A community is desperately seeking justice after someone murdered three family members, including a bedridden 78-year-old, inside their home in an unincorporated area of Los Angeles County near Palmdale.
The murder happened just two weeks ago. Seventy-eight-year-old Richard Gardner II, 56-year-old Pepper Gardner and 52-year-old Richard Gardner III were found dead in their home on the day of the younger Richard Gardner's birthday.
"Whoever did this is a monster and he's not going to get away with it," said Marcela Nicol, a family friend. "He always was the light and we don't want his light to burn out," she said about Richard Gardner III.
Indeed, the younger Gardner, a window cleaner, made an impression everywhere he went.
"I still wanna believe in a couple days he's going to ride up with his dog and clean our windows and tell us another punny joke and share a picture of his half-brother," said Leah Martak, an employee at a local shop whose windows Richard Garnder III would clean.
Always the jokester, his "half-brother" was simply a pair of pants with mannequin legs that he'd carry around with him. It's the same pair of pants that now adorn a memorial outside the family home.
Melissa Cabrera, a Panda Express employee, also got to know Richard Garnder III. Like others, she said he will miss the man who made so many people smile.
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"They hurt more than just a family, they hurt a community," she said.
