LANCASTER, CA – Concluding a harrowing tragedy, a father in Lancaster, California, was convicted on Tuesday for killing his four kids and their grandmother in their home last year.
Germarcus Lamar David, 32, was found guilty of five counts of first-degree murder, along with three counts of assault on a child resulting in death. An allegation involving the personal use of a firearm, as well as several additional circumstances in aggravation, were affirmed. David’s sentencing is slated for April 24.
On November 28, 2021, David fatally shot his children, aged 1, 2, 7, and 11, in addition to their grandmother, Ericka England, aged 51, who was babysitting them while their mother was out with friends.
“Each of the victims were shot multiple times,” stated Deputy District Attorney Vanessa Zuniga. The crime scene exhibited an eerie silence when the mother of the children returned from her dinner outing to discover her children and mother’s lifeless bodies.
After his atrocities, David approached the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station intending to surrender. He ended up being arrested after a lengthy interview by homicide detectives.
According to the prosecutor, David was reportedly upset about his wife moving on to another relationship after their divorce. He allegedly acted to make his wife feel his pain when she rejected him.
Details of the tragic night involve David, a former security guard, calling his wife twice upon his early return from work to his home. He entered the house and discharged 20 rounds from a firearm seven minutes later, each hitting a target.
The District Attorney’s office, pushing for a conviction of first-degree murder, suggested premeditation and deliberation on David’s part. However, the defense asked the panel to consider the lesser offense of second-degree murder, attributing the act to an emotional state.