Teen Who Killed Family Members ‘Still believed in Santa Claus’ Brother Says

A New Jersey man who murdered four of his family members when he was just 16-years-old, still believed in Santa Claus, his brother testified in court, according to Asbury Park Press. 

Scott Kologi, who is now 20-years-old, is charged with the first-degree murders of his parents, sister and surrogate grandmother on New Year’s Eve in 2017.

Although he was a juvenile at the time of the 2017 family massacre, a judge ruled that Scott would be charged as an adult, according to the Office of Monmouth County Prosecutor. 

Jonathan Ruiz, Scott’s older brother, testified at the murder trial that he knew his younger brother was different than other kids his age, reported the Asbury Park Press. 

“There was a greater disparity in his mental abilities,” said Ruiz describing his brother as he grew older — Ruiz testified that when Scott was 16, his mother still dressed him every day and cooked him his own special meals, according to Asbury Park Press. 

Scott still believed in Santa Claus, reported Asbury Park Press, citing Ruiz’s testimony: “I would help hide presents in the attic so he would believe that Santa brought him the presents, and the presents were tagged ‘Santa,’” said Ruiz. 

Ruiz testified that Scott seemed happy on New Year's Eve — however later that evening, Scott shot and killed his mother, Linda Kologi, his father, Steven Kologi Sr., his sister, Brittany, and Mary Shulz, according to Law & Crime.

According to the Asbury Park Press, Defense attorneys claim that their client was legally insane and was experiencing psychosis during the murders. Prosecutors argue that Scott knew exactly what he was doing when he killed the victims.

Long Branch police officers responded to reports of gunfire just before midnight on Dec. 31, 2017, and found the four victims who had been shot and killed, according to a Monmouth County Prosecutor press release, in their home. Three other family members survived the shooting, according to The New York Post.

The press release stated that police arrested Scott at the residence and secured a rifle at the scene that was later identified as the murder weapon.

Scott confessed to the murders when he initially met with the Long Branch Police Department. Video footage of the interrogation shows Scott explaining how he killed each victim. 

“When everything was going down… I knew I was doing it, it just felt like it wasn’t me,” said Scott.

When asked by one of the investigators during the interrogation if he knew what he was doing, Scott responded that he did.