SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The negligence lawsuit by the mother of a murdered Oceanside woman against the federal government accusing of it of failing to properly stop the killer from buying a gun can move forward, according to a recently released ruling by United States District Judge Jinsook Ohta.
Leslie Woods is suing following the murder of her daughter, Devon Rideout. In 2018, Rideout was walking her puppy outside her Oceanside apartment when Eduardo Arriola, a neighbor, shot and killed her. Rideout's name was later found marked on Arriola's car. Arriola was convicted and sentenced to 50 years to life in prison.
Arriola had been previously discharged by the Marine Corps for desertion and then diagnosed with schizophrenia. The lawsuit says the Defense Department failed to properly notify the FBI about Arriola's case, which meant he was never put into the background check database. Arriola was able to legally purchase a gun just a few weeks before he killed Rideout.
“I love my daughter with all my heart. She would be alive today. She would be alive today if not for the negligence," Woods said Wednesday in an emotional press conference.
The government attempted to have the case thrown out, arguing that it cannot be held responsible for the actions of a third party, in this case, Arriola. However, Judge Ohta rejected that request, allowing the case to proceed. Woods' attorney, Eugene Iredale, says he expects the trial to take place in 2024.
