A California man has been sentenced to 50 years to life in prison for the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Brittany Elizabeth Ligdis, 30, in front of their 4-year-old son. Jeffery Kendall, 39, received the sentence after being found guilty of murder and child endangerment.
Prosecutors stated that Kendall broke into Ligdis's basement apartment in Pinole on February 16, 2024, and fatally shot her. Ligdis's final moments were captured on a 911 call as she hid in her laundry room with their son, pleading with Kendall to stop and noting he was scaring their child. The boy could be heard crying "Mama!" after his mother was shot, an event described by Deputy District Attorney Tylyn Wells as an "execution in front of a 4-year-old."
Ligdis and Kendall had recently broken up. Family members indicated that Kendall had a history of mental illness and drug use.
Kendall fled the scene but was apprehended shortly after by the California Highway Patrol. In addition to murder and child endangerment, jurors also found Kendall guilty of an assault-weapons charge for possessing a 3D-printed semi-automatic pistol.
The judge presiding over the case called it "one of the most difficult" he has encountered. As part of the sentence, Kendall is prohibited from contacting his son, with limited exceptions, until the child turns 16 in 2035.