Social Structure Crime

December 25th 2011 at approximately 11:30 am police received a call with heavy breathing and a man’s faint whisper asking for help. When they arrived and were able to break in the door they found 7 people dead in what they call the Christmas Day Massacre. Aziz Yazdanparah had killed his estranged wife two teenage children, his sister in law, brother in law, niece, then shot himself. Aziz life felt as though it was crumbling he was running a real estate business with the sales becoming fewer, he and his wife had separated and the children moved with their mom into an apartment, his home valued at $336,200 was foreclosed on, and he had filed bankruptcy. Police believed the motive was financial troubles, emotional troubles from being alienated from his wife and children. The brother in law was a well known figure in the Iranian-American community who owned a popular ranch in Dallas, on Christmas Eve there was a party at the ranch that Aziz was not invited to. His daughter often called him crazy saying he would tell her how to dress, take her phone and monitor texts and calls he soon found out she was dating a boy who was non-Muslim. This was a killing that can be linked to both the financial as well as the honor killing for religious reasons either way it was premeditated he showed up dressed as Santa killed everyone minutes after opening gifts and tried to plant a gun on his brother in law as well. I believe trying to help him instead of shutting him out would have helped his self esteem as well as show him they love and care. Restraining orders would attempt protection but with murder on the mind it was likely not going to save the family.