The Misery Machine - The Case of the Criado Family Massacre

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Starting point is 00:01:28 Jordan Adam Creado and Tabasha Rochelle Page Creado. Tabasha was born on January 8th, 1981 in Bakersfield, California to parents Gwendolyn Paige Crows and Willie Johnson. She was 30 years old at the time of our story. Jordan Creado's family, however, had abandoned him long before our story took place. Jordan was born in 1960 and was 21 years older than his wife. Tabasha and her mother shared a close bond. Gwendolyn recalled how her daughter would often call her late at night to talk and crack jokes. Gwendolyn would also sing songs with her grandchildren while on the phone.

Starting point is 00:02:09 Jordan and Tabasha had four children. They welcomed their first Elijah on February 24, 2004, followed by Isaac, born just over a year later on February 27, 2005. The third youngest, Andrew, was born on May 12, 2007. And finally, Aurora was born on January 13, 2009. Aurora was their only daughter, and all three boys carried their father's first name as their middle name. All four children were reported to have special needs, and Tabasha herself struggled with mental illness,

Starting point is 00:02:43 specifically bipolar disorder. Elijah, who was seven at the time of our story, was known by his teachers as having an innate ability to craft and construct sophisticated toys. He would give toys he created to other students, and he also enjoyed making art projects for his siblings. Six-year-old Isaac was also creative and artistic. He was above his grade level in reading and writing and had an obsession with Thomas the Tank Engine. Five-year-old Andrew, the youngest boy, was still in Head Start.

Starting point is 00:03:15 He was more focused on toys and enjoyed superhero action figures like Iron Man and Spider-Man. He also enjoyed playing with Hot Wheels cars. two-year-old Aurora, the youngest and still very much the baby of the family, was an early head start. She was said to have loved Barbie dolls. 12-year-old Madison Grease, who had babysat for the Creado family, said of the children, they were all very loving. Boys were hyper, but they listened to me really good. She said of their parents, Tabby was really nice. I got a good vibe off her.

Starting point is 00:03:48 Dad was kind of creepy. Tabasha had met Jordan at a community college in Bakersfield, California after she had gotten out of the Navy. She married him, despite knowing he had been sentenced to 20 years in prison in December of 1989 for the essay of his ex-wife's three daughters in Sacramento County. Jordan had been arrested and pled guilty in August of 1990 to eight counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14. Jordan had also gone back to jail at one point for 91 days for failing to register as an offender, which he was required to do by law no matter where he lived. Jordan's reputation was permanently stained, and for very good reason. It was no secret to the public that he committed such heinous acts against young children.

Starting point is 00:04:33 Offenders on the registry are usually quite easy to look up. Despite knowing this, Tabasha still chose to be with him. According to those that knew her, Tabasha wasn't threatened by, what Jordan had done in his past. Wash's brother, Jesse Adams, also felt that Jordan has served his time in prison, and by doing so, in his words, had paid his debt to society for his actions. Jordan moved his new family to the state of Oregon to get away from his ex-wife's family, as well as anyone else who knew why he'd been in prison. They first settled in Central Point, but they were soon evicted from their home after Jordan lost his job at a local factory.

Starting point is 00:05:14 They then moved to Medford where Tabasha enrolled at another community college to continue her education, and Jordan worked out of their home fixing cars. The family settled into a house located at 1027 West 10th Street. But the Criado household wasn't a healthy one. According to their neighbors, Jordan and Tabash's seemed to have frequent arguments, but nothing physical or aggressive. Child Protective Services had also been called to their addressed in the past, but the reasons why were not publicly known. Some neighbors reported hearing a loud fight on Sunday, July 17, 2011. It was no secret that Tabasha had intended to divorce Jordan.

Starting point is 00:05:58 She had expressed her intentions to do so to her family and friends frequently. That evening, Tabasha stayed out all night and Jordan reported her missing early Monday morning. According to Medford Police Chief Tim George, officers located her later that morning at a local minute mart. Surveillance video showed Tabasha standing at the cash register at 7.46am. According to store clerk, Lori Groh, she was talking calmly on her cell phone when she came into the store. She bought three fruit-flavored cigar wrappers for 89 cents each and then sat at a table. Tabasha was dressed in a black cap, black sweatshirt, black pants, and white running shoes.

Starting point is 00:06:42 She appeared to be texting on her phone, then she looked outside and smiled broadly before walking out to join the police officers who had been looking for her. They gave her a ride home, and according to the officers, she didn't appear frightened or nervous before they left her home with Jordan. At 9.23 a.m. the same day, just an hour after Tabasha returned home, neighbor Calvin Kennedy called 911 after he could see what appeared to be smoke coming from the Criotto home. Calvin had pounded on the door trying to get a response from the family but got no answer. When officials arrived, smoke was now pouring out from the residence. Dozens of firefighters, police, and ambulance crews had arrived on the scene to help put out the blaze and rescue the family. Firefighters had to forcefully break into the home because the door had been dead bolted shut. The living room couch was placed against the front door and the back sliding glass doors were locked from the inside with a wooden dowel.

Starting point is 00:07:37 Police said that the fire, which was considered to be arson, had been started in several locations around the house. The first victim was evacuated from the home 16 minutes after the 911 call was placed, last a few minutes later at 9.43 a.m. First responders worked in a feverish attempt to resuscitate the family in their front yard. The lawn resembled a war zone made into an emergency triage unit as rescue personnel search for pulses or move. their bloody clothing and perform CPR. First responders discovered stab wounds on Tabasha and all of the three little boys. They were able to get a pulse on two of the children at the scene, but they were later pronounced dead at the hospital. Tabasha and her four children were gone. Jordan was the only member of the family that survived. It was taken to the hospital unconscious from smoke inhalation.

Starting point is 00:08:33 Police quickly zeroed in on the father to be the sole perpetrator and made plans to arrest him as soon as he was well enough to leave the hospital. One firefighter told investigators that when they located Jordan, he was holding a bloody kitchen knife. The entire family was found in the master bedroom while the firefighters entered the building to pull them out. The master bedroom was where one of the four fires had been set. At autopsy, authorities uncovered chilling evidence. Jordan had given the four children large doses of melatonin before the violence took place. Aurora, the youngest of the children, had four times the recommended dose in her system. Giving the children melatonin to lull them to sleep pointed to premeditation.

Starting point is 00:09:23 He wanted them docile before he carried out his plan. As we mentioned previously, Jordan had stabbed three of three of the first. the Ford children. Aurora was the only member of the family that was spared. Tabasha, Isaac, and Andrew died from sharp force injuries. Elijah and Aurora died from effects of the fire. Tabasha had been stabbed twice in the neck, twice in the face, and ten times in the abdomen. That many wounds denotes a crime of passion and a complete loss of self-control. There were no defensive wounds found on Tabasha's body to show that she had fought Jordan during the attack. It's likely that the first wound was a fatal one.

Starting point is 00:10:08 According to investigators, after Jordan stabbed his wife and children, he carried each of them into the master bedroom. He put two of the children on the bed and the other two on a mattress on the floor next to their mother. Jordan then got to work on setting the fires. There's reported that Jordan left the knife he used on his family on a bed in the kids' room. Evidence led police to believe that after Jordan had annihilated his family, he doused himself in the interior walls in the house with the cooking oil, specifically olive oil, which he mistakenly believed would act as an accelerant. Jordan had also turned on the stove and oven.

Starting point is 00:10:46 Once the fires were burning, Jordan acquired a new knife in an attempt to remove himself from this earth, but firefighters were able to keep him alive after finding him and pulling him from the burning building. He spent three weeks in the hospital, unconscious from smoke inhalation, and remained guarded by police. He was sedated and listed in stable condition. Jordan was immediately arrested upon his discharge from the hospital. He appeared to have been put in a turtle suit during his initial court appearances, but the Jackson County Jail would not comment on whether or not he was on watch due to being a danger to himself. It would be safe to assume that he definitely was being monitored for safety, considering what his attempts were at the crime scene.

Starting point is 00:11:29 Jordan's indictment listed 24 counts of aggravated murder. 20 of them were based on the fact that there were multiple victims, and four were due to the fact that his children were all under the age of 14. He was also indicted on four counts of felony murder related to four counts of arson, as well as four counts of manslaughter. Aggravated murder carries a potential sentence of life and preemptive, prison without parole or capital punishment. Jordan and his defense attorney Jeff Goki put in a motion to postpone the trial until the

Starting point is 00:12:04 following summer. They also submitted a motion to suppress evidence in the case, but the nature of the evidence they sought to suppress was unclear. Jordan had told authorities that when his wife came home that morning, she told him she had woken up in another man's bed and believed that she had been drugged. He claimed he went into the backyard to fix a car and later felt that something was not right. When he went into the house, he saw the fire and claimed he saw his wife standing over the children with a knife. Jordan told police he attacked Tabasha for what she had done to the children.

Starting point is 00:12:39 He said, she was a broken woman. I had no right to take her life, but I did not kill my babies. When they needed me the most, I wasn't there. I knew she was not well, but I never thought she would hurt the babies. Now, this defense is surprisingly not as uncommon as you think. Now, if you remember our coverage of the Ronnie O'Neill case, this defense from a family annihilator to say that their romantic partner was the one that killed the kids and they finished the romantic partner off is surprisingly not uncommon.

Starting point is 00:13:14 Like Jordan, Ronnie had the same defense at trial. District attorney Beth Heckert, however, described Jordan's behavior as selfish. controlling and jealous and said that he had killed his entire family and tried to remove himself from this earth rather than let his wife leave him behind for another man. Judge Mejia believed that Jordan was delusional and that the evidence extensively showed that Jordan had killed his entire family in a fit of jealous rage after learning his wife had spent the night with another man, and he had set fire to the house. He said, maybe you can't admit to yourself that you killed them, but that is clearly what happened. You disliked.

Starting point is 00:13:53 Dishonner the memory of how good a father you were and dishonor the memory of your children by your insistence that she killed them. Jordan could not or would not accept the shame of murdering his own children, so he blamed Tabasha to paint her as the unstable one and absolve himself of his guilt. Fortunately, Jordan survived and would be forced to continue living with the knowledge of what he had done for the rest of his life. Jordan eventually entered what's known as an Alford plea to four counts of aggravated murder. and one of arson. That means that while he does not admit guilt, he acknowledged that there was enough evidence to convict him. The Alford police saved the Oregon court system, the hassle, and the hefty cost of a lengthy trial. In return, prosecutors did not pursue capital punishment and

Starting point is 00:14:40 recommended life in prison without the possibility of parole. Willie Johnson, Tabash's biological father, who now goes by the name Marzik Zayad, was hit particularly hard by the events of the tragedy. Marzik never got to meet his youngest daughter in person. He claimed that he had an affair with her mother, but he didn't even know he had a daughter for a long time. He said that he wasn't listed on her birth certificate, but the family resemblance was clear. Tabasha's mother eventually acknowledged his paternity.

Starting point is 00:15:15 Early attempts to meet his newly discovered daughter in person had failed many times. Six months before the tragedy, Marzik had reconnected with Tabasha on Facebook. They had begun talking on the phone regularly and were working towards establishing a connection. The night before the murders, the conversation between them was about the overdue family reunion. According to Marzik, Tabasha was my baby. We were planning for me to come out for a visit. We were going to have a barbecue. The whole family was getting happy.

Starting point is 00:15:48 but father and daughter never got to reconnect because of what Jordan had done. He did, however, have some happy memories to hold on to. He lovingly recalled, the sweetest word I ever heard in my life came from Aurora's mouth. She called me Brampa. Dressed in a black suit at Jordan sentencing, Marzik said he himself was a victim of family violence several times over, which included the murders of his own two sisters.

Starting point is 00:16:17 He added that Jordan was not solely to blame. He also blamed the California prison system where Jordan did time for the essay of his first wife's daughters. The grieving father claimed that they too had a hand in what Jordan had become, saying Jordan wasn't released from prison. Jordan was unleashed on society. Marzik had a lot to say about the justice system and how it frequently fails to effectively rehabilitate inmates before they are released. Marzik had personal experience dealing with the justice system. system himself. He had spent several years in prison following a shooting in his California home in 1990. Marzick claimed he was trying to get his stepson's friend out of his house by scaring him

Starting point is 00:16:58 with a shotgun. His friend was a gang member who brought drugs into his home. There was a struggle and the gun went off. Marzick's conviction was overturned several years later by an appeals court ruling that his case had to be retried or a sentence commuted to voluntary manslaughter. This offense carried a 10-year maximum sentence, which was less than the number of years he had already spent in prison. While Marzik's appeal was working its way through the system, he had the opportunity to speak with his fellow inmates about what brought them to prison, how to turn the violence around to lead healthier lives. He said, I've seen all sides. I've sat with murderers on death row. They've told me things they never told their attorneys or their psychiatrist because I was in the same

Starting point is 00:17:42 fixes them. Marzik was released from prison on July 18th, 2002. Sadly, the 10th anniversary of his release happened to fall on the one-year anniversary of the Creado killings. He said, I'm just sick of all kinds of family violence. Anything I can do to stop family violence, I am ready, willing, and able to try. Tabasha's family did not want Jordan sentenced to death. According to Marzik, the death penalty he won't do nothing but reward him. Tabash's family wants Jordan to accept responsibility for what he has done and spend the remainder of his life atoning for his sins and potentially saving others from this pain. While Jordan shamefully averted his gaze, Marzik said he hoped his son-in-law would do something

Starting point is 00:18:28 positive in prison to make up for his many crimes, adding, yes, I would like to see Jordan locked up for life, but I would like to see what he can become. Marzik urged everyone to do what they could to end family violence stating, you may be the next victim, and I don't want you to feel what I'm feeling. Selfishness is what got him where he is. You're responsible for the sins you do. He needs to see beyond the misery he is facing. He needs to purify his soul and make something positive come out of this.

Starting point is 00:18:58 He may be able to get his sins lifted and get to paradise. Despite everything Marzik believed in forgiveness and redemption. Jordan can be an excellent instrument in promoting programs that would help other inmates in prison not to come out and do the things he has come out and do. Tabasha's brother, Jesse Adams, also looked to his faith to make sense of this tragedy and to comfort in the idea that God had taken Tabasha and her children to a better place. Jesse found guidance in the Bible as a means to forgive Jordan, such as Ephesians 431, which reads, Let all bitterness, wrath, and anger, and clamor and evil speaking, be put away from you with all the malice, and be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving to one another, even as Christ God has forgiven us. At a news conference, Jesse shared that his family was in chaos trying to make sense of the loss, but we're working on the path to forgiving Jordan. Jesse acknowledged that Jordan Tabasha had been struggling as a couple stating, we knew she wanted a divorce.

Starting point is 00:20:03 We knew Tabasha would work on her own time, her own pace. She obviously didn't see anything coming or felt threatened. At the end of the day, we have to trust in her decisions, the way she decided to handle things. Jesse added, and if you guys are listening up there, we love you, Tabasha, Elijah, Isaac, Andrew, and Aurora. May the rest of your days be in happiness with God. I've been asked, what was my sister like? The first thing that comes to mind is she's extraordinary and full of life. She was wise beyond her years and a good mother, a good friend to all who knew her.

Starting point is 00:20:47 No matter how bad the situation was, she always found the good in the midst of it. She was always willing to help anybody who was in need. And her kids were the driving force for the happiness in her life. She loved and cherished them like no other. We are saddened, angry, and hurt, confused, and stricken with grief over the loss of my sister and the kids. We have unanswered questions for Jordan, such as why and what, can make all of this come together and happen. although we are angry and hurt. We realize we all have to forgive him

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Starting point is 00:23:04 But in order for us to heal, we must forgive. Tabasha's uncle, Melvin Page, told reporters there was even more family history that was hauntingly similar to what had happened to his niece. 28 years ago, an aunt named Carmela Page was murdered. She was stabbed 22 times by her boyfriend in Denver, Colorado. The boyfriend tried to flee but was ultimately arrested. It is no wonder that the family, especially Marza, was invested in the prevention of family violence.

Starting point is 00:23:36 The family thanked the Oregon Department of Justice, first responders, and community members. Their donations helped the family pay for funeral expenses and counseling. The Page Criado Memorial Fund was set up through Bank of America, with excess donations being donated to Dunhouse Outreach. This is an organization that helps victims of family violence in Medford, Oregon. The funeral was held on Saturday, July 30, 2011, at St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Bakersfield, California.

Starting point is 00:24:11 The caskets of Tabasha Page Criado and her children were placed side by side. Hundreds of people paid their respects and condolences. They were buried and lay to rest at their final resting place of Union Cemetery. A candlelight vigil was held in Medford's Hawthorne Park. Flowers and stuffed animals were placed along the sidewalk in front of the Creado home before it was demolished in 2012. Among the mementos was a two-page letter, which reads in part, So though we now know your name is Tabasha,

Starting point is 00:24:45 to us, you'll always be the tall, beautiful black lady with the giant, gigantic smile, signed, your West Medford family. On the one-year anniversary of the fire, several of Tabasha's family members shared memories of her and her children with news channel KTVL10. Tabasha was so out of the box. Always laughed her. She always had jokes.

Starting point is 00:25:09 Tabasha Creado's family takes a look back before the tragedy, remembering Tabasha's goofy personality. We're calling, you know, at 1 o'clock in my morning to tell you something, Also on their minds for four children who were taken too soon. God received five angels a year ago today. Just remembering the good things, the smiles and the laughter. Those are the kind of things that you think about and you hold on to. But as the family tries to focus on the good times, they can't forget.

Starting point is 00:25:36 Last day to day, so it is still sad and we're still struggling with the thoughts that they're not here. The Basha's brother has spent the last year coping with the loss in his own way. Last year, Jesse Adams asked the community to forgive Jordan creado for the crimes he suspected of. No way, no shape, no form. Do we agree with the actions that took place or condone it? But in order for us to heal, we must forgive. Now he's taking his feelings and moving on.

Starting point is 00:26:07 He's going to school to be a paramedic. He wanted to find a way that he can also maybe save some lives or give back and do so in their memory. Family members say to Basha and her children are in a better place. We're finding comfort that we know. where they are at and we will see him again one day. And one year later, they're struggling to move forward saying Tabasha, Elijah, Andrew, Isaac, and Aurora will always be missed. Until we're joined with them again one day, you know, there's always going to be that voice and you're always going to miss them. I knew about investing, but I really didn't know how to go about it. Meet Corey,

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The Misery Machine - The Case of the Criado Family Massacre

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