Rose M. Pradd, aged 29, was tragically killed on November 22, 2003, at her home in the Village North Apartments in Oceanside, California. The incident occurred shortly before 1:30 a.m. when Pradd was shot by her ex-boyfriend, Norman Loniel Fullbright. The fatal shooting took place after Pradd had stepped outside her apartment and then returned, warning her two 11-year-old daughters to hide because "Loniel's got a gun."
The children, who were present in the apartment at the time, hid under a bed and in a bathtub, respectively, during the shooting.
Following the incident, Fullbright was arrested on Christmas Day in 2003. He faced multiple charges, including murder with the personal use of a firearm, felony possession of forged items related to counterfeit money found on him at the time of his arrest, and misdemeanor charges of battery on a peace officer stemming from an altercation in jail. During the trial, one of Pradd's daughters testified that she saw part of Fullbright's face and a gun in his hand as he walked through the apartment. Despite attempts by Fullbright's defense attorney to argue that the evidence raised reasonable doubt, the jury found him guilty of Pradd's murder.
The legal proceedings were marked by several delays, including an attempt by Fullbright to fire his attorney just before his sentencing hearing. This led to a postponement of the sentencing as a new attorney was given time to review the case. Ultimately, Fullbright was convicted and faced a sentence of more than 50 years to life in prison. The conviction brought a sense of relief and justice to Pradd's family, who had been praying for a resolution to the case.
