The California sheriff investigating the slaughter of an entire family that included a teen mom and baby said the killings are undoubtedly cartel related as officials continue to piece together details from the brutal massacre.
Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux joined "America's Newsroom" Thursday with an update on the search for suspects and a warning on how "failed" policies are fueling a surge in violence.
"This is an intentional slaughter and massacre, no one was supposed to be left alive," Boudreaux told Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino. "They went through this house methodically, very slowly. They made sure that they were going to kill everyone in that home."
SIX DEAD, INCLUDING TEEN MOM AND INFANT, IN BELIEVED GANG-RELATED SHOOTING
"When you slaughter, when you shoot a 16-year-old mother in the head and a 10-month-old child in the head, that is a very clear message to everyone that this was a cartel-style shooting, execution, and these types of things with our unsecure open border, with our soft on crime approach here in California, this is the result of some of that failed policy," he continued.
Members of an entire family were slain in Goshen, California, early Monday, with the victims ranging in age from 10 months to 72 years old. They were Rosa Parraz, 72; Eladio Parraz Jr., 52; Jennifer Analla, 50; Marcos Parraz, 19; Elyssa Parraz, 16 and Nycholas Parraz, 10-months-old.
A week prior to the shooting, a search warrant was conducted at the home for drugs, and according to Boudreaux, deputies found drugs, ammunition and weapons.
"What we're experiencing is high-level gang structure violence, who are married to the cartel," Boudreaux said. "The cartel brings the drugs into our area and the gangs distribute them. They're partners, and this slaughter of a family, an entire family, this wasn't just the killing of a rival gang member or a fellow gang member. This was a slaughter massacre of an entire family."
"They were targeted, and this was a message being sent," he continued.
Officers believe there are two suspects tied to the homicides, and the Tulare County Sheriff's office is offering a $10,000 award for any information that leads to an arrest in the case.
Although it has been widely known gangs and cartels are active in the central California area, Boudreaux said the brutal nature of this incident has rocked the community at its core.
"This small migrant farm community, they're in a state of shock and a state of fear," Boudreaux said. "However they all knew this existed."
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office at 559-733-6218. Tipsters can remain anonymous by calling or texting 559-725-4194 or through email at tcso@tipnow.com.
