Local Woman Speaks Out After Losing Sister To Serial Killer
SAN FERNANDO (CBSLA.com) — A woman whose sister and parents became victims of a serial killer is speaking out about a tragic event no 18-year-old ever expects to face.
Luzelva Franco lost her sister, 22-year-old Mariana, and both her parents were shot when Alexander Hernandez, 34, went on a shooting spree in August, killing six people over about a week.
Franco's family was just arriving at Santa Rosa Catholic Church for services when the shooting, which caused broken glass to also injure her brother and another sister, occurred.
The shooting came from a truck, where the suspect, Hernandez, focused his fire on the family's vehicle. Luzelva had decided to sleep in that morning and would attend a later Mass, when she received a call from one of her sisters.
"She told me ' You'd better get over here quick,' " Franco recalled. " 'My mom and dad and my sister are bleeding. You better get over here, now.' "
However, no preparation was enough when she arrived and was told by firefighters that her sister was dead.
"When I saw everything, and I finally found out what it was, I just lost it," Franco said.
While Luzelva's father remains in the hospital, the remainder of her family recovers at home.
Luzelva says that while she and her family remain in shock after the loss of her sister, their strong Catholic faith provides them with comfort.
"God did this for a reason," Franco said. "There is a reason why this happened. There's a reason you weren't in the car, there's a reason why your sister passed away. There's a reason for all of this. So, I'm just waiting for that reason, but I know that God gained an angel."
Hernandez, meanwhile, has been charged with one count of capital murder, two counts of attempted murder, and three counts of animal cruelty.
A fund has been set up in Mariana's name, which can be found here.
