Southern California Judge Found Guilty of Murdering His Wife by New Jury
On March 10, a prior jury reached an impasse, with 11 out of 12 jurors supporting a guilty verdict, prompting the judge to declare a mistrial.
Following the mistrial in March, a new jury convicted a former Orange County Superior Court judge of second-degree murder in the 2023 shooting death of his wife.
Jeffrey Ferguson, 74, was found guilty on April 22 during a retrial concerning the demise of Sheryl Ferguson, 65, at their Anaheim Hills, California residence.
In addition to the murder conviction, Ferguson was also found guilty of a felony gun enhancement, facing a sentence of 40 years to life in prison.
While testifying, Ferguson claimed that after an argument about finances during dinner at a Mexican restaurant on August 3, 2023, he accidentally shot his wife while they were watching “Breaking Bad” at home.
According to Ferguson’s attorney, Cameron Talley, the couple had been consuming alcohol, and he pledged to file an appeal.
Ferguson’s sentencing is set for June 13.
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The case was prosecuted by the Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer’s office. In a press release, prosecutors stated that rather than aiding his wife after the shooting, Ferguson sent texts to his court bailiff and clerk informing them that he wouldn’t be in the next day because he had just shot his wife.
After posting a $1 million bail, Ferguson was released by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department until September 2024 when his bail was revoked due to reports from his court-ordered alcohol monitor about his alcohol consumption, violating the terms of his release, according to prosecutors.
A judge later determined that Ferguson had lied regarding his illegal alcohol use, although he was granted a second release after posting a $2 million bond, as indicated by prosecutors.
“The moment he pulled the trigger and killed his wife, Judge Jeffrey Ferguson realized he had become just like the violent criminals he had sent to prison, leaving his son to desperately try to revive his dying mother while he stepped outside to text his friends,” Spitzer remarked.
Ferguson had been affiliated with the Orange County District Attorney’s Office since 1983 until his election as a judge in 2015. He had presided over criminal cases until the shooting incident.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Eleanor J. Hunter oversaw the case.
During the argument, prosecutors reported that Ferguson mimicked holding a gun while gesturing towards his wife of 27 years, who later challenged him to point a real gun at her. He followed through, pulling the trigger.
“This was not an accident,” Spitzer declared. “Ferguson was trained to never aim a gun at anything he did not intend to destroy. On August 3, 2023, he took his gun from its ankle holster and pointed it directly at what he meant to destroy—his wife of 27 years—before pulling the trigger and ruining everything.”
On March 10, a previous jury deadlocked, with 11 jurors favoring a guilty verdict, which meant that Ferguson remained free on a $2 million bond after Hunter declared a mistrial.
However, this week, Ferguson was handcuffed and taken into custody after sharing a farewell hug with his 22-year-old son, Phillip.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
