GUILTY CA - Jason Harper, 30, murdered, Carlsbad, 7 Aug 2012 *wife arrested*

[EXIA15145]

There are a lot of different factors that can make a house out of one's price range in their price range. One would be the money from the sale of a prior home. Another is inheritance, maybe money bequeathed to one of the home owners. Another would be if she had substantial income from the sale of homes she dealt with as a realtor. Some years are better than others. Depending on how long they owned the home, maybe the price was lower for them than when someone else was buying theirs. Also, the condition of the home or the size may have warranted a price drop. The size of the mortgage is relevant, as well.
BTW, She wasn't just a stay at home mom, she was a realtor as well. That alone could explain the income difference.

I find it odd she was expecting him to support her during their separation on a teacher's salary? Surely, her income at the time must have been a driving force in order to purchase their home? We looked for homes in that area (I am assuming this is immediately east of the 5 interstate) in the early 2000's and I think they went for $400-$500? How the heck does a teacher and a stay at home mom with 3 kids do that?

 

[Curious Me]

I find it odd she was expecting him to support her during their separation on a teacher's salary? Surely, her income at the time must have been a driving force in order to purchase their home? We looked for homes in that area (I am assuming this is immediately east of the 5 interstate) in the early 2000's and I think they went for $400-$500? How the heck does a teacher and a stay at home mom with 3 kids do that?

Is she known as the queen of real estate? I was image searching and found that site with listings for the Vista area. The news article does mention her real estate license expired in May.


http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/aug/08/police-investigating-suspicious-death-carlsbad/

Carlsbad woman arrested in husband's slaying; children found safe

"Public records show Julie Harper was issued a California real estate license in 2004 and that it expired in May."

"On a website for Harper Realty, she described herself as “a highly motivated individual” and having a “great deal” of experience in marketing, sales and customer service."

 

[Essbee]

One of the 10 news commenters posted a 2001 marriage announcement from the SD Union newspaper. I googled that and also found an identical announcement from a small newspaper in the LA area.

I googled their names and saw a prior property owned in Redondo Beach. So they have been riding the real estate wave up up up for a while now.

Another mildly interesting factoid is that she apparently went to my high school and graduated just a couple years ahead of me. (I never knew her or even heard of her, but I'm going to go downstairs and dust off the old yearbook in a little bit).

 

[Curious Me]

(snipped and BBM) ". . . being held without bail pending arraignment, scheduled for Friday afternoon."

Homemaker faces murder charge in death of schoolteacher spouse
http://www.760kfmb.com/story/192253...-of-schoolteacher-spouse?clienttype=printable

 

[Essbee]

The yearbook senior photo showed a very pretty girl with light blonde hair, brown eyes, and a nice smile. She had big hair and bangs as was the normal look in 1990-91. She was wearing pearls and had tasteful makeup. Sadly, she got left out of the index entirely, so I couldn't tell if she was in any extracurriculars. She certainly wasn't someone who was featured on every other page. I'm assuming that she was an above average student if she attended USC.

The statements where the neighbors say things like, "the husband was outgoing and gregarious but she seemed much less outgoing" sounds like a description of me and my husband. Some people are just shyer and less comfortable with small talk. That alone doesn't mean she was a bad person.

I'm reserving judgment until we know more, although the fact that she was arrested does not look good at all. My heart aches for those poor kids!

 

[BrownRice]

I could swear I heard a fast blurb on the news, something about the divorce papers stated $8K in monthly expenses. I must have heard wrong. Does anybody know about that? She filed for the divorce, but I wonder if she thought life was going to stay the same for her and the children. Complaints that he wasn't giving her any money to go on with her life style sounds like entitlement issues more than anything I've heard so far, but JMO.

She was found with the children at her father's house in Scripps Ranch. Sounds like they both had good family members nearby that would've helped. Did this really have to end in a death?

I heard about the $8k too - that's when I started questioning the finances. Phil Blauer (is he Fox now?) was reporting and they showed a copy of the divorce filing where she listed their monthly finances as $8.2k a month. That is A LOT for a teacher with a SAHM. I understand she was a realtor, but she is not right now. Regardless if they have a ton of $ in their savings, that's just a lot.

I also understand they could have put a lot of $ down on their house. I lived in the real estate bubble in CA and know how it worked. But if they have $8k a month in expenses, that seems very high and could lead to a very stressful living environment with 1 small income.

Paul Pfingst sure does well on his defense attorney income now. Seems like the highest profile lawyer in town.

 

[FrayedKnot]

I could swear I heard a fast blurb on the news, something about the divorce papers stated $8K in monthly expenses. I must have heard wrong. Does anybody know about that? She filed for the divorce, but I wonder if she thought life was going to stay the same for her and the children. Complaints that he wasn't giving her any money to go on with her life style sounds like entitlement issues more than anything I've heard so far, but JMO.

She was found with the children at her father's house in Scripps Ranch. Sounds like they both had good family members nearby that would've helped. Did this really have to end in a death?

Sound like she just assumed that she WOULD keep her current lifestyle and got a rude surprise. Does anyone aside from the uber rich still receive alimony?

I know I didn't even ask for it, I just asked for/received child support and I got my resume updated and went back to work.

Those poor kids.

 

[JenniferTx]

Those poor kids are going to have a rough time ahead of them.

 

[Curious Me]

News video confirms that Jason died from a gun shot wound.

http://www.cbs8.com/story/19245991/arraignment-for-carlsbad-woman-accused-of-killing-spouse

 

[Curious Me]

Wife arraigned in teacher’s slaying
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/aug/10/wife-set-to-be-arraigned-in-teachers-slaying/

“He obviously had been deceased for a while when we got there,” police Lt. Kelly Cain said.

“There is a possibility he was killed before Tuesday. There was no decomposition, so in my mind, it had been no more than a couple of days.”


further into article:
"Julie Harper’s Toyota minivan remained missing until a San Diego police officer came across it Thursday afternoon in a residential area near Interstate 5 and state Route 52, Cain said. Carlsbad investigators had it towed to a police impound yard, where it and the Explorer were being searched Friday."

 

[forthelost]

Seeing the monthly expenses made me wonder if his "cutting her off financially" was more along the lines of "you're spending far more than I'm making and no more of that."

 

[Curious Me]

JMOO, but it's worth questioning why file for divorce and claim he was being abusive and then five days later shoot him. Julie Harper filed for divorce from Jason Harper on Aug. 2th, and by Aug. 7th he was dead. Curious if there was a big insurance policy. Sorry, but that's where my mind is going.

More of my own thoughts - Financially, I doubt he could support her and the children, and him still live elsewhere. In addition, I'll bet he was going to fight for custody - it's said he was a very involved father. She surely knew this divorce was not going to be a wise $ move. Some will say she had to file because of the abuse. Well, she had to borrow money to start the divorce it said on the news, but then didn't get out of "an abusive situation in the house". I mean if he was being abusive before, then she couldn't expect to file then all still live together for awhile, not if he was being unpredictably violent like she's implied in the divorce papers. Am I even making sense?

Did she just spring the divorce on him? Had they gone to marriage counseling or anger management classes before she filed? What's sad is three children lost their father and students lost a wonderful, kind teacher.

 

[LadyL]

so about 2 years ago, she became pregnant, then in short order divorced him, made allegations of abuse, and murdered him

how does a marriage go downhill that quickly? I'll tell you how - if she had an affair & became pregnant with another man's child, husband found out baby is not his & cut her off financially and was angry all the time (who could blame him?) I'm obviously just speculating ...

most mothers would not murder the father of their toddler because they have way too much (sometimes naive) hope inside that they'll all become a family again - that daddy will stop being so angry, that all their problems will resolve etc. unless, of course, mother is the cause of the problems, in which case the only solution is to kill the person who's not letting her get away with her b.s.

I bet she has a history of spending too much money and other impulsive behaviour

all of the above is JMO and complete speculation

 

[nursebeeme]

Seeing the monthly expenses made me wonder if his "cutting her off financially" was more along the lines of "you're spending far more than I'm making and no more of that."

it could also have been just part of the divorce process... my sister is going thru a divorce and while they are settling the finance angle it is all up in the air (thankfully my brother in law has been very kind and helpful with providing all the money they need for groceries and expenses, etc)

 

[Curious Me]

Here she is at the arraignment. She looks different than the pic the news has been using.
http://www.cbs8.com/Global/category.asp?C=149651

 

[fran]

Guess there was a record of at least ONE DV call to the home and the husband was asked to leave by LE.

NOT saying this was justified. I don't know. But why did she have to kill him? She better have a darn good story.

FWIW, I heard a local broadcast that went down a list of medications she took, but I can't see the same anywhere in the articles I've found online. Maybe tomorrow in the hard copy. But, it was more than 1 or 2.

fran



Not Guilty Plea For Wife Accused Of Killing Husband

http://www.10news.com/news/31354629/detail.html

 

[Curious Me]

BBM

Kids Witnessed Dad's Death: Officials
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48660716/ns/local_news-san_diego_ca/

"Watanabe said detectives also found a number of medications prescribed to the defendant including Oxycontin, Oxycodone and Hydrocodone which is generic for Vicodin."

"Pfingst said the medications were needed for his client’s arthritis."

 

[BrownRice]

BBM

Kids Witnessed Dad's Death: Officials
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48660716/ns/local_news-san_diego_ca/

"Watanabe said detectives also found a number of medications prescribed to the defendant including Oxycontin, Oxycodone and Hydrocodone which is generic for Vicodin."

"Pfingst said the medications were needed for his client’s arthritis."

Thanks for this link. This is one of the best ones yet with new info.

 

[Curious Me]

Evidence against teacher's wife aired in court
http://www.fox5sandiego.com/news/ks...lly-shooting-husband-20120813,0,4626151.story

"The prosecutors said it was enough time for Harper to hide or manipulate evidence."

"During that time period, the gun has been removed from the crime scene, as well as the victim's cell phone and wallet."

"Watanabe said the defendant also has two guns registered to her name: a .32-caliber and a .45-caliber handgun. A shotgun and bullets for a .38-caliber gun were also found, however none of the guns appeared to have fired the bullet that killed Jason, investigators said."

"Police also found a large amount of prescription drugs in the home."

"Oxycontin, oxycodone, hydrocodone, Ambien and Valium, all in the defendant's name," Watanabe said.

"My client has Spondylo arthritis," said Paul Pfingst, Harper's attorney. "She's on the various medications for pain."



Wife Fatally Shot Husband – Then Took Kids Out for Sandwiches:
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20621820,00.html?xid=rss-topheadlines

"That same morning, the cellphone of her husband, Jason Harper, 39, a teacher at a nearby high school, sent a message to his brother reading: "I'm out running errands, tell mom I'll see her Friday."

"But authorities say this day was far from ordinary. Later that afternoon police – acting on a tip from Julie's lawyer – found Jason dead from a bullet that pierced his heart."

 

[Curious Me]

Want to capture the news reports from the beginning of this case.

:cow: JMO, the local news reported the children mentioned their mother slept and cried most of the day, and IMO, she was taking way too many heavy drugs for her condition. You might imagine what it was like for her husband. She sounds addicted to prescription drugs, and it'd be no picnic to live with her. I understand she was spiraling down, and he was probably trying hard to get through to her. It'd be no surprise to me if he raised his voice and attempted to get her awake to care for their children. :yow: He probably worried about leaving the children with her. Just saying, there's two sides to this story.

Regardless, IMO, she had no reason to shoot him, none. :cow: