Thursday, July 12, 2007

Sam Cordova Gets 117 Years to Life Without Parole

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This is not music related in any way, but sometimes there are things I just feel necessary to document.

Sammy Cordova was my friend. In junior high, he was this tiny little boy that everyone just wanted to protect because his life was shit, his mother treated him like shit, his siblings resented him, and none of us wanted him to fall through the cracks.

By high school, he was slipping. While most high school kids party and drink, and plenty got high, there were some people who just shouldn't have ever touched liquor or drugs. His mother passed and somehow he was now a teenage boy with a house and no mortgage. Plenty of people were opportunistic, moving in and sponging off him. The last time I remember talking to Sammy was after a party at my friend Sara's house where he stole a couple cell phones and chargers that were later magically recovered. You can try to be there for someone for so long and see yourself as a failed friend when you can't save them from themselves. That was enough for him to have crossed a line.

I hadn't heard about what became of Sammy after high school, except that he was still at that house on Christmas Tree Circle in Chula Vista, deeper in drugs, random people still living in the house with him.

Then in May of 2004, the year of my 10 year reunion, Sammy was in the news. What I heard from friends, and later in the news, was that Sam had a party at his house, was coked up and drunk and probably on any number of other drugs (though all the reports only cite alcohol.) People were there and broke a window and he lost his shit. He went into the room, grabbed a shotgun and started shooting. He killed his two best friends, Kris and Adam, and seriously injured two others. According to the news, he reloaded and continued to shoot. I didn't know the victims, they were younger than me in school, but I was friend's with Adam's brother Eric.
Yesterday, Sam was sentenced to 117 years to life without parole for two counts of 2nd degree murder. To me, it's a tragic situation all around. Sammy will rot in prison, and two families will have the pain of their loss forever, and the other two victims will have their scars for the rest of their lives. I am just really sad for everyone all around because the whole situation is tragic from every angle.

Mostly, and I'm not excusing what he did in any way, but I wish we could've saved Sam.

9 comments:

CDW said...

wow - I was just thinking this morning about someone scott and i tried to help - it just ended up costing us hundreds of dollars and a lot of aggravation - its sad but i've come to realize that some assholes are just assholes and have so much psychic damage from their childhood that they can't be saved.

Amelia said...

I know I still think about the day I found out.I was just devastated and in shock. Rosemary's sister, Christy, was in my wedding in May 2004 and a week later Christy calls me and tells me the news.She said, " I have something really bad to tell you." I remember just thinking that Sam really lost it..and that all those years of pent up anger and confusion came to crashing halt that night. Sam could be angry one minute and funny the next. His classic line, "Hey Quade." Like that of one who was on qualudes..I knew Sam, I knew Adam, I dated his brother Eric many years ago. I couldn't imagine the pain the family still goes through of losing Adam so young. The regret Sam feels is probably more than I will ever know. I remember when Sam's mom died and I gave him a sympathy card and he really appreicated it. After that he lived in a house that was empty with no family. Where he lived was the part of town where we spent our childhood looking at all the christmas lights and decorations. Everyone knew it as christmas circle and it brought so many good memories.Now it just leaves a sense of despair,only if we could have saved Sam before it was too late. Sam's best friend Oliver's and next door neighbor moved away in junior high. I think he was good for Sam, what if he never left..? We only can hope Sam knows we still love him despite this awful tragic mistake...Let this serve as an example of how one night gone wrong can change the course of one's future..but so sad to see our friend as that example.

Amelia said...

I know I still think about the day I found out.I was just devastated and in shock. Rosemary's sister, Christy, was in my wedding in May 2004 and a week later Christy calls me and tells me the news.She said, " I have something really bad to tell you." I remember just thinking that Sam really lost it..and that all those years of pent up anger and confusion came to crashing halt that night. Sam could be angry one minute and funny the next. His classic line, "Hey Quade." Like that of one who was on qualudes..I knew Sam, I knew Adam, I dated his brother Eric many years ago. I couldn't imagine the pain the family still goes through of losing Adam so young. The regret Sam feels is probably more than I will ever know. I remember when Sam's mom died and I gave him a sympathy card and he really appreicated it. Where he lived was the part of town where we spent our childhood looking at all the christmas lights and decorations. Everyone knew it as christmas circle and it brought so many good memories.Now it just leaves a sense of despair,only if we could have saved Sam before it was too late. Sam's best friend Oliver's and next door neighbor moved away in junior high. I think he was good for Sam, what if he never left..? We only can hope Sam knows we still love him despite this awful tragic mistake...Let this serve as an example of how one night gone wrong can change the course of one's future..but so sad to see our friend as that example.

Anonymous said...

I totally remember, I was directly affected in so many ways. Being in the home of Adam paxtons family
Natasha

Kristopher Anthony Ebbert said...

I just wish I got to know him at least meet him now where I can remember him

Unknown said...

remember i love you buddy , you look just like him ,. i helped mom raise your dad . i love you more than you will ever know .i miss you .tommarrows my 50 bday ,. but i hhave no birthdays anymore cuase of ......

GG said...

Sam DID get a parole date. He is eligible for parole in April 2036 if he doesn't catch serious charges in the pen before then. He is in Folsom right now. He was on the background of one of those prison shows you see on tv. I'm glad this article does not excuse his behavior. (I was expecting that when I found it). He deserves to be locked up. I knew him though mutual friends and attended his parties. (I wasn't there that night). I feel horrible for Kris's and Adam's families and Sam was sometimes a bully. But I hope Sam gets help and somehow finds the good part of himself. I believe his problem was deeper than drugs. It's the issue that many do not want to discuss. I always though he was mentally ill and was self medicating.

chichivill said...

I was talking to my daughter about Euphoria and how much it depicted my times in High School.. told her about my friend Sammy and how much I wondered what happened to him.. I googled his name and found this… I went to Hilltop ‘94 and Sam was a a junior I believe .. everything people say here is exactly how I remember the Sam I met .. is this the same Sam????

Rosemary said...

Same Sam.