A Quadruple Murder in Pico Rivera: The Case of the Flores Family
For this case, I watched an episode of Snapped Killer Couples. It’s season 17 episode 20.
Several 911 calls are placed in the middle of the night.
Background
Richard and Sylvia Flores were pillars of their community in Pico Rivera, a city located in the southeastern part of Los Angeles.
Richard and Sylvia lived in the home with their children, Richard Jr., 17, Monica, 16, Laura, 18, Sylvia, 14, and Matthew, 10. They had an older daughter, Esperanza, who went away to college but came back to visit in the summer of 2000.
In 1987, Richard and Sylvia became the legal guardians of their nieces, Laura and Monica. Laura and Monica’s mother had struggled with drug addiction and passed away when they were young.
It seemed as if everyone got along and loved each other. According to Esperanza, they were always laughing and smiling.
Matthew, Richard Sr, Sylvia, and Richard Jr.
The Crime Scene
In the early morning hours of July 21, 2000, both Monica and Esperanza called 911.
Esperanza said she had heard a loud bang and saw her dad covered in blood. She said her dad was able to tell her that he had been stabbed.
Monica told the dispatcher that she had heard someone break into their home and was hiding in the bathroom.
Esperanza, Monica, and Laura all ran outside to wait for the police to arrive. They all believed it had been a random attack as their family didn’t have any enemies.
As soon as the sun came up, the police searched and processed the Flores home for evidence. Sylvia had been badly injured but was rushed to the hospital. She would go on to survive the attack.
Richard, Richard Jr., Sylvia (the 14-year-old), and Matthew were all pronounced dead at the scene.
The Evidence
The lead investigator, Bill Marsh described the scene as horrific. He said he had to hold his tears back so that he wouldn’t contaminate the crime scene.
Richard Jr., Matthew, and Sylvia’s mouths had all been duct taped. It appeared as if Sylvia had slid off her bed or had been dragged.
Richard Jr.’s throat had been cut. Matthew was found leaning against his brother and had wounds all over his body. Matthew had attempted to fight back as he had defensive wounds.
It’s believed that Sylvia (the mother) had been attacked first. Richard Sr. had woken up and attempted to fight the attacker.
The police discovered that it probably was not a random attack. The back door leading into the kitchen had been unlocked. There were pieces of duct tape taped to the air conditioning unit outside, a pair of scissors, and a double-edged knife found in the backyard. There was also a backpack with a towel found inside.
Inside the home, the police discovered a military-style flashlight with a red lens, and two knives found in the bathroom where Monica claimed she had been hiding.
An Inside Job
The 3 surviving sisters were all interviewed at the police station.
Bill Marsh said he thought that Laura had been involved at first. Laura admitted that she had always been in trouble but would never have hurt her family. Laura and Esperanza were quickly ruled out.
Monica was shown photos of the items that were discovered at the crime scene. Monica said she recognized one of the knives and believed that Michael had given it to her.
Monica, who had been 16 at the time, had been dating a 17-year-old named Michael Naranjo. They met in a junior ROTC program and became infatuated with each other.
Michael became obsessed with the military and wanted to join the Marines. It’s believed that he started to dress and act differently after joining the ROTC program. Monica also started to change and her grades were slipping.
At first, the Flores’ liked Michael and welcomed him into their home. However, things changed when Monica’s grades slipped, and was spending every moment with Michael.
The Arrests
Michael was questioned at the police station. He denied killing the Flores’ but said that Richard and Sylvia didn’t approve of his relationship with Monica.
During the interview, the police noticed that Michael had a fresh cut on his arm. Michael claimed that he and some friends had been tossing a glass bottle around. The police knew he was full of shit, so they collected his and Monica’s fingerprints.
Michael’s fingerprints were found on the batteries inside the flashlight. His and Monica’s fingerprints were also found on the duct tape roll and on the pieces that had been used to cover the mouths of Richard Jr., Sylvia, and Matthew.
On July 27, 2000, a search warrant for Monica’s uncle’s home and Michael’s home were issued. The arrest warrants were issued as well.
Monica was more upset by seeing Michael for the last time than she was by the brutal deaths of her family members.
The Letters
Michael asked for an attorney. But, Monica denied that she and Michael killed her family.
In Michael’s home, the police found rope that was similar to the rope wrapped on the knives that were used. They also found books on killings and torture. Michael had an extensive collection of knives.
In the cabinet of Michael’s home, the police found a towel matching the one found in the backpack.
Monica and Michael had written numerous letters to each other. The letters started as innocent. They wrote about how they wanted to get married and have a future together. Monica began to speak about blood and how she wanted to become a mass murderer.
It’s believed that Monica had a large role in helping Michael. She had cut the duct tape and taped it to the A/C unit for him to grab. She unlocked the back door and “hid” in the bathroom.
The Convictions
Three days after the murder, Sylvia woke up at the hospital.
Sylvia said she immediately knew that Monica had done it. She told the police that she had woken up and knew she had been stabbed. She said she couldn’t breathe and saw the blood on her. She also saw someone fighting with Richard Sr.
Sylvia said that Monica appeared in their bedroom. Sylvia told her to get a towel to apply pressure to her wounds. Sylvia said that Monica wrapped her hands around her neck and wanted to kill her.
Monica and Michael were charged as adults. They were charged with 4 counts of first-degree murder, and 1 count of attempted murder.
On September 30, 2003, Michael’s lawyers contacted the district attorney. He pled guilty. He said that he had done it by himself and had always had thoughts of killing someone.
On October 22, Michael was sentenced to 5 consecutive life terms.
Monica’s trial began in January 2004. Monica defended herself and said she was not involved.
Michael testified for the defense and said Monica had no involvement.
Monica was found guilty on all counts and sentenced to 4 consecutive life terms.
Sylvia wholeheartedly believes Monica was the mastermind.
Monica Diaz and Michael Naranjo in court
Other
In 2005, Monica’s sentence was overturned by a 3 member appellate court panel.
In 2009, she was re-sentenced to 4 consecutive sentences of 25 years to life. Her parole was denied in 2022.
Michael will be eligible for parole in 2027.
FINAL THOUGHTS
My heart truly goes out to Sylvia, Laura, and Esperanza. But I’m also happy that they all survived and hopefully have each other to lean on. Sylvia knew immediately that Monica had been involved. It’s heartbreaking to know that most of a large and well-known family was killed so that two teenagers could be together. Those children deserved to grow up and have families of their own. Sylvia deserved to grow old with Richard but that was all taken away from them by their own child who they brought into their home.
Sources
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-apr-22-me-monica22-story.html
