Gunman Slays Lawyer, Then Kills Himself

A husband apparently “on the losing half” of a divorce case shot and killed his wife’s attorney Tuesday evening in the lawyer’s office and then shot himself to death, police said.

Ronald W. Weiss, 56, of Laguna Hills, an attorney who specialized in divorce cases, was killed at 5:34 p.m. in a business complex at 250 El Camino Real. Police said a man walked into Weiss’ office, past the reception area, and briefly confronted him. The man then pulled out a handgun and fired repeatedly “at fairly close range,” hitting Weiss several times, Lt. Mike Shanahan said.

“As soon as that happened, he turned the gun on himself,” shooting himself in the head, Shanahan said.

At least four employees were in the office but were not injured, police said. Some of them saw the man walk through the office and witnessed the shooting, police said.

Shanahan said police believe the gunman was “on the losing half of a court battle” with his wife.

The name of the gunman had not been released. Police said they believe he is about 55 years old and a Huntington Beach resident. He was carrying an identification card, but police had not verified his identity through relatives by late Tuesday night.

Shanahan said there was “a lack of cooperation” from the gunman’s wife when police tried to interview her.

“There’s apparently something about this case that the ex-wife doesn’t want to come forward with,” he said.

Weiss was married and had several children, police said. He had been renting office space at the business complex for about two years, authorities said.