SANTA ANA, Calif.—A Southern California judge who shot and killed his wife during an argument over family finances was sentenced Wednesday to 35 years to life in prison. The case roiled the legal community in California’s Orange County where many had known or worked with him for decades.
Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson, wearing a green jail jumpsuit in court, was sentenced for the second-degree murder of his wife, Sheryl, and felony gun enhancements.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Eleanor J. Hunter, who presided over the case to avoid a conflict of interest in Orange County, said the evidence against Ferguson was “absolutely overwhelming” including a text message he sent to court staff immediately after the shooting saying “I just lost it” and video recordings of him speaking extensively while in custody….