In Covina, California, a heartbreaking incident unfolded when a widow’s home was burglarized, resulting not only in the theft of her possessions but also the tragic loss of her cherished dog.
“They took my jewelry, my money,” lamented Monica Lopez. “They took everything.”
Having resided in her Covina residence for three decades, Lopez now feels it has lost its sense of security.
The 76-year-old returned home late Thanksgiving night, following a family gathering, to discover a side gate ajar, a window smashed, and her so-called “blessing room” in disarray.
“It was incredibly difficult to get that call on Thanksgiving, a day meant for gratitude and family, only to learn someone had invaded my mom’s home,” shared her son.
Among the stolen items were jewelry, sentimental keepsakes, and the cash Lopez had earmarked for the upcoming month’s mortgage.
“I cannot believe it. I cannot understand,” Lopez said.
Still, Lopez says none of that compares to what she lost next.
“Why kill my dog? Why kill my dog?” Lopez asked through tears.
Her dog, Rocky – her companion and protector since her husband died – was missing after the burglars left the backyard gate open.
Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies say Rocky was found a few streets away with severe head trauma. The family believes he ran after the burglars and was either hit by a car or killed while protecting his house.
“Such, you know, cold-hearted people to do that to someone and an animal and someone elderly, to target them or watch them just for a few bucks,” the victim’s son said.
The family says strange things have been happening for weeks — people banging on their windows in the middle of the night and running off when they realized Lopez was home.
They live in unincorporated Covina and wonder what could have made them a target.
“Plus, I think being in the corner house, many people find… I don’t know. We’ve had incidents here, and there’s a lot of homeless in this area, so you never know,” the victim’s son said.
Detectives said they would return Monday to fingerprint the home. For now, there’s no suspect description and no arrests.
Even with thousands of dollars and her wedding rings gone, what hurts the most is the loss of Lopez’s loyal friend, Rocky, who ran towards danger to protect the home they shared.
The Lopez Family says they hope investigators gather enough evidence to identify a suspect soon.
They have also set up a GoFundMe page to help replace what was stolen.
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