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On the morning of February 16, 2024, 30-year-old Brittany Ligdis of Pinole, California, was shot and killed in her residence on Summit Drive, in front of her 4-year-old son.
KTVU FOX 2 reported that hours following the fatal shooting, authorities identified Brittany's former boyfriend and the father of her son, 36-year-old Jeffrey Kendall, as the suspect in the case. Later that night, he was apprehended in Santa Cruz by the California Highway Patrol.
According to the report by KTVU FOX 2, Kendall was booked into the Contra Costa County Jail and charged with homicide, possession of an assault weapon, and child endangerment.
The deceased California mother contacted authorities when her ex-boyfriend broke into her residence
The Mercury News reported that authorities located Brittany Ligdis dead with at least one gunshot wound inside a residence in the 500 block of Summit Drive.
KTVU reported that Brittany's aunt, Nancy O'Neil, told the outlet that her niece called 911 when Jeffrey Kendall broke into her basement apartment. She was hiding in the laundry room with her 4-year-old son, Liam.
Nancy O'Neil mentioned that Brittany was shot in the head with the child present there, adding:
"He keeps saying ‘mommy’s dead, mommy’s dead.' We replay it in our heads over and over every day."
According to KTVU, the 36-year-old suspect was caught on a neighbor's doorbell camera escaping following the shooting. The 4-year-old was not injured in the incident and is currently with relatives.
The report by the Mercury News stated that Jeffrey Kendall was taken into custody during a traffic stop in the Santa Cruz area after an all-day manhunt.
The deceased California mother's ex-boyfriend was reportedly struggling with mental illness
KTVU reported that, as per family members, Brittany Ligdis ended her relationship with Jeffrey Kendall just a week prior to her murder. The ex-boyfriend was reportedly struggling with mental illness and had a history of drug use. However, there were no prior records of abuse or violence.
According to the report by KTVU, Brittany Ligdis told one of her close friends, Kassandra Santiago, that she was concerned about her ex-boyfriend recently purchasing a gun, as she was worried that he would hurt himself while dealing with anxiety. Brittany studied nursing with Kassandra at Diablo Valley College.
"She said to me ‘I’m doing okay, but it’s really hard. He’s very unpredictable right now,'" Kassandra Santiago said.
Speaking about her niece, Brittany Ligdis' aunt, Nancy O'Neil, told the outlet,
"Her smile would just light up a room. Life will never be the same."
The report by KTVU stated that the deceased California mother was well-known in her college and known for assisting fellow students by sharing her passion for nursing with them.
The Mercury News reported that Jeffrey Kendall remains in custody at the Contra Costa County jail with a $1.2 million bond.
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