CA - Pastor Noah Shepherd shot, wife not charged, San Diego, July 2021

[LaborDayRN]

7 Times?
@airportwoman
If ^ links say, he was shot seven times, I missed it there. Also missed it elsewhere.

Anyone? Thx in adv.

I've not read an article with the exact number of shots but I did post this upthread:
Neighbors say they heard two shots around 6 pm, a short pause, and then at least five more shots.
DA: No charges filed against woman suspected of shooting husband in Lemon Grove | cbs8.com
I find the "short pause" interesting.

 

[fred&edna]

So, she was arrested and then charges were dropped?? LE thought her explanation of what happened didn't match the scene but then they decided it did?? Anyone know what kind of illness he had been dealing with the week or so before?

 

[LaborDayRN]

So, she was arrested and then charges were dropped?? LE thought her explanation of what happened didn't match the scene but then they decided it did?? Anyone know what kind of illness he had been dealing with the week or so before?

I hadn't heard about an illness. ???

 

[al66pine]

Shots Fired?
LaborDayRN saw* ref to:.............. 2 shots, then 5 or more, so 7 or more.
In post #1 links, I saw:** ref to .... 3+ shots.*
Gunshot Wounds Victim Suffered?
Anyone read/heard anything about #?

I don't know if the unknown number of shots fired or gunshot wounds is significant.
Gun(s)s: revolver or pistol? Magazine capacity?
@LaborDayRN Yes, "short pause" in firing promoted me to wonder---multiple magazines?

Was gun purchase made thru FFL/firearms dealer? Was gun registered w St of CA?
How many shots were fired?
Did each of the shots fired hit the victim?

FWIW: Castle doctrine law? "California never requires a duty to retreat whether in one's own home or not. The state acknowledges a legal presumption that an intruder poses a deadly threat if in one's own home or property that is owned and controlled by oneself."***
_________________________________________
*

I've not read an article with the exact number of shots but I did post this upthread:

Neighbors say they heard two shots around 6 pm, a short pause, and then at least five more shots.

DA: No charges filed against woman suspected of shooting husband in Lemon Grove | cbs8.com
I find the "short pause" interesting.

@LaborDayRN Thank you for this.
** Per link in OP's post, # of shots fired was indeterminate number as well.
Neighbor "Wilson said she heard loud sounds from the Shepherds' home that she thought came from a hammer. “I said, 'Oh, I guess he’s hammering,' because there were three more shots..."
*** Gun laws in California - Wikipedia

 

[scriabina]

I'm surprised more angry murderous people don't kill their spouses by waiting for them to come home, shooting them at the door and claiming "I thought it was an intruder." Seems super easy to get away with murder in this way.

This whole case stinks. I can't believe they released this woman with no charges so quickly. Makes me sick. Shot twice, then a pause, then 5 more shots??? In broad daylight? Was she shooting with her eyes closed? How could she not recognize her own husband? How many bullets actually hit her poor husband? I don't believe this was an accident for a second. Sorry.

 

[Bridger]

I'm surprised more angry murderous people don't kill their spouses by waiting for them to come home, shooting them at the door and claiming "I thought it was an intruder." Seems super easy to get away with murder in this way.

I think that if a wife is going to plot to kill her husband (as opposed to grabbing a gun in anger), there are many easier and less detectable ways to do it. Examples: poisoning, nighttime “intruder” shooting, hiring a hit man, cutting brakes on car, et al. This is why I’m inclined to believe it was some kind of weird accident.

But just because the police have released her now doesn’t mean they won’t file charges in the future when they gather more evidence. They may just not have quite enough now to feel confident of a conviction.

 

[fred&edna]

I hadn't heard about an illness. ???

At approx 1:26 of this CBS report:

 

[musicaljoke]

I think that if a wife is going to plot to kill her husband (as opposed to grabbing a gun in anger), there are many easier and less detectable ways to do it. Examples: poisoning, nighttime “intruder” shooting, hiring a hit man, cutting brakes on car, et al. This is why I’m inclined to believe it was some kind of weird accident.

But just because the police have released her now doesn’t mean they won’t file charges in the future when they gather more evidence. They may just not have quite enough now to feel confident of a conviction.

Oh, I don't think those alternative ways of dispatching a husband are either easier or less detectable than just shooting him in broad daylight on the back doorstep. As soon as a person tries to hide their dastardly deed, then investigators show up and it's not long before there is a huge light thrown upon the crime.

No siree. It appears that it is less likely to create a kerfuffle if one just greets him at the door with a loaded gun and bang bang.

"It was an accident, officer."

 

[al66pine]

Mapping Help?

At approx 1:26 of this CBS report:

@fred&edna. Thanks for July 15 link.
I had missed the ref to shots fired through screen door. Verbatim:
Wife said "she thought he was an intruder entering through the backyard." bbm
Sources "say the shots were fired through a screen door outside of a bedroom." Not "regular" back door???

AT 54 sec mark in vid, there's a house # on a garage (may/may not be theirs).
Where are our Google map wizards, who can locate a birdseye view of house, driveway, garage, & lot, then link for us? Please. TiA.

 

[Bridger]

Oh, I don't think those alternative ways of dispatching a husband are either easier or less detectable than just shooting him in broad daylight on the back doorstep. As soon as a person tries to hide their dastardly deed, then investigators show up and it's not long before there is a huge light thrown upon the crime.

No siree. It appears that it is less likely to create a kerfuffle if one just greets him at the door with a loaded gun and bang bang.

"It was an accident, officer."

Respectfully disagree that any more than a tiny minority of murderous wives would think that way. IMO, that scenario is much more “Twin Peaks” than real life.

 

[Rotten apple]

Wow…I feel so sorry for the kids. It will be interesting to follow this one, not sure I’m buying the wife’s story completely. Definitely curious about the “illness” he was suffering with the week prior.

 

[scriabina]

Wow…I feel so sorry for the kids. It will be interesting to follow this one, not sure I’m buying the wife’s story completely. Definitely curious about the “illness” he was suffering with the week prior.

Hope they do a tox screen on the husband. Maybe the mysterious "illness" was due to an intentional poisoning.

 

[scriabina]

I think that if a wife is going to plot to kill her husband (as opposed to grabbing a gun in anger), there are many easier and less detectable ways to do it. Examples: poisoning, nighttime “intruder” shooting, hiring a hit man, cutting brakes on car, et al. This is why I’m inclined to believe it was some kind of weird accident.

Really? I think the ways listed would be way riskier.

Poisoning: Must access/buy the poison somehow without leaving a paper trail. Must choose a poison that's undetectable in tox screens. Must administer and dispose of poisoning effectively. Lots of ways to catch someone in a poisoning.

Hitman: Must hire someone to kill, may end up having to ask multiple people or doing incriminating internet searches for a hitman, have to hire the killer, have to hide all communication with the hitman including payment. Super risky, too many ways to get caught.

Cutting brakes on car: I think a lot of people wouldn't have a clue how to cut brakes on a car. They'd have to find out someway either through a google search or asking someone else. Plus they'd have to do it in a way that wouldn't leave any evidence of foul play behind.

If the killing was actually an accident, I wouldn't trust that woman with children. She clearly has serious issues like extreme anxiety at the very least, or perhaps paranoia/delusions due to an untreated mental disorder.

 

[Shamrock1]

Something is off here. Forget about the pause - at 6pm, the children are probably awake and it’s daylight. Curious to see if there are more details.

 

[LaborDayRN]

Something is off here. Forget about the pause - at 6pm, the children are probably awake and it’s daylight. Curious to see if there are more details.

I agree. The reason I find the pause interesting is that in my opinion it would give the shooter a moment to see exactly what or who she was shooting at.

 

[fred&edna]

We can't be the only ones who find the info about this at least suspicious. However, with the charges dropped will there be any additional news reports?

 

[Shamrock1]

I agree. The reason I find the pause interesting is that in my opinion it would give the shooter a moment to see exactly what or who she was shooting at.

The pause is very, very curious. I’m giving her the benefit of the doubt because bystander observations can be inaccurate.

 

[LaborDayRN]

We can't be the only ones who find the info about this at least suspicious. However, with the charges dropped will there be any additional news reports?

I imagine if detectives uncover more information, there may be more news reports (and if charges are again filed).

 

[IceIce9]

Sincere condolences to the family and friends who loved Noah.

 

[Knox]

At approx 1:26 of this CBS report:

01:33
WHAT WE ARE ALSO LEARNING IS
01:34
THAT IN A WEEK PRIOR TO THE
01:37
DEATH OF PASTOR NOAH SHEPHERD,
01:41
HE HAD SAID IN ONE OF HIS
01:42
SERMONS THAT HE HAD BEEN
01:42
EXTREMELY ILL. HE SAID THAT IT
01:45
HAD BEEN AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT
01:46
WEEK FOR HIM AND FOR HIS WIFE
01:48
GABBY WHO'S NOW BEING CHARGED
01:49
WITH HIS MURDER. IT'S UNKNOWN
01:50
AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THAT
01:52
INFORMATION HAS ANYTHING
01:53
RELATED TO HIS DEATH.

Transcript from link.

Just on the face of it - when I heard of the illness, I immediately wondered if he was being poisoned.