Bubbaworld

In the wake of the shooting of Lenden Woodruff there has been much conflicting information. However basic information appears consistent in all reports.

Woodruff was shot with a .22 caliber pistol, that he was shot twice and that he told both medical and law enforcement personnel that his wife shot him. Woodruff was first treated by paramedics who transported him to a landing zone from which he was taken by helicopter to Washington County Regional Hospital in Fayetteville, Arkansas where he required surgery for injuries to his lung, liver and diaphragm, not to his heart or stomach. And he was expected to recover from his wounds.

Commonly reported is a statement by District Attorney Eddie Wyant that the .22 caliber pistol was a three inch, five-shot revolver.

In one report Assistant District Attorney Ben Loring is attributed as saying that Candyce allegedly shot Lenden Woodruff once, reloaded the pistol and shot him a second time. Why she would reload after firing only one shot from a five shot pistol was not explained.

In his public statement Randel Raison indicated that he called Candyce Woodruff and while he was speaking with her he heard a loud “bang”. He did not indicate hearing multiple “bangs”. He also indicated that he heard Candyce shout “get away from me”, supposedly to Lenden Woodruff. According to media reports, he did not indicate hearing Lenden Woodruff say anything in reply. Nor does his public statement indicate hearing anything from Lenden Woodruff.

If one accepts these statements in their totality, doing so strongly suggests that Lenden Woodruff was shot twice with a weapon some people call a “purse pistol” and which others call a “girly gun”. It is a small handgun that some women carry in their purse for protection.

It is also a pistol that few men would carry but might provide to a family member. It is very unlikely to be the type of weapon an experienced lawman would choose for a suicide weapon.

Commentary and Opinion

Lenden Woodruff owing to his career in law enforcement is very familiar with weapons and what happens when a person is shot. When then Sheriff Woodruff was arrested in 2004 on charges of driving under the influence, resisting arrest, carrying a loaded firearm while under the influence of alcohol, and transporting an open container of alcohol he was found to be carrying .45 and .38 caliber pistols. This suggests they are his weapons of choice.

Having worked both murder and suicide cases with firearms involved Woodward would be aware that a person allegedly attempting suicide with a .22 caliber pistol and shooting themselves in the stomach area TWICE is unheard of. Gunshot wounds to the stomach are extremely painful and debilitating. It is questionable that a person that shot themselves in the stomach area once would be able to do so again.

The .22 caliber pistol with which Woodruff was shot twice is not the type of weapon a knowledgeable person would logically use in a suicide attempt. It is however the type of weapon a woman unfamiliar with firearms but desiring protection might have.

Based on Lenden Woodruff’s 2004 arrest it is obvious that at least at that time he was a consumer of alcohol and prone to violence when under the influence of alcohol. Whether this was the case on June 17th, 2007 is unknown by this writer.

Here is an enlargement of Candyce Woodruff’s ‘mugshot’ as it appeared in various news media reports.

If one examines the ‘mugshot’ of Candyce Woodruff there appears to be either a bruise or smeared makeup on each side of her face. On the left side, it begins in that area of her face even with the 4 and a half foot mark on the chart behind her and extends upward on the left side of her face toward her eye.

On the right side of her face, beginning at the right side of her lip and extending diagonally to an area between her right eye and ear is another area, a larger one, where there appears to be either smeared makeup or a bruise developing at the time the mugshot was taken.

Unquestionably there are distinct and different ‘markings’ visible on both sides of her face. Whether these ‘markings’ are from smeared makeup, bruises, skin discoloration, poor lighting (shadows) or unknown effects we can not say. We have only the ‘mugshot’ which was published in media reports by which to judge and it is too small to permit a detailed evaluation of these ‘markings’.

It is very likely that Candyce Woodruff’s defense is going to rest on ‘battered wife’ claims. If so odds are high that the defense attorney will have a high quality copy of the original ‘mugshot’ evaluated by professionals and we may then learn the origin of these ‘markings’ on her face.

In considering what we know of this Delaware County case today it is the OPINION of this writer that odds are that Candyce Woodruff actually did shoot her husband, possibly while he was sleeping on the couch where he was found by paramedics and that she did it not only once but twice. Once even while talking on the phone.

It will be up to the court or a jury to make the final determination.

Update 7/06/07:

On July 5th, 2007 the Delaware County District Attorney’s office dropped shooting with intent to kill charges against Candyce Woodruff for the shooting of her husband.

News media reports indicate that former Delaware County Sheriff Lenden Woodruff who is recovering from gunshot wounds has refused to speak with investigators regarding his shooting.

Without Woodruff’s cooperation it is practically impossible for the state to go forward with its case.

Court records do not, as of the date of this update, indicate if the charges were dismissed with or without predjuice. If they were dismissed with predjuice it means that charges can not be refiled if and when Lenden Woodruff decides to speak with investigators.

We will provide additions to this update as events occur.

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