John Jefferson
Inset: Jeffrey Ferguson (Anaheim Police Department). Background: Investigators remove firearms from Ferguson’s home in Anaheim, California (Paul Bersebach/The Orange County Register via AP).
A California judge accused in the murder of his wife could have his bail revoked after his ankle monitor detected potential alcohol in his system, which he reportedly blamed on treatment for a medical condition.
Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson, 73, is free on $1 million bail with a requirement to wear a GPS monitor as he faces charges in the death of his wife, Sheryl Ferguson, 65, prosecutors said.
At a court hearing this week, prosecutors informed Superior Court Judge Eleanor J. Hunter that Ferguson’s ankle monitor alerted for an alcohol detection twice, on Aug. 28 and 29 — once with a reading of .14%, nearly twice the legal limit for driving, according to Southern California News Group reporters Sean Emery and Tony Saavedra, reporting on the court hearing on Thursday in Los Angeles County.
The defendant denied drinking, blaming a health condition that led to swelling of his legs. He said it had gotten bad, exacerbating the pain from the ankle monitor before Labor Day, the reporters wrote. He said he treated the swelling with cream and sanitizer, and the ankle monitor could have come up with a false positive.
But Judge Hunter didn’t buy the claim and upbraided the defendant, saying she would have hoped that he would have admitted to “being human” and making a mistake, the news outlet reported. Hunter continued the matter until Sept. 20 to allow for time to receive hair sample tests and details about the ankle monitoring data.
The series of events leading to the alleged murder began at dinner on the evening of Aug. 3, 2023, when the couple started arguing at a restaurant and Ferguson mimicked pointing a gun at her with his finger. When they got home, the argument continued, authorities said.
At one point, Sheryl Ferguson referred to her husband’s earlier hand gesture at the restaurant, uttering, “Why don’t you point a real gun at me?” just before an allegedly intoxicated Jeffrey Ferguson pulled his Glock .40-caliber pistol from his ankle holster and shot her in the chest in front of their son in their Anaheim Hills home, Law&Crime previously reported, citing a bail motion filing from the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.
The son and father called 911.
Jeffrey Ferguson also allegedly texted his court clerk and bailiff, admitting to the shooting, which they both thought was a joke.
“I just lost it. I just shot my wife,” Jeffrey Ferguson allegedly said in the texts, according to court documents. “I won’t be in tomorrow. I will be in custody. I’m so sorry.”
When officers arrived, he was allegedly still wearing the empty ankle holster, and “he asked patrol officers to shoot him,” court documents said.
“He slurred words and smelled of alcohol,” documents said.
During a search of his home, police recovered the murder weapon — a Glock .40-caliber pistol and found 47 guns — rifles, shotguns, and a handgun — and over 26,000 rounds of ammunition — all firearms he legally owned. A spent .40-caliber casing was recovered from the floor in front of the couch.
Police body camera footage captured Ferguson making several obscenity-laced statements, including: “f— … f— … what the f— did I … well, I guess I’m done for a while …”
At the police station, the defendant allegedly said, “What did I do? My son will hate me forever. Can you have my son come over … and punch me in the face because I deserve it,” local Fox affiliate KTTV reported an officer testified.
He was ordered in June 2024 to stand trial after a judge rejected his defense that the shooting was an accident.
“He would never intend to hurt her,” said his attorney, Ed Welbourn, KTTV reported. “It was just a terribly tragic incident that occurred. The last thing he would try to do is hurt the love of his life.”
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