Daughter of Fullerton shooting victims testifies in trial for 2016 triple-homicide with ties to ‘furry’ community

SANTA ANA — The daughter of a couple shot and killed in their Fullerton home testified Tuesday that she had been repeatedly sexual assaulted by one of the victims, but acknowledged that she had lied to law enforcement after the slaying about the alleged abuse.

The testimony by now-19-year-old Katlynn Goodwill came during the second day of the trial of Joshua Acosta, who prosecutors allege shot and killed the girl’s parents – Christopher Yost, 34, and Jennifer Yost, 39 – as well as their friend Arthur Boucher, 28, in an attempt to “free” the teen.

Attorneys previously referred to Goodwill as Katlynn Goodwill Yost.

Goodwill, who was 17 at the time of the 2016 killings, testified that she met Acosta, as well as co-defendant Frank Felix, in the “furry” community, which is made up of individuals who like to dress up animals and take on personas. The Yosts were also involved in the furry scene, Goodwill said, and became friends with Acosta, an army mechanic.

Goodwill testified that Christopher Yost, her stepfather, molested her on weekly basis between the ages of 7 and 15 — a claim she earlier had made to investigators. The teen said she had told Felix about the alleged abuse, and had asked Felix and Acosta’s assistance in running away from home.

Her parents had warned her against hanging out with Felix, Goodwill said, after he cut himself in public at a furry get-together as she was flirting with another person closer to her age. Goodwill alleged that Felix had “blackmailed” her into having sex with him by threatening to tell her parents about a relationship she had with Acosta.

On the night of the killings, Goodwill testified that she had planned to tell her mother about her relationship with Acosta. Goodwill said that as she packed her belongings while Acosta spoke to her parents she began to have second thoughts about running away, but felt pressured by Acosta.

Acosta told the family he was leaving, Goodwill testified, and after her parents had fallen asleep she texted him a plus sign, a code they had come up with to indicate their plan for her to leave was moving forward. Acosta came to the door of the home, Goodwill testified, and the teen let him into the residence to use the bathroom while she walked to Acosta’s truck, where Felix was waiting.

Goodwill testified that she felt threatened by Felix, noting that she saw a gun in the truck when she got into the vehicle.

According to prosecutors, when Acosta, then 21, entered the home he shot Boucher as he slept on a couch, shot Jennifer Yost in her bed and Christopher Yost as he tried to run out the back door of the home. The couple’s younger daughters, ages 6 and 9, called police after discovering the bodies.

In a recorded confession, Acosta described the family as a “festering wound” that he had “cauterized.” Goodwill said she had no knowledge that her parents were going to be killed, and testified that she didn’t learn of their deaths until contacted by police.

During hours of testimony, Acosta’s attorney, Adam Vining, repeatedly questioned Goodwill’s testimony, forcing her to acknowledged that she had repeatedly lied to police and prosecutors. At times she falsely told authorities that her mother had abused her, Goodwill acknowledged, and at times she had denied telling anyone about the alleged sexual abuse.

“In retrospect, is there anything you did that would lead to any amount of responsibility for what happened?” Vining asked.

“No,” Goodwill responded.

“You did not encourage anyone to do this?” Vining said.

“No,” Goodwill again responded.

Vining also referred to numerous messages between Goodwill and another friend, in which she alluded to friction with her mother and made remarks about killing someone.

“Ever looked at someone and wondered how many ways can I kill them right now?” read one of the messages sent by Goodwill cited by the defense attorney. “I have.”

Goodwill said some of the messages were part of role-playing written under another persona. She testified that she didn’t recall writing some of the other messages.

Vining during his opening statements on Monday told jurors that Acosta is autistic and was “duped” into committing the killings.

Goodwill was granted immunity to testify against Acosta. Felix is being tried separately for his alleged role in the killings.