Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson has been charged with murder after allegedly shooting his wife during an argument at their Anaheim Hills home. According to court documents, Ferguson threatened his wife at a restaurant by mimicking a firearm with his finger. When they returned home, his wife reportedly taunted him, saying, "Why don't you point a real gun at me?" Ferguson then pulled out a pistol from his ankle holster and shot her. He allegedly sent a text message to his court clerk and bailiff moments later, stating that he had shot his wife and would be in custody.

The judge was arrested after his adult son called 911 to report the shooting. Police recovered 47 weapons, including rifles, shotguns, and handguns, from his home, along with over 26,000 rounds of ammunition. Ferguson has been released on $1 million bail. His lawyers claim that the shooting was an accident and a tragedy for the entire family. Ferguson has been a judge since 2015 and previously worked as a prosecutor for the Orange County District Attorney's Office.