Lorenzo Silva

Case record

Lorenzo "Sol" Silva was an airport security guard who shot to death three of his upstairs neighbors before killing himself. During the rampage, Silva also wounded the 2-year-old daughter of two of his victims.

Silva was 63 at the time of the killings. Police said he used a .357-Magnum revolver.

Timeline

• October 11, 1999 — Lorenzo "Sol" Silva went on a shooting rampage at his home at 33 de Montfort Street in the Ingleside District, near San Francisco City College, killed three neighbors, and then shot himself; the 2-year-old daughter was wounded and was being treated at San Francisco General Hospital.

Background

Silva had been treated for a mental disorder and had recently learned that he had incurable pancreatic cancer. Family members told police that he had “flipped out.” He had been prescribed antidepressants by doctors at the Kaiser Medical Center, and relatives said he reacted badly to the drugs in the past two weeks, acting depressed and paranoid at times.

Family members said they had been worried about Silva’s mental condition for some time. They told reporters that he had been unable to sleep unless he was in the same room with his 87-year-old mother, with the light on.

Silva had lived in the downstairs unit of the house at 33 De Montfort Ave. The house was a home he bought with his wife, Flora, in 1976. Silva worked as a security guard at San Francisco International Airport for about 20 years, including working a night shift and his normal shift the morning of the killings.

Silva and his mother and his wife came to the United States from the Philippines in 1972. Silva’s brother, Silvestre Silva, said Silva’s wife returned to the Philippines last year, and relatives said she was unhappy in the United States.

Relatives said Silva had a relationship of some kind with Marquicias, one of his victims, and had been known to stay at her upstairs flat. Police said it was unclear what that relationship was.

Police said a check of Silva’s past revealed no criminal record. Police were investigating that and other factors in trying to determine why Silva went on a rampage.

The offence

Silva took his .357-Magnum revolver upstairs and killed Noel Ridual and Noel Ridual’s wife, Josephine, and also killed Maria "Ola" Marquicias.

• Noel Ridual was 28.
• Josephine Ridual was 28.
• Maria "Ola" Marquicias was 30 (also given as 32 in another part of the case narrative).
• All were shot in the head.

The Riduals were having a midday meal, feeding their 2-year-old daughter as she sat in a high chair. The Riduals were found dead in the dining room. Marquicias was found in her bedroom.

Silva then turned the gun on himself and killed himself.

During the shooting, the Riduals’ 2-year-old daughter, Jessica, was wounded in the shoulder, apparently by a ricocheted bullet. She was being treated at San Francisco General Hospital and was expected to recover.

Investigation

Police were investigating factors in trying to determine why Silva went on a rampage. Homicide Inspector Michael Johnson said a check of Silva’s past revealed no criminal record.

Homicide Inspector Michael Johnson said:

“He was apparently upset about his medical condition,”
“The family said he had been diagnosed, possibly misdiagnosed. When they told him, he flipped out -- that was their words.”

Police said Silva took a .357-Magnum revolver upstairs and killed the three victims before turning the gun on himself.

Although family members said he was a gun collector, a search by police turned up only the one firearm.

Arrest / detention

No arrest or detention was described.

Trial

No trial was described.

Sentencing

No sentencing was described.

Appeals

No appeals were described.

Outcome

Silva committed suicide by shooting himself the same day October 11, 1999, after shooting three upstairs neighbors to death.

Other details

Buen Lirios, the brother-in-law of the gunman, said he heard at least five gunshots and was reluctant to go upstairs. Lirios said it was Silva’s mother, Maria Silva, who went up first and found her son and the others dead. Lirios said he followed her upstairs and stated:

“I saw the four bodies and the baby crying”
“There was blood all over. They were all bloody. I didn't want to go near them.”

Silva’s relatives identified the slain couple as Noel Ridual and his 28-year-old wife, Josephine. The other slain woman was Ola Marquisia, 30 (also given as Maria "Ola" Marquicias, 32 elsewhere).

Silva’s relatives were gathered at a home in Daly City the day after the killings and declined to comment, other than to say that they had hired an attorney.

Silva worked his normal shift at the airport the morning of the killings. At 8 a.m., one of his daughters called him and asked if he wanted to attend Mass at St. Emydius Catholic Church near his home, where the Riduals also worshiped. He declined. When his daughter called again at 10 a.m., he said he was too tired and wanted to lie down rather than eat breakfast. That was the last his daughter heard from him.