Officer Charged in Wife’s Slaying

San Diego Police Officer Pablo J. Agrio was charged with murder Wednesday in the shooting death of his wife.

After a brief arraignment hearing before San Diego Municipal Judge Linda Quinn, Agrio, who has been on the force four years, was returned to County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail.

His attorney plans to seek reduced bail next week and a group of his Paradise Hills neighbors, who attended Wednesday’s hearing, said they hope to raise money for his legal defense.

Agrio, 29, is accused of killing Alma Catalina Agrio, 24, who was shot once in the head during a struggle Saturday night in the couple’s condominium.

Complained of Beating

The victim, a recruit correctional officer at the San Diego County Sheriff’s Academy, had filed a complaint five months earlier with the Police Department, alleging that her husband had beaten her during an argument. However, she withdrew the complaint and no assault charges were filed against the police officer.

Pablo Agrio has been described by neighbors and fellow police officers as a competent policeman who on occasion displayed a violent temper.

During Wednesday’s court appearance, Agrio wore a jail uniform. He showed no emotion as he walked quietly into the packed courtroom, his head bowed at all times. He responded to questions from the judge only by shaking his head, until finally the judge asked for a vocal response. Even then, his words could barely be heard.

“This is murder with the use of a firearm,” Deputy Dist. Atty. A. Craig Rooten said. “This is a very serious charge.”

William Youmans, an assistant public defender, indicated that the shooting was accidental.

“Many marriages are turbulent,” Youmans said. “And this is just a human tragedy. Pablo is utterly decimated by the loss of his wife. If there was anything he could do or if he could take her place, he’d do it in a minute. He’s constantly in tears about the entire tragedy.”

Many officers at police headquarters have expressed shock this week about the shooting. They said Agrio had been working with the department’s Drug Abuse Resistance Education program, that he was attending law school and was planning to take the sergeant’s test.

Homicide detectives said the couple began fighting when Alma Agrio returned home about 10 p.m. Saturday after spending the evening with friends.

Funding Plans

They said Pablo Agrio told investigators that he and his wife exchanged blows during the argument, and then his wife seized a gun and pointed it at him. During the struggle, the gun discharged and Alma Agrio was killed instantly. Their 18-month-old son, Pablolito, apparently slept through the altercation, police said.

April Montera and Glenn Ryan, neighbors of the Agrios, said outside the courtroom that Pablo Agrio is treasurer of their homeowners’ association and that they intend to raise money among the 201 homeowners for his legal defense.

“He was a pretty together person,” said Ryan. “You just don’t expect something like this to happen.”

Montera said Alma Agrio had visited at her home across the street numerous times.

“She never really talked about Pablo or their relationship,” Montera said. “All Pablo ever wanted was to have her home at night, to be a wife, to be at home for him. And I don’t think that’s really asking too much.”