Police arrested a California judge this week in connection with the fatal shooting of his 65-year-old wife.
According to NBC 4, police arrived at an Orange County home off East Canyon Vista Drive at around 8 p.m. on Thursday and found a deceased female inside with a gunshot wound. Police identified her as Sheryl Ferguson, the wife of Orange County Superior Court judge, Jeffrey Ferguson, 72.
Police said the victim was already dead when they arrived at the scene; they arrested her husband but have yet to formally charge him.
Anaheim police Sgt. Jon McClintock said another person was inside the residence but no one else had been injured, the Los Angeles Times reports. Sources told the outlet that the couple’s son was identified as the person in the home, although police did not confirm, citing the ongoing investigation.
Photographs showed investigators removing multiple weapons from the home, including at least four long guns.
Shocked neighbors in the quiet neighborhood said they would have never expected the incident to happen.
“So many people in the neighborhood flooded the street [afterward] and just kept repeating, ‘There’s no way he could have done this,’” Neighbor John Poulter told the Times.
Colleagues of the judge added that they didn’t know of any existing issues between the couple.
Susan Kang, who said she was the former chief of staff for Orange County’s district attorney and a friend of the pair for over 20 years added that Jeff Ferguson always appeared to be both a doting husband and father.
“I have always known Jeff to be someone who was devoted to his wife and his sons,” Kang told the 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.”
AP News reports that Jeff Ferguson won the 2104-2015 “Attorney of the Year” honor by the North Orange County Bar Association, where he worked as a prosecutor.
In 2017, he was reprimanded by the Commission on Judicial Performance for reportedly posting false information on Facebook about a judicial candidate and for having lawyers who appeared in his court as Facebook friends.
Online court records indicate that Ferguson is behind bars on $1 million bail. His first hearing is expected on Monday.
“Although no case has been filed with our Court, when appropriate we will take all necessary steps to ensure full compliance with our legal and ethical obligations,” Orange County Superior Court Presiding Judge Maria Hernandez said in a statement, according to AP.
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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]
