Details Emerge About Man Accused of Xmas Slaying

Court records reveal that the suspect in a Christmas morning shooting in Oceanside was accused of domestic violence at least twice in the past and has had three marriages end in divorce.

Robert Pulley, 47, is accused of killing his neighbor, 44-year-old Jimmy Misaalefua, just after 2 a.m. outside Pulley's home in the 3900 Brown Street, near College Boulevard.

Pulley was in court on Wednesday afternoon, where he was formally charged with that fatal Christmas morning shooting.

According to prosecutors, Pulley has a history of making violent threats against his family members. They also said at least four guns were found after the shooting.

"The defendant is a danger to his neighbors, a danger to his own family members and a danger to our community at large," said Deputy District Attorney Tracy Prior during the arraignment.

Prior said just minutes before the shooting, Pulley had sucker punched his 20 year old son and threatened to stab and kill him. Pulley's son called 911 and when firefighters responded, four of them had to restrain Pulley. 

"Who was belligerent and drunk," said Prior.

Next-door neighbor Elaine Weidauer remembers a big scene around the neighborhood cul-de-sac.

"There were police everywhere and a fire truck," she said.

Officers arrived but determined an arrest wasn't warranted and left, according to Oceanside Police Spokesman Lt. Leonard Mata.

Minutes later, prosecutors say Pulley had a brief conversation with Misaalefua outside their homes on Brown Street.

"A witness heard the defendant say in an angry tone, ‘I got something for you’," said Prior.

"I saw them arguing, and then you just hear this 'clap, clap, clap,' " a neighbor said. "[Pulley] was apparently intoxicated. He pulled out a gun."

Misaalefua was shot in the chest, according to prosecutors. He was taken to Tri-City Medical Center, where he later died.

Prior said a motive for the shooting is still unknown and that the two men had previously been friendly with each other.

She also said Pulley had other recent run-ins with the law. According to Prior, officers were called to the Pulley home last month when his wife called 911.

"The 911 dispatchers hear the defendant say he's going to shoot his wife and shoot himself," Prior said.

Lt. Mata says Pulley had been drinking and didn't respond to their calls. After three hours, officers left without arresting Pulley because his wife had gotten out safely and told police her husband didn't threaten her. So, officers didn't have "legal justification to force entry into the residence," Mata said.

"If that's what happened that night and the cops left and he still stayed in his house, that's unreal, that's silly," said Misaalefua's brother-in-law Matt Lau-Young.   He believes Misaalefua may still be alive if officers had arrested him and taken the guns from his home.

Misaalefua is survived by his wife, Lefu, and a 7-year-old daughter and a 6-year-old son.

Family members are asking for help paying for funeral costs. Donations can be made at any San Diego County Credit Union under the Jimmy Misaalefua Memorial Fund. The account number is 398024000.

Pulley is being held on $3 million bail. Court records indicate he has no prior felony record, but two women, identified as Dreneicsa Pulley and Angelia Pulley, have accused Pulley of domestic violence.

One former wife, Mary Pulley, sued Robert Pulley for divorce in 2003. He most recently filed for divorce from Pamela Pulley in October 2008.

Pulley also has a misdemeanor conviction for alcohol and carrying a weapon.  It was later reduced to an infraction. In 2009, he was convicted of drunk driving in Arizona and sentenced to alcohol counseling and a year of probation.

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