On Wednesday, September 17, 2025, CBS News reported that Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson, 74, was sentenced to 35 years to life in prison for the second-degree murder of his wife, Sheryl Ferguson, 65. The sentencing, delivered by Judge Eleanor J. Hunter in a Santa Ana courtroom, effectively ensures Ferguson will spend the remainder of his life in custody.

The case stems from an incident on August 3, 2023, at the Fergusons’ Anaheim Hills home, where Sheryl Ferguson was fatally shot. Jeffrey Ferguson admitted to the police immediately after the shooting that he was the one who shot his wife. However, he claimed the shooting was accidental, resulting from a misfire. Prosecutors contested this claim, arguing that Ferguson intentionally shot his wife after a night of drinking and arguing.

The sentencing followed a trial that concluded with Ferguson’s conviction in April. An earlier trial in March ended in a mistrial due to a deadlocked jury, with an 11-1 split. During the trials, Ferguson maintained that he was retrieving his gun from an ankle holster to place it on a coffee table when he fumbled it due to a shoulder injury, causing the gun to discharge accidentally. He acknowledged that he had been drinking and arguing with Sheryl earlier in the evening.

The prosecution argued that Ferguson, in a drunken rage, deliberately pointed the gun at Sheryl before pulling the trigger. Senior Deputy District Attorney Seton Hunt emphasized to the jurors the evidence suggesting Ferguson’s anger and intentional actions.

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer noted that Ferguson had admitted to being an alcoholic and consuming alcohol even while serving as a judge.

Despite the conviction, Sheryl Ferguson’s brother, Larry Rosen, expressed his belief during Wednesday’s hearing that Jeffrey Ferguson should have been tried on a lesser charge. Rosen stated that he believes his sister would recognize the shooting as an accident and that he has personally forgiven Jeffrey.

Following the sentencing, District Attorney Spitzer released a statement emphasizing that the act was murder, not an accident. He lamented the tarnish the crime has brought to the judiciary and the legal profession.

 

 

Source: CBS News