They were married Jan. 29, 2006, and Pardo bought a three-bedroom, $565,000 home in Montrose, taking on a $452,000 mortgage. They also bought an Akita, which they named Saki, and seemed to live happily with Sylvia's 4-year-old daughter. Pardo was a regular usher for Sunday Mass at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, a few blocks away.
At first, Pardo was drawn to his wife's warm and welcoming family. But after the first year of their marriage, she told friends, he had become cold, miserly and distant. They often argued about money.
At the same time, Pardo's mother had grown quite fond of Sylvia and her children. In late 2007, police say, she confided to her daughter-in-law that Pardo had a severely disabled son whom he claimed as a tax deduction but didn't support.
The couple separated March 7, 2008. Sylvia asked Pardo if she could stay in the home while her daughter finished the last few months of kindergarten, but Pardo moved her belongings onto the driveway while she was at a niece's birthday party. She filed for divorce and moved in with her sister in Glendale.
In April, Pardo hired Stanley Silver, a San Fernando attorney, and said he was hoping for a reconciliation. Silver called Sylvia's attorney, Scott Nord, but was told her mind was made up.
Although Pardo's brother thought he seemed depressed, others thought he had accepted the breakup. Silver said Pardo "was never upset. He was always congenial."
Pardo had left JPL and was working as an engineer for ITT Radar Systems, a Van Nuys defense contractor, earning $122,000 a year. Sylvia was making about $31,000 as an administrative assistant for an El Monte flower company. On June 18, 2008, a Burbank judge ordered Pardo to pay $1,785 a month in spousal support. Pardo's first check bounced and he stopped payment on the second, Sylvia's attorney told the court.
By then, Pardo had launched his plan.
On June 13, he had driven to Burbank and walked into Gun World, a small shop under a blue awning, and paid $999.95 cash for a Sig Sauer 9-millimeter handgun.
On July 31, Pardo was fired for billing fraudulent hours. He applied for unemployment compensation, but workers fired for cause are not eligible and his application was denied.
On Aug. 8, Pardo was back at Gun World to buy another Sig Sauer 9-millimeter handgun. California law limits sales of concealable firearms to one per customer every 30 days. A month later, on Sept. 8, Pardo bought a third from the same store. He returned for a fourth on Oct. 11 and a fifth on Nov. 13.
