Shivangi Sinha
In December 1992, Pamela Mascaro was driving home with her husband, John Mascaro, and their toddler daughter, Holly, during the holiday season. The family was in high spirits when a man driving another vehicle suddenly opened fire on their car. Pamela suffered a severe head injury during the attack. Although John acted quickly and rushed her to the hospital, she did not survive. The investigation stalled until detectives made progress on an unrelated case, which unexpectedly provided a crucial breakthrough. The events of the crime, the investigation, and how the case was solved were later detailed in Investigation Discovery’s ‘Christmas Eve Tragedy.’
Pamela Mascaro Was Shot While Driving Back With Her Family During the Holiday Season
Pamela Savino was born in 1960 to her parents, Patricia and Michael Savino, who consistently encouraged her ambitions and supported her desire to build a good life. As an adult, Pamela married John Mascaro, and the couple settled in Forest Hills, New York. In 1989, they welcomed their daughter, Holly, completing what many saw as a close and happy family. Pamela was also professionally driven and pursued a career of her own. She worked as a building manager for a real estate firm. It was a role she found rewarding, and she was content with her daily commute into New York City. The Mascaro family lived an ordinary, peaceful life, balancing work, family, and everyday routines.
On December 25, 1992, they made plans to visit relatives on Long Island. The day had gone well for the family, and after an enjoyable holiday celebration, the three began their drive back home. At around 10 pm, while traveling on the Grand Central Parkway in Queens, New York, another car pulled up alongside them and suddenly fired three shots. One bullet shattered the rear window near where Holly was seated, though she was unharmed. A second bullet struck the child’s car seat, and the third hit Pamela in the back of her head. John immediately pulled over at a nearby gas station and called for help. Pamela was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to her injuries shortly afterward.
Pamela Mascaro’s Killer Had Saved a Newspaper Clipping of the Crime
Police immediately attempted to identify the shooter, but the investigation yielded little physical evidence. With no solid leads, the case stalled and eventually went cold. A breakthrough didn’t come until January 1995, when detectives were investigating an unrelated burglary that had occurred in 1994. That inquiry led them to the home of a man named Bruce Warren. The burglary victim had reported that Warren had been stalking her, prompting police to execute a search warrant at his residence in Queens Village. During the search, investigators noticed a newspaper clipping about Pamela Mascaro’s killing that included a photograph of her young daughter. The discovery raised concerns, and detectives questioned Warren about it.
Warren claimed he had kept the article because he felt sympathy for the family and insisted that he had no involvement in the crime. He was later convicted of second-degree burglary and sentenced to between one and a half and four years in prison. While he served his sentence, police continued investigating Pamela’s killing and uncovered a 1995 psychiatric report cited by investigators that reportedly described his difficulty controlling impulses. Investigators later cited claims from another inmate who alleged that Warren made incriminating remarks, including stating that “the woman got what she deserved.” According to police findings, Warren also allegedly admitted that on the night of the shooting, he had been fleeing from another burglary when he believed John Mascaro had cut him off in traffic. This allegedly angered him, leading him to fire at the vehicle. He further allegedly claimed that he had been intoxicated at the time.
Warren allegedly stated that he followed John to the gas station afterward, but left the area once he noticed a crowd gathering. Police eventually brought John to a car lot and asked whether he could identify the vehicle involved in the shooting. Investigators had traced the car Bruce Warren was driving at the time of the attack. John immediately recognized a white 1989 Chevrolet Cavalier, and it became a crucial piece of evidence in the case. With this confirmation, prosecutors moved forward, and Warren was indicted on 13 charges. These included two counts of second-degree murder, as well as charges of attempted murder, reckless endangerment, and criminal possession of a weapon.
Bruce Warren Passed Away While Serving His Sentence
While Bruce Warren was incarcerated, an additional charge of criminal solicitation was filed against him after he allegedly attempted to hire someone to assault or kill a fellow inmate. That inmate had previously alleged that Warren made incriminating statements about the crime. In August 2000, Warren pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to between 5 and 15 years in prison. Despite the plea, he continued to maintain that he was not responsible for Pamela Mascaro’s death. In November 2007, Warren died while still in custody. No public information has been released regarding the circumstances surrounding his death, and details about the cause remain unknown.
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