Chico Man Gets 25 Years to Life in Prison for Fatally Shooting Wife
Above: John Waveng Her
Photo credit: Butte County District Attorney’s Office
A Chico man has reportedly been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for the murder of his wife.
According to a press release by the Butte County District Attorney’s Office, 53-year-old John Waveng Her of Chico has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison after being charged and convicted of first-degree murder in the death of his wife, Xe Lor, 50. Her was also found guilty of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
The murder occurred on the evening of September 27, 2023, in the driveway of a family member’s home on the 2700 block of White Avenue in Chico. The estranged couple and family members had met at the residence to discuss Her and Lor’s separation and possible divorce, the District Attorney’s Office said.
Prosecutors say that Lor was leaving the residence when Her drew a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol and shot Lor twice at close range in the driveway.
Her then tried to shoot himself in the head, but the round only grazed the side and top of his head. He fell to the ground still holding the pistol, and reportedly shot his wife at least two more times.
Family members wrested the gun away from Her and held him until police arrived. Lor died of her wounds at an area hospital a short time later.
During questioning, Her reportedly told detectives that, on the morning of the murder, he had retrieved the pistol from a hole he’d dug for it, loaded it, and took it to the family meeting. When Lor stated that she no longer wanted to be married to Her, Her said he felt the only remaining option was to kill Lor and then himself.
Her also reportedly stated that he wanted to die at the scene because he didn’t want to go to prison.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, Her had a prior existing conviction for threatening his family in 2021. This had resulted in Her losing his right to possess firearms for a period of ten years.
Lor had recently moved out of the family home, and had petitioned the Butte County Superior Court for a domestic violence restraining order only eight days before her murder.
