Posted For: Hauviette
A California man has been convicted of murdering his sister and nephew and seriously wounding his mother after prosecutors said he flew into a rage when his family moved a Wi-Fi router out of his bedroom.
William Bushey, 61, was found guilty by a San Diego jury of two counts of first-degree murder in the Aug. 21, 2024, shooting deaths of his sister, Laurie Robinson, 61, and her son, Brett Robinson, 33. His 86-year-old mother, June Bushey, survived after being shot in the chest and hand, injuries that led to the loss of three fingers, according to police.
According to prosecutors, the violence began when Bushey realized the internet connection in his room had been cut off.
“Where’s the internet?” Bushey asked before the shooting, Deputy District Attorney Scott Pirrello said in opening statements, as reported by the Times of San Diego. “That’s when the terror began.”
Prosecutors said Bushey spent much of his time playing computer games in his room, where the Wi-Fi router had previously been located. His mother had lived with him for about 15 years, and his sister had recently moved in after separating from her husband. The shooting occurred just nine days after she arrived.
June Bushey testified that her son suddenly emerged from his room and opened fire.
“He came out of his room, and he shot her,” she said, describing how the attack started. “I escaped from my room, down the front steps. I ran like hell. The neighbors were yelling at me to keep down.”
She said she considered calling police but feared she would be shot if she tried.
Prosecutors argued that the immediate trigger was the internet being disconnected while Laurie Robinson moved the router into June Bushey’s bedroom. Bushey had confronted an AT&T technician outside the home shortly beforehand. Authorities also said he had a history of emotional outbursts that previously brought police to the residence.
Defense attorney Denis Lainez told jurors that Bushey’s actions stemmed from decades of anger and personal struggles. He said Bushey was depressed, unemployed, and reeling after testing positive for HIV.
“I’m sick; I’m dying,” Lainez quoted his client as saying. “I’m just a sick loser without a job.”
Lainez argued that Bushey did not intend to harm his mother and that he was wrestling with his nephew over the shotgun when it discharged. He also quoted Bushey as saying, “I am going to be homeless. I am filled with rage.”
Bushey is scheduled to be sentenced next month and faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.