THE father of the Santa Barbara killer is living a reclusive but luxurious life at a grand hotel made famous by the James Bond film Spectre.
Following the horrific events of May 2014, British-born filmmaker Peter Rodger has opted for a quieter existence, residing in a hotel in Tangier, Morocco. This city, located approximately three hours from the nation’s capital, has become his refuge in the aftermath of tragedy.
On May 23, 2014, Peter’s son, Elliot Rodger, committed a tragic act of violence, targeting University of California, Santa Barbara, students. He took the lives of six individuals, injured 14 others in the Isla Vista area, and ultimately ended his own life.
As the bloodshed unfolded, Elliot emailed a manifesto to his parents titled, My Twisted World: The Story of Elliot Rodger.
He also uploaded a video on YouTube titled, Elliot Rodger’s Retribution.
Elliot’s manifesto revealed his motivations, including a deep-seated animosity towards women and his struggles as an incel—a term used to describe a subset of young men who perceive themselves as unable to secure romantic or sexual relationships.
Peter Rodger has only spoken about the tragedy once in an interview with ABC’s Barbara Walters on 20/20 a month after the mass shooting.
The British movie producer, who worked on the set of The Hunger Games, described his son’s actions as a “nightmare.”
“Every night I go to sleep, I wake up and think of those young men and women who died, who were injured and terrorized,” Rodger told 20/20 at the time.
“And my son did that. My son caused so much pain and suffering for so many families.”
Since the 2014 interview, Rodger has remained publicly silent.
Some of the victims’ parents have since become anti-gun campaigners, including Elliot’s mother, Ong Li Chin Tye.
She and Rodger divorced before the May 2014 shooting, and the British cinematographer is now married to Moroccan actress Soumaya Akaaboune.
The only snapshots of Rodger’s life now live on his Instagram account.
His account features photos of his luxury home in Tangier, as well as his work as a professional photographer.
His photography work includes photos taken from around the world, and snaps of models in locations such as the Taj Mahal and in the middle of snowfall in Aspen.
PALAIS OF ABDESLAM AKAABOUNE
Rodger’s stunning home is one of the finest riads in the city and once belonged to Akaaboune’s father, Abdeslam, who was nicknamed Mr. Tangier.
The lavish estate, named the Palais of Abdeslam Akaaboune, was featured in the 2015 James Bond spy thriller Spectre, which starred Daniel Craig.
However, fans recognize the property as the Hotel L’Americain, as named in the movie, and ever since its feature in the film has become a destination for 007 followers.
Yet, it’s not just fans who come to pay their respects, but celebrities as well.
Six days before the tenth anniversary of the shooting last year, Rodger posted two photos with Sting and his wife, Trudie Styler.
The couple stopped to have dinner with Rodger, who shared a photo with the caption, “At home with old friends and new.
“Great to be back in Tangier. And what an amazingly great and funny evening!”
In a separate post, Rodger went further to explain the rich heritage of the house and said it’s where the Rolling Stones recorded their hit Continental Drift.
“Tangier is a quirky Moroccan town situated where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean, just nine miles from Spain across the Straits of Gibraltar,” Rodger captioned the series of photos.
“This cultural crossroads has attracted artists and adventurers for centuries.
“Famous for hosting Beat Generation icons like Paul Bowles and William Burroughs, Tangier inspired creativity and escape.
“Even bands like the Rolling Stones were drawn to its vibrant ethnicities and culture; they recorded ‘Continental Drift’ in our house back in 1889.
“Recently Sting and his wonderful wife, Trudy, joined us for dinner.
“With a rich musical heritage and a haven for visual artists like Matisse, Tangier’s unique charm captures the essence of a bygone era. Swipe through these photos for a glimpse of Tangier after the sun has set—where whispers of creativity still linger.”
KILLER’S MOM BREAKS SILENCE
In 2024, Ong Li Chin Tye, the mother of Elliot Rodger, spoke movingly for the first time about the work she has been doing behind the scenes since the horror.
In an interview for Mother Jones, Tye spoke to other parents who have been involved in such tragedies.
Tye is determined to make a real difference.
She said, “The nightmare that I’m living, that the victims and the families are living, these nightmares are real, and these nightmares could be your reality any day.
“So, we must work harder in coming together and try and prevent these horrific acts from happening again and again.”
Tye has spoken at the Eradicate Hate Global Summit and at training conferences across North America for the FBI, as well as local and state law enforcement threat assessment agencies.
She’s also a board member of The Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement – a nonprofit set up by Scarlett Lewis, a mother whose daughter, Jesse, was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in December 2012.
Tye’s biography adds that she is keen “to share the painful process of discovering – of the signs, circumstances and behavior that were misunderstood by herself and the team around caring for her son – so that her hindsight can be others foresight in their mission to stop the next mass shooting.”
