Bio

Lorenzo "Sol" Silva was born in 1936. He and his family came to the United States from the Philippines in 1972. Silva lived with his wife, Flora, and his mother, Maria, in a house in San Francisco. He bought this house in 1976.

Silva worked as a security guard at San Francisco International Airport, where he had a job for about 20 years. He worked the night shift and was known for being experienced in his role. However, family members noticed changes in his behavior over time. They reported that he often had trouble sleeping and felt the need to stay close to his elderly mother, especially at night.

In the years leading up to his actions in October 1999, Silva dealt with some serious health issues. He was diagnosed with incurable pancreatic cancer. His family believed that there may have been mistakes in his diagnosis. Silva was prescribed antidepressants by doctors, but his family said he reacted poorly to the medication. They expressed concern about his mental state, as he seemed to be increasingly paranoid and depressed.

In the months before the tragic events, Silva's wife returned to the Philippines. Relatives said she was unhappy living in the United States. At some point, Silva reportedly had a relationship with his upstairs neighbor, Maria "Ola" Marquicias, who was one of the victims. Silva's life became more complicated as he faced health challenges and relationship issues.

On October 10, 1999, Silva had completed a night shift at the airport. He declined invitations from his daughter to attend Mass that morning, saying he was tired. Later that day, events took a tragic turn, but details of those events are not included here.

Murder Story

On October 10, 1999, Lorenzo "Sol" Silva, a 63-year-old airport security guard, harmed three of his upstairs neighbors before taking his own life. The victims were Noel Ridual, his wife Josephine, both 28 years old, and their neighbor Maria "Ola" Marquicias, 32. During the incident, Silva also injured the 2-year-old daughter of the Riduals, Jessica.

Silva had just returned home from his night shift at San Francisco International Airport. He had worked as a guard there for about 20 years. After arriving home, he went upstairs where the Riduals and Marquicias were located. Reports state that he used a .357-Magnum revolver during the attack. Family members recalled hearing multiple gunshots.

After the shooting, Silva's mother discovered the scene. She found her son along with the three victims in the house. Silva's brother-in-law reported seeing the chaotic scene, mentioning the presence of blood and the baby crying in her high chair. The attack led to the immediate involvement of local police.

Silva was known to have mental health issues and had recently been diagnosed with incurable pancreatic cancer. This diagnosis reportedly affected his state of mind. Family members noted changes in his behavior, describing him as depressed and paranoid. He had been on antidepressants, but they were said to have caused him to act erratically.

After the shootings, Silva turned the gun on himself. He died in the same place where he committed the other murders. The police confirmed that Silva only had the one firearm, despite being described as a gun collector. Investigations into the events around the shooting were initiated, but details surrounding his motives remained unclear.