A man dressed as Santa, who was reportedly having marital problems, opened fire and killed 8 people at a Christmas party in Covina, California and then set fire to the home.

Forty-five-year-old Bruce Jeffrey Pardo, the primary suspect in the Christmas Eve shooting, was found dead yesterday in a relatives home nearby the crime scene, from an apparent suicide.

Pardo arrived dressed as Santa at his in-law's home and shot an 8-year-old girl who came running towards him before firing randomly at the more than 25-people who attended the Christmas celebration.

The incident began at 11:30pm on Christmas Eve and investigators say Pardo used a flammable liquid to set fire to the home. Pardo's car that he parked near where his body was found exploded Thursday evening, but no one was hurt. Pardo's mother-in-law, father-in-law and ex-wife are believed to be among the dead, but have not been identified at this time. Three other people, including an 8-year-old girl were injured and treated at the hospital for non-threatening conditions.