Teens Arrested in Family Slaying

M O N T E R E Y   P A R K, Calif., July 27 -- The suburban community of Pico Rivera was stunned when someone apparently slipped into an unlocked home and stabbed a beloved coach and three of his children to death.

Then today came another shock — word that the family’s16-year-old adopted daughter and her 17-year-old boyfriend had beenarrested. Sheriff’s investigators said forensic evidence linked thetwo to the crimes, but wouldn’t offer details.

“We find when investigating these crimes that history tells usyou start looking in close and you work out,” Capt. Frank Merrimansaid, explaining why Los Angeles County homicide detectives lookedfor a suspect among the four surviving family members.

Investigators said they were still trying to determine whatmotivated the pair of suspects, although neighbors had said therewas friction between the boyfriend and the girl’s father.

Serial Killing Originally SuspectedDistrict Attorney Gil Garcetti said he probably will charge thepair as adults after getting the case Friday or Monday. A newCalifornia law gives prosecutors rather than judges the authorityto decide whether juveniles should be tried as adults for somefelonies, although they still are ineligible for the death penalty.

Richard Flores, 42, sons Richard Jr., 17, and Matthew, 10, and13-year-old daughter Sylvia were killed early July 21. Flores’wife, Sylvia, 39, was wounded and remains hospitalized. Hercondition was unavailable today.

The mother, who was able to offer limited information toinvestigators, didn’t learn of the deaths until Wednesday. She wasnot told of the arrests, investigators said.

“I think we have an obligation to protect her because she’s ina traumatized recovery status,” Sheriff Lee Baca said.

Amid a heat wave, the family and others in their quiet PicoRivera neighborhood slept with their windows open the night of theattack. Neighbors feared a serial killer might be on the looseafter the Flores family members were stabbed and slashed.