El Cajon

An El Cajon woman who fatally shot her boyfriend was sentenced in San Diego Superior Court on Tuesday to five years in prison.

Lou Isabelle Jeffreys, 57, waved goodby amid tears to several friends who attended her sentencing by Judge David Gill. Later, Jeffreys began crying uncontrollably in the hallway as a bailiff escorted her away.

Jeffreys was convicted Feb. 25 of voluntary manslaughter in the Christmas Day, 1984, shooting of Nick Trevino, 43, with whom she lived in an apartment on Wells Street.

The case drew attention because Trevino was first taken to Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa but then had to be transferred to UC San Diego Medical Center because a trauma surgeon was unavailable at Grossmont. Grossmont later dropped out of the trauma program.

Gary Edwards, Jeffrey’s attorney, had argued that she shot in self-defense after Trevino attacked her.

Gill said it appeared that Jeffreys seemed attracted to men who abused her and said he felt the same set of circumstances could occur again. He denied her application for probation.

Gill granted a request to order a report in prison which could later allow him to reduce the sentence.

Jeffreys’ first trial ended June 27, 1985, with a hung jury.