Maria Isabel Perez was 10 years old when she was killed on April 15, 1984, inside a house at 1080 Liberty Avenue in East New York, Brooklyn. The attack, later called the Palm Sunday Massacre, left ten people dead — two women, two teenage girls, and six children — and a single infant survivor. Victims were found in relaxed positions, suggesting they had been taken completely by surprise.

Investigators concluded the victims were shot at close range with two different handguns. There were no signs of robbery or drug-related activity at the scene. Authorities identified Christopher Thomas as the attacker; his motive was reported as jealous rage over a suspected affair involving Enrique Bermudez, the homeowner. Thomas was convicted in 1985 on ten counts reduced to manslaughter on the basis of extreme emotional disturbance and intoxication and received a lengthy sentence.