Danilo "Danny" Guades grew up in the province of Samar, Philippines, in the village of Gadgaran, Calbayog. Details about his early childhood and family background remain limited, but his life was marked by violence and instability from a young age. In the 1980s, Guades was convicted of stabbing his elder brother, Toto, to death. For this crime, he served seven years at the Abuyao (Caloocan City) Jail. After his release, Guades returned to his hometown, but his reputation as a troublemaker followed him. He was known throughout Gadgaran as a mentally unstable man, frequently seen drunk and causing disturbances. Residents would often see him awake for two days straight before disappearing to the mangroves, where he would sleep on the ground for another two days. Some villagers said he claimed to be followed by unknown entities, hinting at possible mental health struggles.

Guades was once married, but his wife passed away in December 2006. This event seemed to mark a further decline in his mental and emotional state. After her death, he lived in his cousin's house, along with his young child, who was in fourth grade at the time. His behavior became increasingly erratic and unpredictable. Locals described him as isolated, haunted by personal losses, and struggling to cope with his circumstances. In the months leading up to the murders, Guades reportedly had conflicts with some neighbors and family members. 

On the early morning of June 2, 2007, Danilo Guades embarked on one of the deadliest rampages in Philippine history. Fueled by alcohol and personal grievances, he began his spree at around 2 a.m. at the home of his cousin, Emily Guades Ponce. Armed with a 22-inch bolo knife, Guades first attacked Benjamin Ponce, striking him in the left shoulder. He then turned on the Ponce children, killing Eric Benjamin Ponce with a blow to the head and injuring Benjie and Marylin Ponce. Emily herself was wounded but managed to escape by jumping out a window.

Guades’ next target was the nearby Jadulco family. He brutally killed Gemma Jadulco, who was eight months pregnant, and five of her children: Jennelyn, Jinggoy, Renato, Nadine, and Christine. Two other children, Jocelyn and Joan, survived but suffered injuries. Moving quickly, Guades continued his rampage to the home of Candido Conteras, where he killed Candido and mortally wounded his 12-year-old son, Danilo. He injured Maria Conteras and their daughter Jennelyn before attacking Carlito Layam outside, who managed to fight him off despite sustaining a minor injury.

Not stopping there, Guades climbed through a window into the home of Enis Lecis, striking both Eduardo and Enis Lecis in the head, killing Eduardo and wounding Enis. Afterward, he went to a wake for a member of the Ramada family, where he had been drinking earlier. There, he slashed the throats of Francisco and Ernesto Ramada and stabbed Armando Ramada, also injuring Michael Caber and Myra Manlapid before being fought off by those at the wake.

As Guades fled, he encountered Eddie and Jocelyn Gonzaga, who were on a motorcycle. He attacked them with his bolo and a club, injuring both before the motorcycle driver managed to escape. The rampage, which lasted about an hour, left ten people dead—including women, children, and a pregnant mother—and seventeen more injured.

After the attacks, Guades surrendered to Fortunato Burbana, a villager, fearing violent retribution from the police. He was quickly turned over to authorities. At the police station, Guades denied killing anyone except his brother years before. He later reportedly told police he committed the massacre to "strengthen his amulet," a piece of paper inscribed with Latin words—a claim that further highlighted his mental instability.

Guades was charged with multiple counts of murder. The crime shocked the nation and prompted discussions about mental health, community vigilance, and the easy availability of deadly weapons in rural areas. His current status is believed to be imprisoned, but later details about his fate have not been widely reported.