Marine Held in Slaying of Girlfriend
A Camp Pendleton Marine Corps staff sergeant was being held on suspicion of murder Sunday in connection with the weekend shooting death of his live-in girlfriend, police said.
San Clemente Police Sgt. Nelda Gonzalez said Bernard Jenkins, 34, originally made an emergency 911 telephone call to police about 10:30 p.m. Saturday to report that his 37-year-old girlfriend had committed suicide by shooting herself.
But Gonzalez added that after further investigation, Jenkins was arrested.
Police and paramedics who responded to Jenkins’ emergency call found the woman dead on the floor. A 38-caliber handgun was recovered at the scene.
Jenkins, who lived with his girlfriend in the 3500 block of El Camino Real in San Clemente, is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in South Orange County Municipal Court in Laguna Niguel.
The victim’s name was withheld pending notification of next of kin. She was described as a civilian employee at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps base, Gonzalez said. She was shot in the head.
“The only sign of a struggle was a broken Christmas ornament and candy cane lying at the base of the Christmas tree, which was near the victim’s head” on the floor, Gonzalez said. Police had no motive for the shooting.
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