Investigators: Merced Co woman shot boyfriend twice

EL NIDO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Merced County Sheriff's investigators say a 27-year-old man was shot and killed at mobile home park in El Nido late Saturday night. His 19-year-old girlfriend is in jail.

Investigators say Grace Acevedo said she shot her boyfriend Roberto Acevedo twice. They say the shooting is the end result of an entire day of arguing. A neighbor says Grace was defending herself.

Inside the sealed off mobile home is where investigators say Roberto Acevedo was shot and killed by his girlfriend Grace Acevedo. Mobile home park manager Vernie Redding says she walked into the home after she heard screams from inside. "She was saying 'I should've let him hit me. I should've let him hit me.' I said 'What happened? What's the matter?'... She said 'I shot him, I shot him twice.'"

Redding says Grace was already on the phone with 911. The Merced County Sheriff's Office says that's when grace admitted to dispatchers she shot Roberto.

"When I started out the door, I saw Robert laying dead by the back door. It was horrible," said Redding.

Neighbors and investigators told Action News, the unmarried couple had a troubled relationship. Some said they would often hear loud screaming late at night.

Redding says Grace and Roberto moved into the mobile home together just a few months ago. Recently, they may have become mixed up in drugs. "I think that played a part in it. If it wasn't drugs, then it was the drinking."

At a news conference on Sunday, Sheriff Mark Pazin said it's still too early to know whether grace shot her boyfriend in self defense. "After our case is completed then we will let the district attorney review it and he will determine what charges, if any, to pursue."

Now this home is empty. Grace is in the Merced County Jail facing homicide charges.

Neighbors also said couple struggled with a language barrier. They say Grace spoke little Spanish and Roberto spoke little English. That often lead to arguments.

The sheriff said at this point it's not clear if drugs or alcohol played a roll in last night's shooting.

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el nido, merced county, homicide, shooting, crimetracker, local, rick montanez

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