LAKEPORT, Calif. – Lake County District Attorney Don Anderson on Wednesday issued a report on the case involving a part-time sheriff's deputy who last December was shot and mortally wounded by his wife.
Anderson released the additional information on the case following a criminal grand jury's recent decision not to indict Paula Ann Piveronas, 64, for the murder of her husband, Robert Piveronas, 66, as Lake County News reported last week.
Anderson said his office won't seek criminal charges against Paula Piveronas at this time.
Due to the fact Robert Piveronas was a part-time deputy sheriff with the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, the Lake County Critical Incident Protocol was implemented, and the District Attorney’s Office immediately took over the lead investigation into this matter, Anderson said.
The decision not to seek prosecution was based primarily on several factors, including Paula Piveronas raising the issue of self-defense. Anderson said California law places the burden on the prosecution to prove the crime was not committed in self-defense.
“In this matter, from the facts and evidence of the case, the prosecution at this time cannot prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Paula Piveronas was not acting in self-defense,” Anderson said.
On Dec. 6, 2013, Robert Piveronas and Paula Piveronas were at their home on Reeves Lane in Lakeport. The investigation revealed the couple had been consuming alcohol during the evening and early morning hours.
Anderson said the couple had been involved in an argument that morning regarding marital issues. Researching official records and interviews with people close to the Piveronases revealed there had been no prior reports of domestic violence in the marriage.
At approximately 7:09 a.m. that day, Paula Piveronas called the sheriff’s office, stating that she shot her husband and thought he was dead. Sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene and found Robert Piveronas lying mortally wounded on the floor of his bedroom, according to Anderson's report.
Among her initial statements, Paula Piveronas told sheriff’s deputies that her husband had threatened to kill her. She said she thought Robert grabbed his gun, so she shot him, Anderson reported.
Paula Piveronas told her parents that she and Robert were fighting. She claimed that her husband said he was going to kill her and she shot him. She said Robert was grabbing her by her clothes and was throwing her around, according to Anderson's report.
Anderson said that Robert Piveronas made several statements to deputies at the scene. Some of those statements corroborated some statements made by Paula Piveronas, including that Paula Piveronas thought he was going to kill her. However, Robert Piveronas denied hitting, threatening or pull a gun on his wife.
Evidence at the crime scene also corroborated Paula Piveronas’ accounts of what happened, Anderson said.
Robert Piveronas was shot three times with a 9 millimeter pistol. Anderson said the bullets generally entered the upper chest area and traveled down the body toward the back of the abdomen.
This and other evidence at the scene was consistent with Robert Piveronas being at the foot of the bed, leaning down, bending forward and facing Paula Piveronas who was at the head of the bed, according to Anderson.
Besides the 9 millimeter pistol Paula Piveronas used to shoot her husband, Anderson said a revolver was located on the floor of the bedroom in the immediate vicinity of where Robert Piveronas was located.
“The evidence points to an assumption that Robert had the revolver in his hand when he was shot,” Anderson said.
Robert Piveronas, who was taken to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital for treatment, succumbed to his injuries the morning after the shooting, Anderson said.
Anderson said the case was taken before a criminal grand jury. The evidence, testimony and deliberations of these proceedings are confidential and will not be publicly released, he said.
No indictment was found by the grand jury, a decision with which the District Attorney’s Office is in agreement, Anderson said.