ANAHEIM, Calif. – Law enforcement authorities in Southern California have arrested an Orange County Superior Court judge for the shooting death of his wife, police said in a press statement.
The Anaheim Police Department announced that homicide detectives arrested Judge Jeffrey Ferguson, 72, a resident of Anaheim, for the murder of his wife.
Anaheim Police Public Information Officer, Sgt. Jon McClintock, said in a press statement, “On Thursday, August 3, 2023, just after 8 p.m., the Anaheim Police Communications Center received reports of a shooting that occurred at a residence on the 8500 block of E. Canyon Vista Dr. Upon officers’ arrival, they located 65-year-old Sheryl Ferguson inside the residence suffering from at least one gunshot wound. Sheryl Ferguson was pronounced deceased at the scene.”
Continuing, McClintock wrote, “Officers contacted Jeffrey Ferguson, an Orange County Superior Court Judge, at the location and arrested him for murder without incident. Jeffrey Ferguson was booked into the Anaheim Police Department’s Detention Facility in lieu of $1 million bail.”
Anaheim Police detectives are not disclosing additional details since the investigation remains ongoing.
A neighbor who did not want to be identified told KTLA the judge had lived in the home with his wife Sheryl for more than 20 years.
News of the homicide and subsequent arrest stunned those in the law enforcement community who know Ferguson since he worked at the Orange County District Attorney’s Office for many years before becoming a Superior Court Judge.
Law Officer Managing Editor Jim McNeff retired from a police agency in Orange County and personally knows Ferguson.
“This is stunning. ‘Fergie,’ as we called him, was an aggressive prosecutor who always was willing to help,” McNeff said. “When I worked narcotic enforcement, ‘Fergie’ attended monthly association meetings in order to connect with detectives in the county. He freely offered guidance and readily made himself available by phone or in person to discuss legal issues and/or the preparation of a search warrant affidavit. He will obviously get his day in court and I don’t want to make assumptions since details have yet to be released, but the arrest alone has left me extremely saddened, obviously for Jeff’s wife, Sheryl and her family, as well the circumstances that led to the shooting.”
