SANTA ANA, Calif. — In a court filing, prosecutors say a judge in California who has been accused of killing his wife confessed two of his co-workers afterward.
According to a court filing obtained by The Associated Press, prosecutors allege that Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson texted his court clerk and bailiff after he killed his wife.
“I just lost it. I just shot my wife. I won’t be in tomorrow. I will be in custody. I’m so sorry,” the text said, according to the court filing per the AP.
Prosecutors also claimed that there were 47 weapons and over 26,000 rounds of ammunition recovered during a search of the judge’s house. One of the weapons included a pistol that was believed to have been used during the shooting.
Prosecutors claim that the shooting happened after the judge and his wife, Sheryl Ferguson, had an argument at a restaurant on Aug. 3, the AP reported. The argument continued at their house.
Prosecutors believe that Sheryl Ferguson said something like, “Why don’t you point a real gun at me?” and that the judge pulled a pistol from a holster on his ankle and then shot her in the chest, according to KTLA.
The Fergusons’ adult son called police to report the shooting, the news outlet reported. Prosecutors said he told police that his father was drunk.
The judge is facing a murder charge and two enhancements for personal use of a firearm and discharge of a firearm causing great bodily injury and death, according to KTLA. If he is convicted, he could be facing 40 years to life in prison.
He has been released on a $1 million bail.
