Drunk man fatally shoots wife, waits for police on mattress, LAPD says

A 59-year-old Sylmar man shot his wife to death after a long night of drinking, then lay down and waited for police to arrest him Monday night, officials said.

The Los Angeles County coroner identified the victim as Maria Ines Morales, 45. She was shot inside her home in the 14000 block of Herron Street just before 9 p.m., Los Angeles police said in a statement.

“As is so common, alcohol played a part in this shooting,” said LAPD Lt. Paul Vernon. “The suspect admitted he had been drinking heavily.”

The couple’s son had called 911. When officers arrived, officials said, they found Morales’s body in the living room and her husband of more than 20 years lying on a mattress in a bedroom.

“It seemed he was waiting for police, and gave up without a struggle,” Vernon said.

A .45-caliber pistol, a loaded magazine and a handwritten note in Spanish were on a table next to the bed, Vernon said. Police swept the house for evidence and found that one of the bullets Morales’ husband allegedly fired went through several walls and into a neighbor’s house, narrowly missing a resident there.

“This shooting could have been much worse,” Vernon said.

Morales’ husband was expected to be booked on suspicion of murder. His name has not been released.

There has been one other homicide in the last 12 months in Sylmar, according to the Homicide Report.

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