Man accused of murdering girlfriend in Palm Springs waives extradition hearing
A man accused of killing his girlfriend in Palm Springs, then fleeing to Texas after police questioned him, waived his right to an extradition hearing and will be returned to Riverside County to be tried on a murder charge, the District Attorney’s Office said Thursday.
James Beushausen, 34, is accused in the shooting death of Jaylynn Amanda Keith, 27, who was found around 10 a.m. March 15. She had been shot in the head and was found in a bathtub at Belardo Road apartment the couple shared.
Beushausen, who “abruptly quit his job” and moved to McAllen, Texas, after being questioned by detectives, allegedly told police and Keith’s relatives differing stories about her death, including that she had committed suicide.
Forensic analysis of the scene showed the shooting could not have been self-inflicted, according to a declaration in support of an arrest warrant, which cited the positioning of her body in relation to where investigators found the gun.
Read: Brother of man accused of killing girlfriend in Palm Springs speaks out
Following murder charges filed against him last week, Palm Springs investigators traveled to Texas and apprehended him in the parking lot of a shopping center in McAllen, which is just north of the Mexican border, according to Sgt. William Hutchinson.
Beushuasen on Tuesday waived his right to an extradition hearing, according to district attorney spokesman John Hall, but it’s uncertain when he’ll arrive back in Riverside County. Beushausen is expected to be arraigned at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, but a court date has not yet been set.
The arrest warrant declaration states that Keith was planning on leaving Beushausen and had been involved in “an altercation” with him on the morning of March 14.
Keith told family members that Beushausen had become “psycho crazy” during the altercation and was afraid that things would go “physically bad” when she told him she wanted to break up.
Beushausen was described in court documents as “a gun enthusiast, who was familiar with firearms.” He allegedly had his gun outside his gun safe during his argument with Keith, adding to her fears for her safety, according to the declaration.
Read: Friend of Palm Springs murder victim comments on arrest being made in case
She intended on telling him she wanted to leave “when he sobered up” and had already made arrangements with family and friends for another living situation. The declaration states that she had no history of depression or suicidal thoughts.
On the morning Keith’s body was discovered, Beushausen also allegedly displayed abnormal behavior at his workplace, arriving late and leaving early, which coworkers told police was unusual, since he was known as a “stickler for time.”
In addition to murder, Beushausen is also charged with two counts of possessing assault weapons, stemming from two rifles investigators found at his home.
More: I-Team and Stands for You investigations
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