A former Orange County Superior Court judge in California received his sentencing earlier this week for the 2023 fatal shooting of his wife.
On Wednesday, Jeffrey Ferguson, 74, was sentenced to 35 years to life after being found guilty earlier this year of the second-degree murder of his wife.
This marked Ferguson’s second trial, which followed a mistrial in the first when jurors failed to reach a unanimous decision, according to ABC 7.
As reported by CrimeOnline, police arrived at an Orange County home on East Canyon Vista Drive at about 8 p.m. on August 3, 2023, to find a deceased woman inside with a gunshot wound. She was identified as Sheryl Ferguson, the wife of then-72-year-old Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson.
Jeffrey Ferguson shot his wife in the chest after they returned home from a restaurant, where they had been arguing.
According to an affidavit, during the argument, Sheryl Ferguson told her husband to “point a real gun at me,” leading him to draw a pistol from his ankle holster and shoot her.
Police confirmed that Sheryl Ferguson was deceased upon their arrival, and subsequently arrested Jeffrey Ferguson.
“I just lost it,” Ferguson texted his court employees, according to KNBC. “I just shot my wife. I won’t be in tomorrow. I will be in custody. I’m so sorry.”
The couple’s adult son called 911, telling dispatchers that his father, who had been drinking excessively, shot his mother.
Upon arrival, officers reported that Ferguson said, “Oh man, I can’t believe I did this.”
Susan Kang, the former chief of staff for Orange County’s district attorney and a friend of the couple for over 20 years, remarked that Ferguson always seemed like a devoted husband and father.
“I have always known Jeff to be someone who was devoted to his wife and his sons,” Kang previously told the Los Angeles Times.
“Just a little while ago, they were at my house having dinner. To be shocked to hear Jeff was arrested for murdering Sheryl would be an understatement. I cannot wrap my mind around it. I am brokenhearted, especially for Phillip.”
ABC 7 reported that before Wednesday’s sentencing, Prizzia requested a new trial, which Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Eleanor Hunter denied. Prizzia argued for a new trial based on the court’s previous refusal to delay proceedings.
The requested delay would have allowed forensic psychologist Lisa Grajewski, who testified in the first trial, to be available for the retrial.
Prizzia stated that the court’s decision forced the defense to rely on a “last-minute expert.”
“The court’s ruling that the defense could only present evidence from one firearms expert limited our ability to present crucial evidence supporting our theory that the shooting was accidental,” Prizzia said.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer appreciated Judge Hunter for fast-tracking the retrial within a month of the mistrial.
During his sentencing, Ferguson made a statement, saying, “There’s nothing I can ever say or do to repair this family tragedy for Kevin, my son.” He added, “Sheryl had a great and generous heart, and I wish God had taken me instead.”
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[Feature Photo: Jeffrey Ferguson/Anaheim Police Department and Investigators remove firearms from the Ferguson home/Paul Bersebach/The Orange County Register via AP]
