Former Visalia Teacher Convicted of Attempted Murder Found Suitable for Parole
Despite objections from TCDA prosecutors, today at a virtual hearing a California parole board found Donna Andrews, age 71, suitable for parole. Andrews has been incarcerated since 2006 after being found guilty of attempted murder and assault with a firearm. She is currently serving her sentence at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla.
In the late afternoon of March 10, 2005, Donna Andrews and her husband, at the time both teachers in the Visalia Unified School District, went to their son and daughter-in-law’s Visalia home for dinner. Andrews’ son showed his parents his new Glock nine-millimeter semiautomatic handgun and then placed the firearm on a table. Later that evening at approximately 7:40 pm, Andrews twice fired that same handgun while in the dining room then fled the home. The first shot hit her daughter-in-law in the left chest. The second shot hit her daughter-in-law’s right arm, passed through her body, and then hit her husband’s leg and lodged in his back. Police found Andrews hiding in a green waste container at a nearby home. Both victims survived their injuries.
Andrews was convicted by jury of two counts of premeditated attempted murder of her daughter-in-law, two counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm of her husband, and one count of assault with a semiautomatic firearm of her daughter-in-law. The jury found true special allegations that Andrews personally and intentionally discharged a firearm and caused great bodily injury to both her husband and daughter-in-law. On June 1, 2006, Andrews was sentenced to 32 years to life in state prison. The case was prosecuted by then Supervising District Attorney Tim Ward.
This was Andrews’ first parole hearing and an Assistant District Attorney argued against her release. In 2022, prosecutors successfully argued against CDCR’s recommendation for her early release under provisions of AB 1540 (2021), which provided for the courts to strike certain special sentencing enhancements in favor of sentence reduction.
Media inquiries can be directed to the Office of the District Attorney, County of Tulare Chief Deputy District Attorney Dave Alavezos (559) 636-5494