Man accused of murdering girlfriend in Palm Springs will stand trial
A man accused of killing his girlfriend in Palm Springs then fleeing to Texas after police questioned him will stand trial on murder charges, a judge ruled Friday.
James Beushausen, 35, is accused in the shooting death of Jaylynn Amanda Keith, 27, whose body was found about 10 a.m. March 15, 2017, in a bathtub at the Belardo Road apartment the couple shared. She had been shot in the head.
Beushausen quit his job and moved to Texas after being questioned by detectives, according to police. He allegedly told detectives and Keith’s relatives differing stories about Keith’s death, including claims that she shot herself.
Forensic analysis determined the gunshot wound could not have been self-inflicted, according to a declaration in support of an arrest warrant, which cited the position of her body in relation to where investigators found the gun.
Palm Springs Detective Chris Jaeger testified during a Friday preliminary hearing that Keith texted several friends on the morning of March 14, after she and Beushausen got into an argument. Beushausen told police the argument stemmed from his substantial drinking habit and cell phone use, Jaeger said.
Keith texted family members that Beushausen had become “psycho crazy” during the altercation, and she was afraid things would get “physically bad” when she told him she wanted to break up, according to the declaration, which described Beushausen as “a gun enthusiast who was familiar with firearms.”
Keith was allegedly shot with a gun she owned and her key was found in the lock of an open gun safe at the apartment, Jaeger testified.
In one text message, she relayed to a friend that Beushausen had the pistol out of the safe, which scared her and caused her to take the safe keys and hide them.
Watch: ‘I knew it was him,’ says friend of Palm Springs murder victim about man’s arrest
She intended on telling him she wanted to leave him “when he sobered up” and had already made arrangements with family and friends for another place to live, according to the declaration.
Jaeger testified that internet searches regarding suicide and depression were found on her phone, including one searched about 40 minutes before Beushausen called 911 to report the shooting. Keith suffered from a potentially painful illness that has been tied to suicide in some patients, but family members have stated she had no history of depression or suicidal thoughts.
Deputy District Attorney Manny Bustamante said the internet search was the only indication of any ties between Keith and suicidal thoughts.
Police found Beushausen in possession of Keith’s phone on the morning she was shot and Jaeger said Beushausen knew the passcode to unlock her phone.
His attorney, Greg Johnson, pointed out that no blood spatter was found on Beushausen when police arrived at the apartment complex on March 15.
Read: Man accused of murdering girlfriend in Palm Springs pleads not guilty
Johnson argued that Keith committed suicide and that any inconsistencies in Beushausen’s statements to police could be attributed to the shock of discovering his girlfriend’s body. Johnson also said it was illogical to assume Beushausen murdered her on the basis of one argument when they had what he described as “no problems” during the rest of their four-year relationship.
Watch: Brother of man accused of killing girlfriend in Palm Springs speaks out
Palm Springs police investigators traveled to Texas and apprehended Beushausen on Oct. 18 in the parking lot of a shopping center in McAllen, which is just north of the Mexican border, according to Sgt. William Hutchinson.
Read: Palm Springs murder suspect arrested in Texas
In addition to murder, Beushausen is charged with two counts of possessing assault weapons, stemming from rifles with banned attachments that investigators allegedly found at his home.
Beushausen remains held on $1.1 million bail and will return to court on March 22 for a post-preliminary hearing arraignment.
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