Adolfo Gramajo

Introduction

Adolfo Gramajo, a 35-year-old Los Angeles father, was booked on a murder charge after his two young sons — 4-year-old Jimmy Gramajo Bonilla and 11-year-old Osmani Gramajo Bonilla — were shot dead in broad daylight near the intersection of Venice Boulevard and South Catalina Street on the afternoon of October 11, 2026, shortly after he took them to a McDonald’s during a custody visit. The Los Angeles Police Department told The California Post that Gramajo — identified as the shooter by his own parents — shot the two boys and then turned the gun on himself; he survived the self-inflicted wound and remains hospitalized. On October 15, 2026, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office charged him with two counts of murder carrying a special-circumstance allegation of multiple murders, along with allegations that he personally used and intentionally discharged a handgun; if convicted as charged, he could face the death penalty or life in prison. No motive has been announced and the investigation is ongoing.

Background Information

Little public background is known about Gramajo, whose family told Southern California stations they are Guatemalan and are struggling to understand the killings. Law enforcement sources told NBC4 Investigates that the afternoon began as a custody visit: he assured the children’s mother that his parents would be present, then left his parents’ house with the boys and took them to a McDonald’s, where the outing turned fatal after they left the restaurant. Family members told FOX 11 the couple had experienced custody disputes in the past but believed those issues had been worked out, and an aunt described the children’s mother as “a good mother.” Gramajo had reportedly picked the boys up from the Koreatown home where they lived with their mother, telling her he was taking them for a burger nearby.

The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation

Charged; not adjudicated. Gramajo has been charged with two counts of murder with a special-circumstance allegation of multiple murders, and Los Angeles police identified him as the shooter, but he has not been tried and no allegation against him has been tested in court. He has made no public statement; he remains hospitalized, and investigators say no motive has been established.

The shooting was reported just before 1 p.m. on Sunday, October 11, 2026, in the area of Venice Boulevard and South Catalina Street in Pico-Union. According to the LAPD, Gramajo shot and killed his two sons and then turned the gun on himself; all three were taken to a hospital, where Jimmy and Osmani died of their injuries while their father survived. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner ruled 4-year-old Jimmy’s death a “close-range gunshot of the head” and recorded a “gunshot wound of the head” for his older brother. The California Post reported that Gramajo has been booked on a murder charge, that his bail has been set at $4 million, and that he attempted to kill himself after the shooting; he is reportedly still hospitalized and his condition has not been made clear. Law enforcement sources’ account of the custody visit — the assurance to the mother, the grandparents’ house, the McDonald’s run — was laid out by NBC4 Investigates. There is no known motive for the shooting, and the investigation remains open.

The formal charging came on Wednesday, October 15, 2026, when the District Attorney’s office filed a complaint charging Gramajo with two counts of murder with a special-circumstance allegation of multiple murders, plus allegations that he personally used and intentionally discharged a handgun. “We filed the case because we had enough evidence to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt, and felt it was important to seek justice for the victims,” said Jonathan Hatami, assistant head deputy of the DA’s Complex Child Abuse Section and Family Violence Division North County — noting that because the defendant remains hospitalized, prosecutors filed the case for warrant. A follow-up report in The California Post described a dark streak in Gramajo’s Facebook history: his bio read, in translation, “Usually nothing makes me happy anymore; I’m still alive because my family needs me to survive,” and a December 2018 post stated, “Don’t judge me cause I am quiet, no one plans a murder out loud.” The posts are being reported as context unearthed after the killings, not as evidence of a stated motive.

Public Reaction and Consequences

Flowers, candles and other tributes accumulated near the intersection of South Catalina Street and Venice Boulevard within a day of the shooting, where family members gathered to mourn. The boys’ aunt, Maria Lopez, told NBC4: “They were so sweet, really good kids,” and in remarks to Telemundo 52 she said the family does not know why he did it and demanded accountability: “We want justice… we want him to pay for what he did” (translated from Spanish). A family friend, Carlos Aguilar, said: “They never did anything wrong to anyone. They were always happy, never wanted to hurt anyone. They were innocent.” The family posted a joint statement on Facebook asking for help with funeral costs: “On October 11, 2026, our beloved Jimmy and Osmani left this world, leaving an immense void in our hearts.” Family members who spoke to FOX 11 off camera said they could only describe what happened as a father who may have snapped. In the days after, the family held several memorial events; Marilsa Bonilla, sister of the children’s mother, told the station “I would’ve wanted this to be a birthday party for my nephews with gifts and laughs, and although it’s the exact opposite, I’m still grateful for the community that came to support.” Andrew Conroy, principal of the middle school Osmani attended, remembered him as a boy who “always came to school early and always had a smile on his face,” and the family launched a GoFundMe for the boys’ memorial expenses while their mother is unable to work.

Current Status

As of October 17, 2026, Gramajo remains hospitalized from the self-inflicted gunshot wound, and because he remains hospitalized, per the District Attorney’s office, the murder complaint was filed for warrant; no arraignment has taken place and no motive has been made public. He was booked after the shooting with bail set at $4 million, according to the LAPD’s statement to The California Post, and the LAPD’s Juvenile Division investigation remains open. Every element of the case against him remains an unadjudicated allegation, and the presumption of innocence applies.

Impact on Their Career/Life

Gramajo now faces a two-count murder prosecution carrying a special-circumstance multiple-murder allegation and gun-use enhancements, with exposure — if convicted as charged — to the death penalty or life in prison; the case will proceed once his medical condition allows, and no trial date exists yet. The more immediate aftermath falls on the family he left behind: a mother mourning both of her sons and unable to work, relatives publicly fundraising for the boys’ funerals, and a Guatemalan-American community in Pico-Union building memorials at the corner where the brothers died.

Sources

NY Post / The California Post, “Father executes his two young sons in broad daylight on LA street — family speaks out,” Oct 13, 2026 — source
NY Post / The California Post, “Father’s execution of two sons leaves LA family shattered — as his disturbing social media posts come to light,” Oct 17, 2026 — source
@nypost, trigger post on the follow-up report, Oct 17, 2026 — source
MyNewsLA.com, “Man, 35, Charged with Murdering His Two Young Sons,” Oct 15, 2026 — source
NBC Los Angeles, “Loved ones of brothers shot allegedly by dad express heartbreak,” Oct 12, 2026 — source
FOX 11 Los Angeles, “Father shoots, kills his 2 sons in attempted murder-suicide in Pico-Union,” Oct 11, 2026 — source
Telemundo 52, “Pico-Union madre llora la muerte de sus dos hijos baleados,” Oct 12, 2026 — source