Teen Charged in Connection With 4 Killings

(USNewsBreak.com) – Those who live in a quiet neighborhood don’t often expect that a crime would disturb their peace. However, that’s precisely what happened recently in Reedley, California, when authorities discovered someone had murdered four people of the same family. Now, police have arrested a teenager, his mother, and her boyfriend in connection with the killings.

The case started with a request for a welfare check on a family. When police arrived, they discovered what looked like a burglary but also turned up two bodies, those of 44-year-old Guadalupe Bonds and 81-year-old Billy Bonds. They were found dead in their home on South Church Avenue on the morning of Saturday, January 6. When police were investigating the scene, they found another dead body located in a shallow grave on the property. The remains belonged to 61-year-old Darrell Bonds, son of Billy Bonds. Believing Guadalupe’s husband might be at risk, authorities reported him missing and issued an alert for him.

Boy, 17, charged with killing 4 members of neighbor family in central California https://t.co/qwcSha0rF8 pic.twitter.com/7W4GEFUUTG

— WGN Radio News (@WGNRadioNews) January 12, 2024

Sadly, police found 43-year-old Matthew Bonds three days later, dead in a detached garage, bearing signs of trauma. Police arrested a 17-year-old male teenager in connection with the crime but didn’t believe he acted on his own. Authorities arrested the teen’s mother, 34-year-old Brynn Curtis, and 21-year-old Rafael Gonzalez, her boyfriend, charging them with accessory after the fact. Prosecutors are charging the teen with four counts of homicide. He had no previous criminal history, and neighbors he and Matthew Bonds were friends.

According to reports, Reedley Police Chief Joe Garza said it was “one of the most heinous crimes” he has encountered in his 30 years on the force. He added that authorities were still investigating the murder and trying to figure out a motive. He noted that investigators found an empty gun safe in the house.

Authorities have released both Curtis and Gonzalez on bonds, but the teenager remains jailed due to the severity of the charges.