Questions remain after man with GPS bracelet allegedly kills stepdaughter in Acton murder-suicide

ACTON, Mass. — A Malden man and his stepdaughter are dead after an apparent murder-suicide. The Middlesex District Attorney said the two were found dead inside a car near the child’s Acton home. The DA said the suspect was expected in court at the end of July for rape charges against that same girl.

“I am a mother angry I am a citizen angry and frustrated,” said Cristina Morales, victim’s neighbor.

Morales said she has questions after her neighbor’s 16-year-old daughter was allegedly shot and killed by her stepfather.

“Why do we speak up, why, who is going to hear, who is going to help,” she said.

The DA said 49-year-old Juliano Santana of Malden abducted the victim while she was walking home from school Thursday around 4 p.m. The DA said he took her to a parking lot on Great Road in action and allegedly shot her and then himself.

The Acton-Boxborough Superintendent said mental health counselors were available for students and staff.

“We are heartbroken to have learned that one of our high school students died last night.  Our thoughts are focused on the student, their family, friends, and our staff,” said Peter Light, Superintendent of Schools.

Boston 25 News obtained Malden District Court documents that show on September 7th, 2021, the victim’s mom told police Santana raped her daughter. She said her daughter wrote in a small gray diary about the attacks that happened over several months while they were all living in Malden.

According to the documents Santana was arrested that day and charged with six counts of aggravated rape of a child. He was released on $30,000 bail and given a GPS monitor and no contact order with the victim or anyone else under 18 years old. The victim also had a restraining order.

“It’s tragic that he’s been out on bail for three years after an incident and was allowed to make contact with her I’m dumbfounded,” said David Bedroisian, who lives in the same complex as the victim.

The DA said Santana was expected to appear in court for these charges on July 29.

“Everyone failed that little girl and that family everyone, everyone who was involved I don’t know how the system works but in my book the system failed she didn’t deserve that,” said Morales.

Boston 25 reached out to the State’s Probation office to see if Santana had broken his retraining order prior to this.

According to their records, Santana was in compliance with his pretrial conditions prior to the alleged murder-suicide.

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