In a chilling case in California that highlights the dangers lurking within some subcultures, a jury convicted a 33-year-old man named F. Felix of orchestrating a sinister plan to murder the parents of a 17-year-old girl with whom he had a romantic relationship.
Felix was drawn into a fatal path by a disturbing obsession that arose from his interactions with the “furry” community, a subculture in which people dress up in animal costumes.
The conviction stems from a horrific incident on September 24, 2016, in which Felix and his 21-year-old accomplice and Army mechanic, J. Acosta, carried out 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 Felix had fallen in love with after meeting her at furry-related events. Her mother introduced her to this community, and she soon became the center of Felix’s dangerous obsession.
Felix provided Acosta with a shotgun and ammunition, motivated by a desire to remove any obstacles to their relationship and fueled by the girl’s parents’ disapproval.
The plan resulted in the tragic deaths of J. Goodwill-Yost, her husband, C. Yost, the girl’s stepfather, and 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 at night. Felix waited outside in his truck with the unsuspecting girl. Inside, Acosta first murdered Boucher while he was sleeping on the couch.
He then viciously attacked Goodwill-Yost in the master bedroom, shooting her in the face. The girl’s stepfather attempted to flee, but was pursued and killed by Acosta on the patio.
Following the murders, the conspirators returned to Felix’s house and 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 called 911.
Felix’s arrest, like Acosta’s, was swift. Acosta was previously tried and convicted in 2018, receiving a life sentence for his involvement in the murders.
Felix now faces a similar fate following his recent conviction on three counts of first-degree murder and enhancements for multiple murders. His sentencing is scheduled for January 17.
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 said. “The trauma inflicted on those little girls compounded by the loss both of their parents in such a violent way is beyond heartbreaking.”
The teenage girl at the center of the case testified at Acosta’s trial, claiming she was unaware of the murder plot.
She also revealed a long history of abuse by her stepfather. After telling Felix about the abuse, she claimed he threatened to inform her mother about the molestation unless she had sex with him.
The 17-year-old girl was not charged with a crime. As Felix awaits his final sentencing, the case serves as a sobering reminder of how obsessions can escalate into deadly actions, shattering communities and families in their wake.
