Authorities Wednesday publicly identified a Spring Valley woman who was fatally shot this week at her home, allegedly by her estranged husband.
Deputies responding to a report of a break-in on La Presa Avenue near Jamacha Boulevard about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday arrived to find 35-year-old Ashley Bird on a couch in her house, suffering from a gunshot wound to the head, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department. Bird died at the scene, Lt. Michael Krugh said.
Later in the day, authorities found the victim’s spouse, 39-year-old Christopher Bird, dead in his vehicle at Calafia Beach Park in San Clemente.
Though sheriff’s officials reported Wednesday that the manner and cause of the suspect’s death remained under investigation, Ashley Bird’s mother, Patti Weber, told 10News he had killed himself after picking up the couple’s 9-year-old son from school and dropping him off with the suspect’s brother near Camp Pendleton.
The victim had filed for divorce from her husband of nearly 13 years last fall, Weber told the news station.
A GoFundMe campaign was created to raise funds for funeral expenses and to support Bird’s 9-year-old son. The page can be viewed here.
City News Service contributed to this article.