Escondido Man Shoots Wife to Death, Kills Self

A 39-year-old man shot his wife to death and then turned the gun on himself in Escondido early Thursday, police said.

Vance Williams gunned down his wife, Brenda, 32, after a heated argument in their apartment about 3 a.m., then shot himself to death seconds later, Detective Sgt. Ken Burkett said.

Vance Williams died of a single gunshot wound in his head, and his wife of six years died of at least two shots in her upper body, Burkett said. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

Police arrived at the Mountain Springs apartment complex in the 500 block of Sandalwood Place to find the couple sprawled side-by-side on the bloodied bed, a .38-caliber handgun lying under Vance Williams’ hand, Burkett said.

Vance Williams was wearing a business suit and tie, and his wife wore jeans and a blouse, Burkett said.

It is unknown why the two were wearing street clothes at that hour, but police speculate that Vance Williams, a plant operator with Research Recovery Facility, a waste-water treatment plant in Escondido, may have stayed dressed after returning from a late City Council meeting, Burkett said.

Brenda Williams, an unemployed nursing assistant, was not home when her husband arrived about 10 p.m., he said.

Police do not know why the Williamses began arguing about 3 a.m., but the loud exchange woke Brenda’s 13-year-old daughter, who got up to see what was happening, Burkett said.

The girl grew frightened when she found the couple shouting, and ran next door in her pajamas to telephone police because the family’s phone was not working, Burkett said. She heard the gunshots on her way out the door, Burkett said.

The girl, a Hidden Valley Middle School student whose name has not been released, will stay with family friends in Vista until her grandmother in Chicago can be contacted, Burkett said.

The Williamses had no reported history of domestic problems, and there was no sign of a struggle in the bedroom, Burkett said.

“It’s unfortunate that it went to the maximum extent here,” Burkett said. “This is the worst-case scenario for domestic violence.”

The killing shocked Vance’s co-workers and the couple’s friends in their quiet, tree-lined neighborhood.

“They seemed like a pretty nice couple, and they would always say hello,” said Mountain Springs resident Joe Martinez, 20. “They never seemed like they would argue. You would always see them together, especially on Sundays, when they went to church together. I didn’t know anything like this could ever happen.”

Martinez said the couple were athletic, had just moved in several months before and could often be seen walking together.

“I would never have expected this from him,” said Vance’s co-worker, Research Recovery Supt. Darrel Hale. “We are all pretty stunned by this.”