The home where four members of the Bonds family were allegedly murdered by their teen neighbor is seen (via Google Maps). Insets, clockwise from top right: Victim Matthew Bonds, 43 (via Reedley Police Dept.); victim Guadalupe Bonds, 44 (via GoFundMe); accessory after the fact suspect Rafael Gonzalez, 21 (via Fresno County Sheriff’s Office); accessory after the fact suspect, and the teen suspect’s mother, Brynn Curtis, 34 (via Fresno County Sheriff’s Office).
Police in California have arrested a 17-year-old for the slayings of four people who lived next door, and prosecutors reportedly want to charge him as an adult.
Billy Bonds, 81, and his granddaughter-in-law Guadalupe “Kiki” Bonds, 44, were found dead inside their home in Reedley, a Central California city located around 25 miles southeast of Fresno, on Saturday. Reedley police later identified Billy Bonds’ son, Darrell Bonds, 61, and grandson, 43-year-old Matthew Bonds — who was married to Guadalupe Bonds — as additional victims.
Police announced the arrest of the teen neighbor on Tuesday. The teen appeared in court at the Fresno County Juvenile Justice Campus on Thursday, Local ABC affiliate KFSN reported.
The teen was kept in custody, according to KFSN. Prosecutors have reportedly filed paperwork to charge him as an adult.
Details about the grisly crime were discovered over the course of several days, starting Saturday, Jan. 6.
On that day, Reedley police officers were dispatched to a home in response to reports of a residential burglary, according to a press release posted on Facebook.
“Upon arrival, officers encountered an empty gun safe and believe various rifles and pistols have been removed,” the statement said. “Detectives searching the residence found two deceased individuals and immediately treated the matter as a homicide case.”
A total of three victims were discovered in the home that day. Guadalupe Bonds and Billy Bonds were the first to be identified as the victims inside the home. At that time, police considered Matthew Bonds a missing person.
“Matthew Bonds is believed to be at risk, not only due to the recent events at his place of residence but also because of known health issues,” the Reedley Police Department said on Facebook. “His current whereabouts are unknown, and all attempts to communicate with him have been unsuccessful. It is imperative that we locate Mr. Bonds to ensure his safety and to potentially gather critical information that may aid in our investigation.”
The third victim found on Jan. 6 was publicly identified on Jan. 10 as Darrell Bonds, Billy Bonds’ son and Matthew Bonds’ father. According to KFSN, he had been buried in a shallow grave in the backyard of the victims’ house.
“This identification adds a critical piece to the complex puzzle our investigators have been working diligently to solve,” police said.
Meanwhile, a fourth victim was discovered on Tuesday, Jan. 9. The following day, police announced that the victim was identified as Matthew Bonds.
“Matthew Bonds was the husband of victim Guadalupe Bonds and the grandson of 81-year-old victim Billy Bonds, both of whom were among the earlier identified victims in this tragic case,” police said at the time. “This identification adds a new dimension to our understanding of this complex and deeply distressing incident.”
According to KFSN, the body of Matthew Bonds was found in a detached garage at the suspect’s house.
Police believe that the teen suspect, who has not been publicly identified, did not act alone. His mother, Brynn Curtis, 34, and her boyfriend 21-year-old Rafael Gonzalez have been booked into Fresno County Jail on charges of accessory after the fact, the Reedley Police Department announced Wednesday. Warrants were issued in three cities and executed simultaneously on Tuesday, police said on Facebook, resulting in the arrests as well as seizures of property, including “vehicles that may be connected to the homicide investigation.”
According to the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, Curtis and Gonzalez “are in a dating relationship.”
The Reedley Police Department announced Thursday that a vigil will be held in front of the Bonds’ home on Friday.
“This vigil will serve as a solemn gathering for the community to honor the memory of the Bond family members who were tragically lost,” Reedley police said on Facebook. “It is a time for reflection, mourning, and solidarity, offering support to the family, friends, and all affected by this tragedy.”
Curtis and Gonzalez were released from jail on bond and are expected to appear in court later this month, KFSN reported.
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