A young California mother will spend decades in prison after admitting to fatally shooting her husband while he slept, a crime prosecutors say was both cold and calculated.
The Fatal Shooting
In November 2020, police in Butte County responded to a 911 call from a neighbor who reported hearing multiple gunshots coming from the apartment of Jessica Rose Nichols, then 22, and her husband, 22-year-old Mateo Lange.
Authorities say Nichols shot Lange twice in the head and once in the chest while he was asleep in the early morning hours of November 6.
Nichols’ Initial Story
When officers arrived, Nichols claimed she had acted in self-defense. She told police that Lange “charged at her” during an argument and that she feared for her life. But investigators quickly discovered that her version of events didn’t match the evidence.
Crime scene experts confirmed that Lange was lying on the floor when he was killed, making it impossible that he had rushed toward her at the time of the shooting.
Disturbing Evidence
According to the Butte County District Attorney’s Office, surveillance audio revealed there was no argument before the gunfire. Instead, investigators uncovered that Lange had told Nichols the night before that he planned to leave her and end their marriage.
Prosecutors also presented damaging evidence from Nichols’ own text messages and videos, which showed her admitting to violent behavior toward her husband. She had previously thrown objects at him, destroyed his belongings, and even confessed to trying to poison him by putting household cleaner on his pillow.
Neighbor’s Quick Thinking
On the night of the killing, a neighbor heard gunshots and came outside to check. Nichols handed over a stroller carrying the couple’s 22-month-old child along with a note containing contact details for the child’s grandmother. After the neighbor saw Nichols return inside, they later heard a third shot and called 911.
Guilty Plea and Sentencing
Facing overwhelming evidence, Nichols pleaded no contest last month to first-degree murder and using a firearm during a crime. On Tuesday, a judge sentenced her to 35 years to life in prison — 25 years to life for the murder and an additional 10 years for the firearm charge.
This case reveals a chilling story of domestic violence turned deadly, where the truth eventually came out through digital evidence, forensic analysis, and the voices captured on surveillance audio.
While Nichols begins her decades-long prison sentence, Lange’s family is left to grieve the loss of a young father whose life was cut short in a brutal act of betrayal.
