Fred Abbie Perez, a 72-year-old resident of Santa Cruz, California, tragically lost his life on February 13, 1973. Perez was one of the victims of Herbert Mullin, a mentally ill spree killer who terrorized the Santa Cruz area in the early 1970s. On the day of his death, Perez was working outside his home when Mullin, who had been driving by, noticed him. Mullin made a U-turn, stopped his car, and shot Perez with a rifle, hitting him in the heart. This brutal act was part of a series of murders committed by Mullin, who believed that killing people would prevent earthquakes.
The immediate aftermath of the shooting saw a neighbor witnessing the incident and providing the police with the license plate number of Mullin's car. This crucial piece of information led to Mullin's arrest shortly after the murder. Mullin was subsequently charged with multiple counts of murder, including the killing of Fred Abbie Perez. During his trial, Mullin's defense centered around his severe mental illness, which included paranoid schizophrenia. Despite this, he was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison in August 1973.
Mullin's case has been subject to numerous parole hearings over the years, with the Board of Parole consistently denying his release. The last known parole denial occurred in March 2021. Mullin's crimes, including the murder of Fred Abbie Perez, contributed to Santa Cruz's grim reputation as the "Murder Capital" during the 1970s, a period marked by multiple serial killers operating in the area. The legal proceedings and investigations surrounding Mullin's case have been extensively documented, highlighting the intersection of mental illness and criminal justice.
