Photo by Adam Gerard
After fatally shooting a woman outside of a Giant grocery store last week, Eulalio Tordil may have stayed in the area because he couldn’t see well enough to drive away. Police found his glasses inside the car of Claudina Molina, apparently knocked off during a struggle, The AP reported. The 65-year old woman was Tordil’s final victim in a two-day rampage where he killed three people, including his estranged wife.
Tordil appeared in court by video yesterday, where he was ordered held without bond, Fox 5 reported.
The series of deadly events began on the afternoon of May 5 when Tordil, a Department of Homeland Security employee, fatally shot his wife Gladys at High Point High School in Prince George’s County. He also shot a bystander who tried to intervene during the confrontation—the man suffered non-life threatening injuries.
The following day around 11:15 a.m., Tordil shot three people at Westfield Montgomery Mall after an attempted car jacking. One male victim from this incident has died after being taken to a hospital, the other male victim was left in critical condition, and a woman sustained non life threatening injuries.
Tordil fled that scene and ended up at a Giant in Aspen Hill within the same hour. There, he fatally shot is final victim.
An officer in plain clothes identified Tordil’s car in a nearby parking lot after the shooting, according to officials. The officer spotted Tordil at a nearby Dunkin Donuts, and police put him under surveillance until it was safe to make the arrest.
The fact he lost his glasses and couldn’t see to drive “may have been why he stayed in the area,” Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy said at the hearing, according to AP.
After Gladys filed a protective order over alleged abuse, Tordil was put on administrative duty and asked to surrender all of his weapons, but he did not, McCarthy said. He added that the weapon Tordil used in Friday’s shootings, a .40-caliber Glock handgun, had been purchased before the order. McCarthy also said that officials believe that Tordil never turned in a hunting rifle and a handgun to authorities.
Tordil is facing a maximum sentence of life in prison.
