CLEARLAKE OAKS A woman who recently filed a restraining order against her estranged husband after he threatened to kill her apparently died at his hands Sunday, not long before he killed himself.
The victim, 33-year-old Crystal Kathleen Springer of Clearlake Oaks, had been in court just last week to ask for a ruling to keep her husband, Raymond Springer, 36, away from her and their three children, ages 5, 11 and 14.
The Lake County Sheriff”s Office reported that Crystal Springer was found shot to death in her home on E. State Highway 20 on Sunday.
A neighbor called police just after 1 p.m. Sunday when he heard a gunshot at her residence. An LCSO report stated that Raymond Springer was seen leaving the residence shortly thereafter in a blue Honda.
When sheriff”s deputies arrived at Crystal Springer”s home 14 minutes later, they found her in her bedroom, unresponsive, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound to the head. Medics, who arrived within two minutes of deputies, pronounced Springer dead at the scene.
The sheriff”s office sent out a description of Raymond Springer”s vehicle to allied law enforcement agencies.
Within a half hour Colusa County authorities received a report of a solo vehicle accident on Highway 20 just west of Williams.
Lake County Sheriff”s deputies responded to the accident scene in Williams, where Raymond Springer was found dead in the driver”s seat, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
In the car with him was a .38 caliber revolver containing two spent rounds. Authorities believe, based on the evidence gathered so far, that Springer shot himself while still driving southbound on Highway 20, and his car careened across the westbound lane, colliding with a scrub oak in an earthen drainage ditch. No other vehicles were involved.
The request for a restraining order that Crystal Springer filed last month in Superior Court included a chilling account of recent domestic abuse.
She said they argued four to five times a week, that Raymond was verbally abusive and often threatened to hit her, and that he had made several threats to kill her during their marriage. She also recounted that he had previously broken furniture, a television and a window when angry.
Early in May, she wrote, “We had a fight because I told him that I wanted him out of my life. He got right in my face and said, The only way that you”re leaving this marriage is if you”re dead.””
She continued, “I was scared because I knew that he meant it and that he had the potential to carry out threats.”
Springer”s court documents said she planned to move out on May 17. On Monday, Sheriff Rod Mitchell said her restraining order was served on Raymond Springer on May 18.
Two days later, Mitchell said, Crystal Springer contacted the sheriff”s department after receiving a call at her job at a convenience store from someone who didn”t identify himself but who she believed was her husband. She also reported him harassing her at her new residence.
Mitchell”s deputies responded to her call and attempted to contact Raymond Springer as well, Mitchell said, without success.
As a result of the restraining order, authorities required Raymond Springer to turn in any firearms in his possession. He supplied the court with a receipt for a .380 automatic pistol that he turned over to a Windsor gun dealer to sell on consignment in May. Also in May, Springer had reported the theft of a 20-gauge shotgun, Mitchell said.
The Springers were in court last week regarding Crystal Springer”s request for an extended restraining order against her husband. At that time, the court appointed a mediator to work with the couple on co-parenting and dispute resolution. They were due to return to court on June 19.
As of Monday morning, Raymond Springer”s body was in the custody of the Colusa County Sheriff/Coroner”s Office. Mitchell said his department was working on taking custody of the body to continue its investigation. The Lake County Sheriff”s office took possession of his car on Sunday.
Primarily, Mitchell said, “We need gunshot residue” from Springer”s body. Investigators also need to determine if the pistol he carried was the same gun used to kill himself and his wife, Mitchell said.
Since there were no independent witnesses to Crystal Springer”s homicide, Mitchell said, his investigators must build a case as if the prime suspect were still alive.
Sunday”s apparent murder-suicide is the county”s third domestic violence-related murder involving a couple in less than a year.
In March, 46-year-old Lucerne resident Julie Gilbertson died from injuries she suffered when her house was allegedly set on fire by her ex-boyfriend, Charlton Bruff. Bruff, who was in court last week, is facing a murder charge in Gilbertson”s death.
On Aug. 11, 2005, Lakeport resident Nancy Murphy, 58, was found beaten to death in her home. Her husband, 55-year-old Roderick Wight, committed suicide the next day at a neighbor”s home. Mitchell later stated his investigation led him to conclude that Wight was responsible.
Contact Elizabeth Larson at elarson@record-bee.com.
