Monday, January 21, 2013

Fifteen year old New Mexico teenager murders entire family. Gee do you think guns were involved?

Nehemiah Griego
Courtesy of Eyewitness News 4 out of Albuquerque, New Mexico:  

A statement of probable cause filed in connection with the murder of five people Saturday in the South Valley says the 15-year-old suspect initially told people at his church that his family had been killed in a car crash and were laying dead inside the home. 

Bernalillo County deputies say instead that Nehemiah Griego had shot and killed his father, mother and three young siblings inside their home with weapons he found in his parent's closet. 

They say it appears the younger Griego killed his family, then drove to Calvary Church. 

After hearing his stories, church officials didn't believe him and instead called police. 

Griego later led officers to the home where the victims Greg Griego, 51; his wife Sarah Griego, 40; and three of their children, Zephania Griego, 9; Jael Griego, 5; and Angelina Griego, 2 were found shot to death. 

The elder Griego had been a pastor there and the family worshipped there. 

According to court documents, Nehemiah Griego told deputies the shootings happened because he had "anger issues" and "was annoyed with'' his mother. 

Griego said he had been having homicidal and suicidal thoughts, and so around midnight on Saturday, he got a .22 caliber rifle from his parents closet and shot his mother in the head, killing her. 

His nine year old brother was sleeping next to her. His brother became upset when he woke up, so Griego shot him in the head, killing him. 

He said his sisters were crying and he shot both of them in the head, killing them. 

Griego said he then got an AR-15 rifle from his parent's closet and waited in a bathroom until his father arrived home at about 5 a.m. He then shot his father multiple times, killing him. 

Officers said Griego told them he then reloaded the weapons so he could drive to a populated area to murder more people. 

Griego said he wanted to shoot people at random and eventually be killed while exchanging fire with law enforcement. 

Instead, Griego put some of the guns in the family's van and drove it to Calvary, where his story of what happened to his family was questioned. 

He also told police he took a picture of his dead mother and sent it to his girlfriend.

I would like to point out that his boy had NO criminal history, does not seem to have any diagnosed mental health issues, and used guns that belonged to his father to kill his family, and I would be willing to bet that they were all purchased legally.

His father was a pastor so the idea that a lack of religion is the cause of this will not be a ready made red herring for the Right Wing, and I doubt very seriously that it will be easy to simply link to violent movies or video games.

The simple fact, as much as EVERYBODY will want to dismiss it, is that this young man was able to slaughter his entire family ONLY because he had access to weapons which gave him the power to do so.

The problem is guns.

Not lack of religion.

Not video games.

Not movies.

Not even mental illness.

The teenager could have been a Satan worshiping, video game playing, R rated movie watching, sociopath. But without access to those guns he would have been a relatively harmless Satan worshiping, video game playing, R rated movie watching, sociopath.

I don't know about all of you but I am sick and tired of reading about these unnecessary deaths, and even MORE sick and tired of hearing the same old excuses for why we can't do something to greatly reduce them of put a stop to them altogether.

40 comments:

  1. Anonymous5:06 PM

    Because he hadn't been diagnosed with a mental illness doesn't mean there isn't one. It could be that his religionist parents didn't want to go to someone with fancy book learnin' and figured indoctrination into their collective fantasy life would do the trick. Religious leaders often take on the role of counselors to their flock.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think I’m seeing some DNA issues. Could someone knowledgeable weigh in on that?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous7:27 PM

      Here we go again.

      Troubled teens having access to weapons in the home have resulted in far too many deaths in this country.

      The laws are not working and we need to do something to prevent this from happening again...

      and again...

      and again...

      Delete
    3. Comeonpeople1:29 PM

      From this angle his ears DO seem low set which can be found in many genetic DNA disorders

      Delete
  2. Anonymous5:15 PM

    Issues with parents, sure. Patricide and Matricide? That's extreme. I'm not even saying it's understandable - but why on earth did he have to kill his young siblings too?

    Two, five and nine. They were young, blameless and defenseless.

    I am crushed here. That poor, poor family.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous5:17 PM

    I hope he is tried like an adult. That's one sick rabid animal!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Leland6:00 AM

      Want to bet he gets ruled "Not guilty by reason of insanity" regardless? And then gets released a few years from now after "treatment"?

      Delete
    2. Chella3:58 PM

      "not guilty by reason of insanty" is an extremely hard defense strategy, and it rarely ever works.

      Besides. Most people win with not guilty by reason of insanity' will end up staying longer in a mental health facility rather than just taking jail time.

      In this case, however, I feel he will be spending the rest of his life either behind bars, or in a hospital bed.

      Delete
  4. Anonymous5:33 PM

    Parents, lock up your guns! That is the only way to even attempt to prevent what this child did. If you are going to have guns then a gun safe is a necessity. That even is not a guarantee that your child won't have access to your guns, but it's a start.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous5:41 PM

    It has been in various news articles that the pastor did not allow the kids to play video games and the children were home schooled by the mom who he says 'annoyed' him. The blamers can't point their fingers at video games, lack of religion nor secular public schools influence.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He apparently had "issues" at school - hence the home schooling. There is much can be done about bullying at school - "home" schooling is surely a last resort.

      Responsible gun owners? with multiple guns in a closet and many children in the house?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous7:32 PM

      I am horrified at the idea that loaded guns, or unloaded weapons with easily accessible ammunition, were being kept unlocked in a closet with so many young children in the house.

      Whether or not the parents realized the serious nature of their son's mental condition, it would have been frighteningly easy for any of the younger children to find those weapons and shoot them, either intentionally or accidentally.

      Delete
  6. Anonymous5:44 PM

    We can be assured that if it were not for this gunned down family's collection of weaponry, our nation would have fallen to hypothetical tyranny and even worse...our citizenry would probably have to spend billions of tax dollars on a military or something.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous5:46 PM

    Part of being a gun owner is being responsible. If there are family problems, get the guns out. If there is a mentally ill person in the household, get the guns out.
    And as far as I'm concerned if your guns aren't in a safe then you should be held liable for any crimes committed with them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous8:06 AM

      seems to me the parents (and siblings) were hel responsible. They paid the ultimate price. My goodness...what is happening to us???

      Delete
  8. Anonymous5:51 PM

    It IS GUNS!
    Gun having only ONE function....TO KILL!
    And this miserable little bastard killed his whole family with a .22!!!

    Crickets from Fox news. Or any news.
    Pathetic. We need to push hard to support Gabby's new org and SCREAM to our elected Congress and Senate we are "MAD AS HELL AND WON'T TAKE IT ANYMORE"!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous6:07 PM

    Fundamentalism and guns are frequently a bad mix.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous6:42 PM

    "...got an AR-15 rifle from his parent's closet..."

    Which is exactly why background checks is nearly useless.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous2:57 AM

      Actually it is exactly why this type of weapon should NEVER be sold to anyone but the military.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous3:58 AM

      No, they are NOT useless. The reason you don't read about more crimes is because the criminals and angry people were denied the ability to purchase.

      You don't read about a crime that never happened!

      Nothing from nothing is still nothing!

      Delete
    3. Anonymous7:53 AM

      What does the AR stand for again? Oh right ASSAULT RIFLE.
      BAN ALL ASSAULT WEAPONS NOW!

      If you're against background checks, you're FOR mentally ill convicts and pedophiles getting guns. Are you pro-pedophile 6:42PM?

      Delete
  11. Anonymous6:48 PM

    Diagnosed or not, this kid is clearly mentally ill. And who knows whether or not he may have been doing illegal drugs obtained on the street?

    The availability of guns makes EVERYTHING worse. If there had been no guns in the house he could not have massacred his entire family, even if he WAS mentally ill.

    So tragic... :(

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous7:18 PM

    not even mental illness?

    if a young man guns down his entire family, at 15 no less, he is seriously ill.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous7:45 PM

    Guns also provide self defense, deterence to crime, and keep power with the people. If those intent on killing start poisoning the water or food supply, what do you do then? What if your government starts poisoning the water (Fluoride) and food (GMO's) supply. What can you do? With today's government, taking guns from good citizens is just stupid. Those that advocate gun control might as well advocate government tyranny. Think it through.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anita Winecooler9:13 PM

      Yep, this stuff didn't happen before big govmint put Fluoride in the water! Good Point!

      FWIW "With today's government, taking guns from good citizens..."
      Which government are you referring to, and where did this happen?????

      links please!

      Delete
    2. Anonymous4:30 AM

      Ah, yes, a fluoride "troofer". The nation's water supply has been treated for 60 years now. As for taking guns away--this pastor certainly had quite the arsenal. Seems he had no problems getting guns.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous7:51 AM

      I thought it through. Someone should take your guns away immediately. You are clearly a threat to society.

      Delete
  14. Anonymous7:50 PM

    "They say it appears the younger Griego killed his family, then drove to Calvary Church."

    No wonder this kid was confused:

    The Calvinist doctrine puts believers in a moral dilemma: should they even bother trying to be good? There doesn't seem to be much point, and Catch-22 aspect to this situation was summed up in a popular ditty:

    You can and you can't,
    You shall and you shan't;
    You will and you won't.
    You're damned if you do,
    And damned if you don't.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:22 PM

      First of all, FUCK YOU... Second of all... FUCK YOU....

      Third of all, their family was amazing, so FUCK YOU.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous7:15 AM

      Their family was also stupid enough to have both weapons and ammo within easy access of their minor children. What a waste of human life. All guns should by law have to be locked in a gun safe. All guns should have to be insured against negligent use or crimes committed using them.

      Delete
  15. Anonymous8:18 PM

    Gryphen, what do you think of the HUGE coincidences between Lil Wayne and the aurora shooting? What about the huge coincidences between other huge disasters and batman?

    Can they all be JUST coincidences? So weird.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous5:05 AM

      It's like Anon 8:18 is trying to make a point. . .just dot get what.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous7:49 AM

      "So weird."

      Yes...yes you are.

      Delete
  16. Anita Winecooler9:23 PM

    Why are they posting the photo and name of the minor child? Not saying it's a bad idea, because the public would figure out little Nehemiah Greco was the perp, eventually, but isn't there a law against that?

    You're right, G man. The problem IS guns. Combine that with the parent's drug of choice, denial, and it's a recipe for disaster.

    Gee, one would THINK gun owners would realize they need to lock up their guns/use safety locks on the triggers by now! Every day there's a headline about guns being used by kids.

    Is it a violation of their "freedom" to have guns locked up? A lock on the trigger?

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous3:59 AM

    It could have been worse; he planned on shooting up a local Walmart too. He had loaded up the family van with several guns and hoped to "die in a shootout with police", but was talked out of the plan by a friend who convinced him to meet him at his father's church.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Anonymous4:32 AM

    So, a child in a Quiverfull homeschooling, no-tv, no-movies, no-videogame family where the father ran a prison ministry snapped and killed everyone. yup, must have been the lack of God. @@

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous7:36 AM

    This is what the students from Wasilla High School were referring to when they 'named' Track, 'CAIN'T GET RIGHT'. A powder keg waiting to explode.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous8:01 AM

    "The teenager could have been a Satan worshiping, video game playing, R rated movie watching, sociopath. But without access to those guns"

    (a different ending to your sentnece)

    he could have found other ways to kill them. He could use internet intstructions to make a bomb or use knives or turn on the pilot lights adn light a match.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous9:43 AM

    WHOA YOWZA! YIKES! OUCH!

    http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/01/22/trinidad-and-tobago-security-guard-accidentally-shoots-off-his-penis/

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous1:11 PM

    Well, I just had a response from "Dr. Dan" as in Rep. Benishek (R-MI), our new congressman. This man is a medical doctor and yet he does not think that new laws, at least what President Obama has described to date, would have any effect. After all, says Dr. Dan, the 2nd Amendment guarantees our rights to bear arms and these terrible shootings are evidence of a lack of respect for human dignity, nothing one can legislate about.

    He is obviously unwilling to even contemplate tougher gun laws. I'm just as sure that he would be completely unwilling to put federal money into improving mental health care in this country. What a waste is our Dr. Dan! He is a teabagger, that's how he first got elected to Congress in 2010.

    I wonder what it will take to get the Republicans in Congress to consider tougher gun laws. How many more people have to die before they do?
    Beaglemom

    ReplyDelete

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