A California man has been sentenced to 50 years to life in prison for murdering his ex-girlfriend in front of their young son. Jeffery Kendall, 39, was found guilty of murder and child endangerment on May 7 for the killing of Brittany Ligdis, 30, in February 2024.
Ligdis had called 911 to report that Kendall had broken into her home and that she was hiding in the laundry room with their then-four-year-old son. According to the Contra Costa District Attorney's Office, Ligdis could be heard pleading with Kendall to let her go and that he was scaring their son before screaming to stop.
Kendall then shot Ligdis in the head. The boy cried out for his mother as his father fled the scene. Ligdis was found dead at her home with a gunshot wound to the head. Prosecutors described the killing as an "execution."
Neighbor doorbell camera footage captured Kendall running down the street after the shooting. California Highway Patrol officers arrested him later that night.
The couple had reportedly broken up just 10 days before the killing. Ligdis's family members stated that Kendall had struggled with mental illness and a history of drug use, though they claimed he had never been violent. Ligdis's aunt, Nancy O'Neil, shared that the young boy was traumatized and continues to say, "mommy's dead, mommy's dead."
However, Deputy District Attorney Tylyn Wells argued that the killing was not a result of a mental break but rather a pattern seen in domestic violence cases. At a separate trial, Kendall was also convicted of possessing an assault weapon, specifically a 3D-printed pistol capable of semi-automatic fire. Six aggravating sentencing factors related to that charge were also found to be true by the judge.
Judge Glenn Kim described the case as "one of the most difficult" he has encountered. In addition to his prison sentence, Kendall is prohibited from contacting his son until the boy turns 16 in November 2035, with limited exceptions subject to court approval.
Kendall is awaiting transfer to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to begin serving his sentence.