Neighbors say California victim in alleged mercy killing by doctor was seriously ill

Neighbors: Elderly shooting victim seriously ill

LAGUNA WOODS, Calif. — Friends and neighbors say an elderly Orange County woman allegedly shot by her 90-year-old husband in an attempted murder-suicide had a debilitating stroke several years ago and suffered from dementia and terminal pancreatic cancer.

The details of Phyllis Fish’s condition emerged Tuesday, a day after her husband Dr. James Fish was charged with one count of voluntary manslaughter in her death.

Authorities say James Fish, a retired surgeon and radiologist, apparently wanted to end his wife’s suffering when he shot her Sunday at their Leisure World home in Laguna Woods.

District attorney’s spokeswoman Susan Schroeder says James Fish gave the bedridden woman morphine and then shot both his wife and himself in the head. He remained hospitalized.