In a tragic turn of events, a Massachusetts man allegedly murdered his stepdaughter before killing himself after he was released on low bail, according to a press release from the Middlesex County District Attorney’s office.
Juliano Santana, 49, allegedly abducted his 16-year-old stepdaughter before killing her, the press release said. Shortly after 4 p.m., Acton Police received a call reporting the abduction. At that point, they contacted Santana’s probation officer, who located him using a GPS monitoring device that was placed on him during another case in Middlesex Superior Court, according to the press release.
Juliano Santana, 49, of Massachusetts, was charged in 2021 with six counts of aggravated rape of his stepdaughter, Christina.He was freed after posting bond
On Thursday, Santana abducted Christina and officers later found Christina and Santana dead from gunshot wounds in his car pic.twitter.com/0EgGRr8Nn1
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The authorities were led to a parking lot outside the victim’s home, where they found the suspect and victim dead from gunshot wounds in his vehicle, the press release noted. The investigation indicates that Santana allegedly kidnapped the teenager while she was walking home after school. He later allegedly fatally shot the girl before turning the gun on himself, the district attorney’s office reported.
The victim told police on Sept. 7, 2021, that Santana had sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions, the press release said. Santana was arrested on the same day on six counts of aggravated rape of a child. The Malden District Court set Santana’s bail at $30,000 with the condition that he would be placed on a GPS monitoring device.
He was instructed not to have any contact with the child or have unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 18, according to the press release. (RELATED: Man Charged With Kidnapping And Assault Released On $2 Bail, Promptly Commits Another Alleged Kidnapping And Assault)
The girl’s death has shocked the community. Acton-Boxborough Regional Schools superintendent, who presides over the district she attended, said the incident left the district “heartbroken,” according to NBC 10.
“We understand that children and teens may need additional support to help navigate challenging news or events. Our school mental health staff will be providing ongoing assistance to anyone who needs it. Again, our hearts go out to all of those involved with this tragic death,” the superintendent said in a written statement, according to NBC 10.