Los Angeles, California – A judge from Southern California will be facing trial on a murder charge for the death of his wife, a decision made by another judge after a preliminary hearing revealed enough evidence for the case to proceed. Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson was arrested in August and accused of killing his wife in their Anaheim Hills home.
The hearing took place before Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Eleanor J. Hunter to avoid any conflicts of interest, as Ferguson was previously presiding over criminal cases in Fullerton. During the hearing, three police officers and a detective provided details about the scene and interviews with the couple’s adult son, who called 911 to report the shooting.
Ferguson’s attorney, T. Edward Welbourn, stated that the son, the only eyewitness, believed the shooting was accidental, and that Ferguson’s wife was the love of his life. The attorney described the incident as a terrible tragedy that occurred.
Charges against Ferguson include one count of murder and weapons-related enhancements, with an arraignment scheduled in Los Angeles on July 5. He is currently out on $1 million bail, with GPS and blood alcohol content monitoring required. The arrest came after police found Ferguson’s wife, Sheryl Ferguson, shot to death at their home.
An Anaheim police detective testified that the family had been out to dinner when an argument over finances escalated, leading to the fatal shooting. Ferguson was reported to have pulled a pistol and shot his wife in the chest after an argument at home. Ferguson’s son called 911, and the judge texted his court clerk and bailiff, confessing to the crime.
Ferguson, a former prosecutor, has been a judge since 2015 and had a history of legal work in the Orange County district attorney’s office. The arrest has shocked the Southern California legal community, with the prosecution led by the Orange County district attorney’s office. Despite the case being tried in Orange County, hearings are being held before a Los Angeles County judge.