franco, age 26, died on June 9, 2013, in a hospital in Santa Monica, California.

Carlos Navarro Franco, age 68, died on June 7, 2013, on a street in Santa Monica, California.

On June 7, 2013, Marcela Franco was riding in the passenger seat of a red Ford Explorer with her father heading towards Santa Monica College to pick up some text books.

A stranger, John Zawahri, age 23, opened fire on their vehicle. Carlos was killed and their SUV crashed through a wall, leaving Marcela fatally injured. Her family pulled her off of life support because this poor girl was declared brain dead by hospital officials.

Earlier on June 7, 2013, John Zawahri had killed his father, Samir Zawahri, age 55, and his brother, Chris, age 25, and set their house on fire. 
John Zawahri - the shooter

John Zawahri, the shooter, was killed by Police.

It was reported that he had experienced mental issues for several years, that he was upset over his parents' divorce and that he had a fascination with guns.

Marcela Franco is described by loved ones as outgoing and curious. She wanted to become a clinical psychologist. She had a disarming smile and was bright. She was pursuing a degree in psychology at California State University. She had signed up for summer classes at Santa Monica College.

Carlos Franco took great pride in providing for his family. He was not an overly emotional man. He showed his emotion through acts of responsibility and care. He was working as a groundskeeper at Santa Monica College. Co-workers there describe him as very hard-working and family-oriented.

Sadly this family had experienced another tragedy two years before in which Marcela Franco's brother died in a freak car accident with a wrong-way driver.

Santa Monica College is collecting donations to help the Franco family pay for the
Saint Bernadette of
Lourdes, pray for
Carlos and Marcela
funerals for Carlos and Marcela Franco.

Marcela and Carlos are survived by many loving friends and relatives who will forever miss them.

Pray for all who die by misadventure. They are with us one moment and gone the next. Amen.

God save us from the psychopaths who stalk the Earth stealing away life. They are the Lost Ones. They are killing us, Father. Amen. 

Pray that Marcela and Carlos are in heaven. Pray that they are at peace and are with God. Amen.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

This is a terrible tragedy.
The thing I do not agree with is they placed pictures of the two of them along with a plaque that sits at the college.This is incredibly hard for those in divorce situations. Some die tragically and others are left in pain of abandonment and its too hurtful to see this on admission day at a college for a 18 year old student, the plaque I understand but please do not have someone place the personal photos of each of them every year on admissions day. let those suffering while living move on instead of suffering year after year in the shadow of death.Too hard on a 18 year old olds.