Former custodial dad kills ex-wife, father-in-law after losing custody (Costa Mesa, California)

Yup, just another one of those poor, misunderstood daddies. He was depraved because he was deprived, don't you know.

Here's the real deal. Once again, we have an abusive father, ROBERT ALLAN LEHMAN who used custody issues as a tool for tormenting his ex-wife (e.g. domestic abuse by proxy). His wife feared for her safety because of his "temper"--and had in fact APPLIED for a restraining order (which she apparently didn't receive or that fact would have been noted here. In retrospect, will the authorities admit that they effed up?) And yet Daddy GOT CUSTODY ANYWAY. Of course. Despite all the FR lies to the contrary, abusive fathers are remarkably successful in getting their way.

So who gave this double killer custody of a young special needs girl? Don't look for the press to tell you. Wouldn't want to embarass a judge or any of the minions of court whores out there.

So apparently at some point, somebody decided that it was insane to leave a vulnerable child in the care of this goofball who couldn't even bother to show up for family court. Arrogance and entitlement does that to you, unfortunately. So custody was changed back to the mother.

Well, Daddy wasn't having any of that. Must have control! Even if we have to do it in a Big Bloody Daddy Drama! If the mother had to be slaughtered in a barrage of gun fire to keep her away from her child, so be it! And her father too! And at a scene outside a school where many other innocent people could have been hurt, including children! After all, other people would just be collateral damage to a narcissistic killer like Daddy, wouldn't they?

Again, why was Daddy coddled by the system? This is no unforseeable "tragedy." There were red flags all over the place with this guy. All of which were ignored until it was too late. And now two people are dead. And a little girl is motherless.

Hat tip to Annie.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/-299051--.html

Published: May 4, 2011
Updated: May 5, 2011 7:23 a.m.
Police: Man missed custody hearing, killed 2By CINDY CARCAMO, SALVADOR HERNANDEZ and SEAN EMERY
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

COSTA MESA – A man is suspected of shooting and killing his ex-wife and her father shortly after losing custody of his 7-year-old daughter Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.

Emily Ford, left, and Russell Ford. Police said Robert Allan Lehmann, 36, opened fire with a semi-automatic handgun, killing the father and daughter in view of neighbors and parents picking up their children at a school near the home at the 3400 block of Santa Clara Circle.

According to court records, Robert Allan Lehmann, 36, had been embroiled in a dispute with his ex-wife, Emily Ford, 32, for about two years, arguing over attorney fees, custody and to what school they would send their special-needs 7-year-old daughter.

Records show Lehmann and Ford were scheduled to appear in family court Tuesday morning, but Lehmann did not show up. The court hearing was pushed back to 4 p.m., but records show Lehmann again failed to show up.

Costa Mesa police said the shooting occurred about two hours later, after Lehmann lost custody of his daughter. Ford and her father, Russell Ford, 62, drove to Lehmann's home to pick up the girl.

Police said Lehmann opened fire with a semi-automatic handgun, killing the father and daughter in view of neighbors and parents picking up their children at a school near the home at the 3400 block of Santa Clara Circle.

Officers went to the home after receiving calls that shots had been fired, said Lt. Bryan Glass. One of the calls reporting the shooting came from Lehmann, who called police shortly after the shooting.

Witnesses said they heard 10 to 15 shots, some of which hit cars parked in front of the home.

“If it weren't for the cars in front of here I'd be dead right now,” said Yara Oliveira, director of the school, adding that children were playing outdoors in a grassy area when the shooting occurred. “It was horrible. Horrible.”

Anup Poudyal was picking up his 2-year-old boy at the time. When he heard the shots, he grabbed his boy and ran inside.

“The kids were playing outside in the grass when this happened,” Poudyal said. “That's the scary part.”

His car, a Honda Pilot, was hit by a bullet.

Jim Gosliga said he was helping a friend's son move into the neighborhood when he heard shots. He walked outside and saw a man in the driveway of the home, reloading a gun.

“He just kind of came out, and I saw him point down and fire off some shots,” he said.

Gosliga asked people to call police, and noticed that the man also was talking on a phone. He said the man appeared unsteady.

“He had taken something because he was all woozy,” Gosliga said. “I asked him what it was and he said it didn't matter.”

Frank Bettner, a neighbor, said he saw the man talking on the phone shortly after hearing shots.

“I asked him if he shot somebody. He said, 'Yes, I did,' “ Bettner said. “He was just very calm.”

Bettner said he walked inside the home and found a handgun on a nightstand, near the door. He picked up the weapon with a piece of clothing, he said, and emptied the clip.

Investigators returned to the home at the 3400 block of Santa Clara Circle Wednesday morning to continue to piece together more details that led to the killing of the father and daughter, said Sgt. Darrel Rainey.

A large yellow tarp used by police to cover the gruesome scene remained in place near the driveway of the home, near where neighbors said they saw the man point toward the ground and fire.

Bloodstains remained on the sidewalk.

Despite early reports that the couple's 7-year-old daughter was inside the home, police said Wednesday that she was not in the house when the shooting took place. She was with her stepmother nearby, police said. She is now in the custody of relatives.

Ford's baby, who is not related to Lehmann, was found inside a parked car. The baby's father has taken custody of the baby, Glass said.

Lehmann remains in the custody of Costa Mesa police, Glass said, and has been booked on suspicion of two counts of murder with special circumstances.

Court records show Lehmann and Ford were married for about 10 months before being legally separated. In August 2009, the legal battle intensified, with the couple fighting over custody, legal fees and where their daughter would go to school.

In October 2004, records show Ford applied for a restraining order.

“He has an inability to control his temper, and I fear for our safety when he loses it,” she wrote in the order.

When arguing with Lehmann, Ford sometimes turned to her father, asking for help and to pick her up, records show.

Shortly after August 2009, Ford applied for sole custody of their daughter.