Inset: Josiah Ballinger appears in court for his initial appearance (Spokane County/KREM). Background: The area near where Ballinger allegedly shot and killed his wife in Spokane, Wash. (Google Maps).
A Washington state man is behind bars after shooting and killing his new wife, law enforcement in the Evergreen State says.
Josiah Ballinger, 42, stands accused of second-degree murder in the death of Rachael Ballinger, 41, according to a press release issued by the Spokane Police Department.
The underlying incident occurred late Sunday afternoon at a house on North Hawthorne Street, police said. The victim's 14-year-old son dialed 911 and said his mother had been shot dead and that his stepfather had fled in his silver Jeep.
The slain woman's 9-year-old son said he heard the couple arguing in the basement, so he went to see what was going on, according to court records obtained by The Spokesman-Review. At some point during the argument, the husband expressed a desire to leave, while the wife wanted him to stay and keep talking, police said.
Eventually, the argument got physical and the man began "pushing her and hurting her," the younger boy told law enforcement.
Then, the 9-year-old saw Josiah Ballinger pull out a black handgun, police said. The boy told investigators this was the first time he had ever seen his stepfather with any such weapon.
"You can't shoot a girl," Rachael Ballinger allegedly told the defendant. The soon-to-be slain woman insisted that her husband would "go to jail" for the rest of his life if he went through with it.
The man then went through with it and fired the gun, police said.
"[The 9-year-old] watched as his mom fell onto the wooden staircase and hit her head," according to court documents obtained by Yakima-based ABC affiliate KAPP and Kennewick-based ABC affiliate KVEW, which collectively broadcast as Apple Valley News Now.
After that, Josiah Ballinger stepped over Rachael Ballinger's body and "just left her there," the 9-year-old told police.
Meanwhile, the victim's 14-year-old son had run out of the house when he heard the gunshot but eventually went back inside and found his mom, lifeless, at the bottom of the stairwell, police said.
The older boy told police he was "so scared he could not cry," according to law enforcement.
Responding officers performed lifesaving measures until paramedics could arrive, but to no avail — the victim was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the police department.
Another officer on his way to the residence located Josiah Ballinger near East Wellesley Avenue and North Haven Street, initiated a traffic stop, and arrested him without incident. A handgun was recovered inside the defendant's car, police said.
At the time of Rachael Ballinger's death, she and her husband had been married just over a year, according to law enforcement.
During an initial court appearance on Monday, a crime victim advocate read a statement about the slain woman, describing her as "a devoted mother of two sons" who "brought joy, laughter and love to everyone around her," Apple Valley News Now and Spokane-based CBS affiliate KREM reported.
"Our family will carry the pain of this loss for the rest of our lives," the advocate went on.
Josiah Ballinger is being detained in the Spokane County Jail on $1 million bail. He is due to enter his plea on Thursday.
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