An Orange County Superior Court judge said his son “will hate me forever” and should “punch me in the face” after the judge shot and killed his wife in their Anaheim Hills home, according to testimony at a hearing Thursday that ended with the judge being ordered to stand trial on a murder charge.
Judge Jeff Ferguson, 73, stands accused of killing his wife, 65-year-old Sheryl Ferguson, during an argument and in front of their younger son at their home in the 8500 block of East Canyon Vista Drive just past 8 p.m., Aug. 3.
Defense attorney T. Edward Welbourn argued there was insufficient evidence to show Ferguson intended to kill his wife, citing interviews with their son, Phillip, where he told a detective at least once that he thought the shooting may have been accidental.
Thursday’s preliminary hearing, where prosecutors lay out at least some of the evidence they have against a defendant, focused primarily on a trio of interviews between Anaheim Police Detective Michael Nguyen and the couple’s son, Phillip Ferguson, who was at the house when the shooting occurred. The detective’s testimony provided more details surrounding the shooting.
Prosecutors also called up three Anaheim police officers who testified to statements Ferguson made after he was placed in handcuffs that night.
Anaheim police officer Joshua Juntilla recalled Ferguson saying, “What did I do? My son will hate me forever. Can you have my son come over here and punch me in the face because I deserve it.”
Jeff Ferguson also asked multiple times if his wife was still alive, and he said he was “done for a while,” referring to going to prison, Juntilla testified.
Nguyen testified that Phillip Ferguson said he was walking toward a sliding back door to go to the backyard while his parents argued when he heard his mother say something to the effect of, ‘Why don’t you point a real gun at me?’ “
The son turned and saw his father, on the couch, with a gun in his right hand pointed toward his mother, who was in a chair between 3-4 feet away before the gun went off, Nguyen said.
“He said he had jumped over the couch after the shooting to get the gun away from his father,” Nguyen testified, later clarifying that the son believed his dad would harm himself with the weapon, rather than shoot his wife again or turn toward his son.
The son said Jeff Ferguson did not make any statements before the shot was fired, Nguyen testified.
Phillip Ferguson, after taking the gun, placed it next to his mother, who was face down on the carpet next to the chair. He called 911, flipped his mother over and began attempting CPR until police arrived, Nguyen testified. She was pronounced dead at the home.
During questioning from Welbourn, Nguyen testified that Phillip Ferguson said his father always holds firearms with two hands and characterized him as a “terrible shot.” Phillip Ferguson at least once told the detective he thought the shooting may have been accidental, because his father “never shoots one-handed.”
Nguyen said Phillip Ferguson told him his parents started arguing about finances at a restaurant that night, with Jeff Ferguson at one point putting his hand in the shape of a gun and pointing it at his mother, leading her to get up and walk away from the table. They returned home and watched “Breaking Bad” when the arguing started up again.
Nguyen said he arrived at the home about 9:20 p.m. that night, more than an hour after the shot was fired, and saw the gun on the tile in the kitchen area. He also saw a chair with a bullet hole and blood on it.
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Juntilla testified he arrived at the house and saw Jeff Ferguson outside, initially seated on a planter, but then on his feet. Juntilla said he gave Ferguson commands to get down on the ground or get down on his knees, but Ferguson told him if he did, he wouldn’t be able to get back up.
Jeff Ferguson also initially said, “Just shoot me” as officers gave him commands, but eventually complied and was handcuffed, Juntilla testified, adding there was a noticeable odor of alcohol emanating from Jeff Ferguson’s breath.
Anaheim police officer Andrew Compton testified that while Jeff Ferguson was at the Anaheim Police Department, Compton heard him say, “I just killed my wife.”
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“This is a very tragic event for everyone involved, including my client,” Welbourn said after the hearing. “Sheryl was and is the love of his life and he would never intend to shoot or try to harm her.
“This was a terribly unfortunate accidental discharge,” Welbourn said.
Prosecutors declined to comment after the hearing.
In previous court documents, prosecutors said Ferguson texted his court clerk and bailiff after the shooting, saying, “I just lost it. I just shot my wife. I won’t be in tomorrow. I will be in custody. I’m so sorry.”
Investigators searching the Fergusons’ home after the shooting found 47 legal firearms, including the .40-caliber handgun used in the shooting, authorities said.
In a renewal application for his permit to carry a concealed weapon, signed by Jeff Ferguson in 2021, he said he wanted to protect himself and immediate family “due to my current, ongoing and past service in Orange County.”
Jeff Ferguson first obtained a permit to carry a gun in 1994, but his permit was revoked following his Aug. 3 arrest.
Ferguson remained out of custody on $1 million bail.
Despite his status as an elected judge, Ferguson is not expected to preside over his own courtroom, or any cases, while his criminal case remains active. He is no longer assigned to his former courtroom at the Fullerton courthouse or any other Orange County Superior Court facility and his cases were transferred to other judges, court officials have said.
Ferguson is scheduled to enter a plea to the murder charge in Los Angeles Superior Court on July 5.