Lehmann to appear in court

A Costa Mesa man charged with shooting and killing his ex-wife and her father is set to appear in a Newport Beach courtroom Friday, according to court records.

Robert Lehmann, 36, is accused of shooting his ex-wife Emily Ford, a 32-year-old Paularino Elementary School teacher’s aide, when she and her father Russell Ford went to pick up her daughter from Lehmann’s home May 3.

Prosecutors allege that Lehmann was waiting for the two after Emily Ford was awarded full custody over their 7-year-old special needs daughter earlier in the day after a contentious custody battle between the two.

Lehmann allegedly sent his daughter he had with Ford away for ice cream with his current wife while he waited armed with a gun, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s office.

The D.A.’s office described the slaying as an “execution-style murder.”

According to the D.A., Emily and Russell Ford were chased from the Costa Mesa home and shot repeatedly in the back as they fled. Later, the two were shot in the back of the head as they lie on the ground outside the home, prosecutors allege.

If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of two life sentences in prison without the possibility of parole.