A California man was formally charged with murdering his mother, a popular teacher in the Burbank Unified School District for over 30 years, on Thursday.
Kyle Lombardo, 25, killed Karyn Lombardo, 57, during a domestic dispute at the family's California residence on Tuesday evening.
"She was an outstanding teacher," Natalie Talamantes, incoming president of the school's PTA, told KABC-TV. "What a big loss for us here at Bret Harte [Elementary School]."
According to KTLA-TV, the coroner's office said Karyn died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head.
However, Jimmy Chu, a public defender assigned to Kyle's case, said no weapon was used during the argument that led to Karyn's demise.
"My office and I are investigating all aspects including potential mental health factors and intellectual, developmental disability to ensure a fair legal process for Mr. Lombardo," Chu reportedly said, per KTLA.
Kyle's father, Vince, said he was out of town at the time of the incident and indicated that his son has a mental health condition which they've sought help for in the past.
The father also pointed out that the police have previously been called to their home.
"He's mentally challenged. He didn't want to kill her," Vince told KABC.
According to KTLA, people who knew Karyn had fond memories of her.
"She was just so nice," a local Burbank parent told the outlet. "She was very upfront, very sweet and very kind."
"She would make us feel like we were the luckiest kids in the world," Zoe Bautista, one of Karyn's former students said.
A glance at Kyle's personal Facebook page shows few posts (typically just profile photo updates), and his mother often was often the only one commenting.
"Love this handsome young man!!" Karyn Lombardo commented on the above image, along with a kissing face emoji.
“My deepest condolences go out to the victim’s loved ones during this tremendously difficult time,” Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said via statement, per KTLA. “Ms. Lombardo, a beloved teacher in the Burbank community, had her life senselessly taken. I want to assure the victim’s family and the community that our office is fully committed to seeking justice and accountability in this tragedy.”
Kyle was reportedly diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome and attention-deficit disorder, or ADD, as a child.
Vince mentioned that Kyle has been on medications that did not seem to work, and over the years, there had been multiple visits to their home by police.
He added that, as an adult, Kyle has struggled to access mental health services provided by the state, often waiting months for an appointment.
According to Pew, a CNN/Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that 90 percent of Americans feel the country is in a mental health crisis.
In 2023, an unprecedented White House report on Mental Health Research Priorities noted, "Our nation is facing a mental health crisis among people of all ages, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only made these problems worse."
Kyle reportedly made a brief court appearance on Thursday.
He is being held on $2 million bail and faces a potential maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted, according to the city of Burbank.
