Father of accused O.C. serial killer ‘devastated’ by charges
The father of a man accused of raping and killing four women in Orange County said he doesn’t believe his son is capable of carrying out the attacks.
Dean Gordon said the family is embarrassed and trying to cope with the accusations.
“He’s been charged with something that is very serious,” Dean Gordon said. “I’m devastated but I don’t think my son is capable of that.”
Steven Dean Gordon, 45, and Franc Cano, 27, are charged with the rape and murder of four women who disappeared in Orange County since last fall. Police say they believe there is a fifth victim and are trying to identify her. Both suspects are registered sex offenders who served prison terms for sexually assaulting children under the age of 14.
Dean Gordon said he hasn’t seen his son in four years but had been in communication with him by phone. He said they haven’t spoken since the son’s arrest.
When his son was convicted in 2002 of kidnapping his wife and child, Dean Gordon wrote the judge to say his son’s life had been shattered when his wife left him and a court imposed supervised visitations with their 4-year-old daughter.
“I know that Steve feels that his whole world has collapsed,” Dean Gordon wrote. “He wanted so much to prove his love for [his wife] and plead with her to stop this divorce.”
Steven Dean Gordon also wrote to the judge to plead his own case.
“I’m scared that if you sentence me to prison, I’ll never see my daughter again,” he wrote. “She’s all I got left in my life!”
According to court records, in 2001 Steven Gordon forced his wife into his truck along with their daughter and drove across state lines from Riverside to Nevada and Arizona.
He threatened to kill himself and made a reference to his wife falling into the Grand Canyon, court records state.
A stun gun, roll of duct tape, set of license plates and metal handcuffs were found in the vehicle, according to the documents.
Gordon was sentenced to prison for kidnapping in April 2002 with a 10-year and a five-year sentence to run concurrently. He was released on parole in February 2010.
Steven Gordon and Cano’s arraignment in the Orange County slayings was postponed until May 19. The pair are being held without bail.
When asked if he would stand by his son in the pending case, Dean Gordon said he would.
“He’s my son and I love him,” Dean Gordon said.
Twitter: @AdolfoFlores3
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