33-year-old man wanted the parents of a 17-year-old girl he was involved in a relationship with “out of the way,” so he drove to their home with a friend, who shot them to death; sentenced
California – In a chilling case in California that underscores the dangers lurking within some subcultures, a 33-year-old man, identified as F. Felix, will spend the rest of his life behind bars for orchestrating a sinister plan to murder the parents of a 17-year-old girl he had been involved in a romantic relationship with. Felix was drawn into a fatal trajectory by a disturbing obsession that sprouted from his interactions within the “furry” community—a subculture where participants dress up in animal costumes.
Felix was sentenced on Friday to three life terms without the possibility of parole after being found guilty last year on three counts of first-degree murder, with added sentencing enhancements for committing multiple murders. The conviction stemmed from a horrific incident on September 24, 2016, when Felix, alongside his 21-year-old accomplice and Army mechanic, identified as J. Acosta, executed a cold-blooded attack in the 17-year-old girl’s home. According to the District Attorney’s Office, Felix and Acosta targeted the family home of a 17-year-old girl who Felix had become infatuated with after meeting her at events related to the furry subculture. The girl, introduced to this community by her mother, found herself at the center of Felix’s dangerous obsession.
Driven by a desire to eliminate any obstacles to their relationship—spurred by the disapproval of the girl’s parents—Felix provided Acosta with a shotgun and ammunition. The plan led to the tragic deaths of J. Goodwill-Yost and her husband, C. Yost, the girl’s stepfather, as well as their family friend, A. Boucher, who was staying with them at the time of the incident.
The crime was meticulously planned. Acosta, armed and directed by Felix, entered the Yost home under the cover of night. Felix waited outside in his truck with the unsuspecting girl. Inside, Acosta first murdered Boucher as he slept on the couch. He then brutally attacked Goodwill-Yost in the master bedroom, shooting her in the face. The girl’s stepfather attempted to flee but was chased down and killed by Acosta on the patio.
Following the murders, the conspirators retreated to Felix’s residence, where they attempted to destroy evidence by burning their clothes and smashing their cellphones. The Yosts’ other children, aged six and nine, were left to discover the gruesome scene and were the ones to call 911. Felix’s arrest, along with Acosta’s, was swift. Acosta was previously tried and convicted in 2018, receiving a life sentence for his role in the murders.
Felix appeared in court and addressed the victims’ families briefly, reportedly calling himself a “beast” and saying, “To the families and the victims, I would trade places in a minute with those who were killed.” During the sentencing, C. Yost’s sister delivered a heartbreaking impact statement, saying, “No sentence can erase the horrors of that night.”
The teenage girl at the heart of the case testified during Acosta’s trial, claiming she was unaware of the murder plot. She also revealed long-standing abuse by her stepfather. After telling Felix about the abuse, she claimed he threatened to tell her mother about the molestation unless she had se* with him. The 17-year-old girl was not charged with any crime.
District Attorney T. Spitzer reflected on the case, emphasizing the profound impact on the surviving children: “Two little girls, six and nine, went to sleep not knowing the last time they would see their parents would be when they woke up to find them shot to death,” he stated. “The trauma inflicted on those little girls compounded by the loss both of their parents in such a violent way is beyond heartbreaking.” Spitzer continued, “Violence is never the answer, and a sick and twisted plan turned into life behind bars for two young men.”
