Suspect Waited in Closet Before Killing Woman, Prosecutor Says

The district attorney’s office Friday accused a 27-year-old North Hollywood woman of killing her ex-husband’s wife after spending the night in a bedroom closet in the couple’s house.

Prosecutors alleged that the woman, Sheila Sabatino, emerged in the morning and shot the other woman.

Sabatino is to be arraigned Wednesday. If convicted, she could be sentenced to death because of the special-circumstance allegation of lying in wait for the victim.

Los Angeles police Detective Lyle Mayer said Sheila Sabatino was involved in a dispute with Richard Sabatino over custody of their 10-year-old son, Ricky. Richard had been married to the victim, Julie Sabatino, 29, for six months.

Sheila Sabatino is suspected of sneaking into her ex-husband’s Van Nuys home through an unlocked door Tuesday and hiding in the closet with a rifle.

After Richard Sabatino, 31, left for work Wednesday and the boy had gone to school, Sheila Sabatino emerged from the closet and shot Julie Sabatino several times in the upper body, Deputy Dist. Atty. Christine Thurman said.

Richard Sabatino found the body on the living room floor about 4:30 p.m. when he returned to his home in the 6800 block of Rubio Street. His wife apparently was dressing for work when shot.

Sheila Sabatino was arrested about three hours later when she returned to the house, Mayer said.

Mayer said the suspect apparently was distraught because her ex-husband had been given custody of their son. Sheila Sabatino was being held without bail at Sybil Brand Institute for Women in Monterey Park.