Escondido

A 36-year-old Escondido man was killed and his wife was seriously injured in a weekend argument, authorities reported Monday.

James Davis was shot in the chest several times with a .38-caliber revolver Sunday, allegedly by his 32-year-old wife, Linda, who was found beaten severely, police said.

Davis died at 5:30 p.m. Sunday at Palomar Medical Center, where his wife remained in stable condition Monday.

Escondido police responded to a domestic disturbance call at 4:31 p.m.

“We found him lying on the living room floor, and her sitting about 2 feet from her husband. A baseball bat was lying next to her,” Lt. Earl Callander said.

The Davises’ daughters, 7 and 9, who were home at the time, reportedly heard shots but did not see the argument, Callander said. One of the girls called police from a neighbor’s house after being instructed to do so by her mother, police said.

Although the case is under investigation, Callander said, it appears that Linda Davis acted in self-defense.