Accused Rapist Shoots Witness, Kills Himself

A man accused of sexually assaulting two girls 12 years ago pulled a gun in the courthouse hallway during his trial Friday and wounded one of his alleged victims and her husband before killing himself.

Jurors had just started deliberations in the Siskiyou County case against Edward Lansdale, 68, of Mount Shasta when he fired two shots at Amber Pearce, an Oklahoma woman who was brought to Yreka to testify against him. Another shot wounded Pearce’s husband, Jeffrey.

Lansdale ran down to a landing between the first and second floors, then shot himself in the head as deputies rushed toward him.

All three were taken to Fairchild Medical Center, where Lansdale died, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Amber and Jeffrey Pearce, both 26, were in stable condition. Amber had a gunshot wound in the abdomen and Jeffrey was shot in the ight leg, the spokeswoman said.

Lansdale had been on trial all week, charged with taking Amber Pearce, then 14, and another teenage girl into his home and having sexual intercourse with them over an extended period of time. He faced the possibility of nearly 60 years in prison if convicted, Assistant Dist. Atty. Bill Davis said.

Police are investigating how Lansdale got the small .22-caliber pistol into court. Siskiyou County Undersheriff Mike Lyon said metal detectors are used outside the courtrooms but not at the courthouse entrance. Lyon said officials decided it would be too costly and an inconvenience to the public to put detectors at the entrance.