Seal Beach Massacre: Timeline

A timeline of events surrounding the investigation into Orange County's worst mass shooting

Two and a half years after the worst mass shooting in Orange County history,  the alleged gunman, 44-year-old Scott Evans Dekraai, pleaded guilty in court Friday. Eight people were killed Oct. 12, 2011, including Dekraai's ex-wife.

October 12, 2011A gunman opened fire inside a Seal Beach salon, shooting and killing eight people. He was captured about a half-mile from the Salon Meritage. Scott Evans Dekraai, then 41, a former tugboat crewman who served in the military, was arrested on suspicion of murder. His ex-wife, Michelle Fournier, was among those killed.

October 13, 2011: More than 1,000 mourners gathered for a prayer service and candlelight vigil to honor the memory of eight Seal Beach residents gunned down in a shooting rampage and pray for the lone survivor who escaped with her life.

October 2011: District Attorney Tony Rackauckas announced Dekraai will be charged with 8 counts of murder and he will seek the death penalty.

October 2011: A newly released 911 call provides a chilling insight into the Seal Beach massacre just minutes after gunfire began at Salon Meritage.

October 2011: Mourners gathered at Grace Community Church of Seal Beach to honor eight people who were killed in the shooting rampage.

November 2011: Court documents alleged that Dekraai "knew exactly what he was doing" and told police he spent time plotting out the massacre at the beach that morning.

Local

Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news.

Good Samaritan attacked while helping woman who was robbed in Long Beach

Grupo Firme announces first U.S. tour in nearly a year in the heart of Hollywood 

November 2011: Dekraai was sued by the family of one of his alleged victims -- his ex-wife.

November 2011: A second family sued Dekraai.

November 2011: judge ruled that cameras will be allowed in court during an upcoming hearing for Dekraai. 

January 2012: Trustees of a fund set up for those affected by a mass shooting in Seal Beach announced that a final batch of money had been distributed.

January 2012: Dekraai pleaded not guilty to eight counts of murder a day after a grand jury indictment was handed down in an attempt to speed the legal process.

March 2012: The salon began an extensive remodel five months after the shooting.

April 2012: An Orange County judge ordered the release of portions of the grand jury testimony in the case against Dekraai. Gordon Gallego told the jury that he heard a coworker scream, "You don't have to do this; please don't kill me," during the worst massacre in Orange County history.

October 2012: The widow of the owner of the Seal Beach beauty salon where eight people were killed filed a lawsuit alleging that her insurance company did not fully pay off on a policy for work interruption.

October 2012: The first anniversary of the Seal Beach massacre was an unavoidable reality for a quiet community that experienced one of the most violent days in the state.

November 2012: More than a year after Salon Meritage in Seal Beach became the site of the largest mass killing in OC history, the salon would re-open with a new owner, a new location and a new look.

March 2014: Dekraai's trial was split into two parts in hopes of speeding up the continually delayed murder case, a judge ruled.

April 28, 2014: Dekraai's defense attorney announced he has agreed to plead guilty in court on May 2.

May 2, 2014: Dekraai pleaded guilty to eight counts of murder and one count of attempted murder in an Orange County Superior Court.

March 12, 2015: Orange County Superior Court Judge Thomas Goethals, who already ruled that prosecutors cannot use damning statements Scott Evans Dekraai made to a jailhouse informant during the penalty phase of his trial, removes Orange County prosecutors from the case based on allegations that some law enforcement officials lied under oath during previous hearings.

Contact Us