Man sentenced to life in prison without parole for 2016 shotgun killings of 3 in Fullerton

FULLERTON, Calif. (CNS) -- A man was sentenced Friday to three consecutive terms of life in prison without the possibility of parole for killing his teen girlfriend's parents in an ambush that also claimed a third victim eight years ago in Fullerton -- in a case rooted in the defendants' and victims' ties to a group of "Furries."

Frank Sato Felix, 34, was convicted Nov. 12 of three counts of murder, along with special circumstance allegations of multiple victims.

Co-defendant Joshua Charles Acosta, 29, was convicted in November 2018 and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus an extra 75 years.

Felix was convicted of helping his best friend Acosta kill 39-year-old Jennifer Goodwill-Yost; her husband, 34-year-old Christopher Yost; and their friend, 28-year-old Arthur William Boucher on Sept. 23, 2016.

The couple's 6-year-old daughter called 911 at about 8:20 a.m. Sept.24, 2016, saying, "mom and dad and Billy died'' in their home on 401 S. Gilbert St., according to Senior Deputy District Attorney Seton Hunt.

The girl told the dispatcher she wanted police to take her and her 9-year-old sister away because they were frightened, Hunt said.

The girls' half-sister, 17-year-old Katlynn Goodwill-Yost, who was dating Felix, was away at the time.

A shotgun-wielding Acosta, who was an Army private stationed at Fort Irwin at the time, killed the parents and also gunned down family friend Boucher, who was sleeping over so he would be closer to the home where he was scheduled to have visitation with his son, Boucher's fiancé, Joyce Burchett, testified.

Acosta and Felix met Katlynn through a group of "Furries,'' who like to dress up as anthropomorphic animals in costumes. Acosta was a "bronie,'' a closely affiliated group of fans of the "My Little Pony'' cartoons for children.

Katlynn and her mother, Jennifer, were both in the furries group.

When Felix was questioned by police, he initially denied having anything to do with the crime, but later admitted he gave Acosta his father's
shotgun, Hunt said.

Felix also went to a nearby hardware store to get bolt cutters to remove a safety lock on the gun, according to the prosecutor. He also got ear plugs for Acosta to protect his hearing from the shotgun blasts.

Felix sent Facebook messages to Katlynn after the killings declaring his love for her and his hopes they "could start a family and make Katlynn's sisters their children,'' Hunt said.

Felix contended Katlynn's parents were abusive to explain the motive for the attack, but he also "admitted he could have just called the police instead,'' Hunt said.

Felix also admitted destroying evidence at his house, and said the plan was to make the killings look "like a robbery gone bad,'' according to the prosecutor.

Felix also claimed he feared Acosta, but in court papers, Hunt pointed out the two kept in touch and that he sent letters to Acosta, with one including a "drawing of a sexually androgynous anthropomorphic horse with human breasts as a gift to Acosta.''

Felix's attorney, David Paulson, asked in court papers for Orange County Superior Court Judge Kimberly Menninger to consider probation for his client.

The only other possible sentence under the law was life without parole.

In a letter to Menninger, Felix's mother, Junco Felix, said her son told her he confessed to police because he was "threatened numerous times by Josh Acosta'' and felt it was the safest way to protect from anyone else getting killed.

Junco Felix said her son was "not the evil mastermind that was (portrayed) at his trial. Frank is a kind and gentle soul, but easily intimidated and influenced.''

She said Felix is "very remorseful'' for the killings.

"Frank is an Eagle Scout and lived his life true to Scout Law and Oath,'' Junco Felix wrote.

Hunt said Katlynn's parents frowned on her relationship with Felix.

Jennifer Goodwill-Yost, Christopher Yost and Boucher had been friends since high school, Burchett testified.

Evan Keith, who was in the same furry group with Felix, Acosta and Katlynn, also testified that Katlynn's parents frowned on the teen dating anyone at the time, because they did not think she was ready.

Keith said the furry group was a community of people who like to create animal-like characters for themselves as a form of expression. The more "committed'' of the group make costumes for themselves.

Keith likened it to drag queens or Dungeons and Dragons.

"Some invest in their character ... to create a suit, something to wear to express yourself as your character,'' Keith said.

Keith was not well-acquainted with Felix or Acosta, but he recalled having an online conversation with Felix about whether Felix had a shot at dating Katlynn.''

Keith also noticed Felix had "cigarette scars'' on his arm, which appeared to be "self-inflicted.''

In his court papers, defense attorney Paulson wrote that "the defendant readily admits that he suffers from anxiety depression and has had a history of suicidal behavior,'' referring to a probation report on the defendant.

Felix had no prior criminal record and presented himself as "extremely remorseful'' to probation officials, Paulson said.

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