On April 22, 2019, Sean Babbitt, a 32-year-old resident of Las Vegas, Nevada, was fatally shot during a supervised visit with his 3-year-old son at the home of his former mother-in-law, Pamela Bordeaux. Bordeaux, a 60-year-old retired detective from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, was the perpetrator of the shooting.
The incident occurred at a home located near the intersection of Durango and El Capitan in northwest Las Vegas.
According to court documents and testimony, Bordeaux admitted to shooting Babbitt multiple times. The prosecution stated that Babbitt was shot a total of 10 times, describing the act as an 'execution'.
Pamela Bordeaux was immediately identified as the suspect and was taken into custody. She was charged with murder and held without bail due to the judge's determination that she posed a danger to Babbitt's family.
During the trial, Bordeaux's defense argued that she acted in self-defense, portraying Babbitt as a 'deviant' porn addict. However, this defense was contradicted by family members and friends who described Babbitt as a 'passive person who wouldn't hurt a fly'.
The prosecution presented strong evidence against Bordeaux, including DNA analysis that placed her DNA on the firearm at an extremely high probability. A crime scene analyst testified that the evidence was consistent with someone shooting and then backing up, and a retired detective overseeing the case testified about the motive, which included a custody dispute and a possible life insurance policy claim that Bordeaux and her daughter, Erika Carnell, were the beneficiaries of.
On June 20, 2024, after a thorough trial, the jury found Pamela Bordeaux guilty of first-degree murder. The judge subsequently sentenced her to 24 years to life in prison, noting that the killing 'seemed incredibly premeditated'.
Throughout the trial, it was revealed that Babbitt was preparing to fight for joint custody of his child at the time of the shooting, which was a significant factor in the motive behind the murder. Erika Carnell, Bordeaux's daughter and Babbitt's ex-partner, testified during the trial, providing insight into the family dynamics and the events leading up to the fatal shooting.
The community and family of Sean Babbitt showed significant support during the trial and in the aftermath of his death. A celebration of life was held for Babbitt, which was attended by many friends and family members who remembered him for his positive influence on their lives.
