A husband accused of fatally shooting his wife inside a Woodbridge home last week appeared for the first time in a Stockton courtroom Tuesday afternoon.
Shane Winans, owner of Anchors Away Tattoo and Body Piercing Parlor in Lodi, stood before a San Joaquin County Superior Court judge to hear the charges filed against him in the murder of his wife Nicole Winans.
The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office said Friday that deputies responded shortly after midnight to a disturbance in the 900 block of East Academy St. in Woodbridge.
A woman, identified as Nicole, was found with a gunshot wound. Shane Winans was arrested at the scene.
Inside the courtroom, the gallery was filled with supporters from both sides of the couple while Winans wore an orange jumpsuit and had what appeared to be a black eye.
Judge John Soldati told Shane that the charges against him included one count of premeditated murder with an enhancement of intentional discharge of a firearm, and two counts of child abuse and endangerment with an additional enhancement of use of a firearm in commission of a felony.
The judge said the first count could carry a maximum of 50 years to life in state prison and the second count could carry a maximum of 16 years in state prison.
Winans was not granted bail and a criminal protective order was issued, barring the defendant from contacting two children, who are considered victims in the case.
The order stated that Winans was not allowed to have any contact, either direct or through a third party, with the children.
Shane Winans appears in Dept. 8C of the San Joaquin County County Courthouse in downtown Stockton on Dec. 10, 2024, on charges he allegedly killed his wife Nicole Winans in Lodi.
A ‘beautiful, loving, caring woman’
Nicole owned a business in Lodi – Salon Envy & Boutique, where she was a hairdresser.
Through the glass windows of Nicole’s salon, which was closed Tuesday, her work station could be seen filled with flowers and a pink poster that read, “Nicole, our hearts are broken, our beautiful friend. You will be greatly missed. We love you! Lives won’t be the same. Gone too soon!”
Outside posted on the door was a white paper written by Nicole’s friend Janelle Wagers that detailed what allegedly occurred the day the salon owner was killed, as well as a way to financially support Nicole’s two children.
The flyer alleged that Nicole, a mother of three, was killed on Dec. 6 by her estranged husband.
It went on to allege that her two youngest children, ages 7 and 10, were present at the time of their mother’s death, but ran to a neighbor’s home and didn’t witness the killing.
“Her family and friends are struggling to understand and navigate through this unimaginable loss,” Wagers wrote. “Nicole was a beautiful, loving, caring woman who went out of her way to help others.”
Wagers created a GiveSendGo account to support Nicole’s children that can be found at https://www.givesendgo.com/GE4E5.
San Joaquin County Chief Deputy District Attorney of the Homicide and PCRU units, speaks after an arraignment hearing at the county courthouse on Stockton on Dec. 10, 2024, for Shane Winans who is accused of alleged killing his wife Nicole Winans in Lodi.
Following the hearing, Nicole’s cousin Katrina Donahue said her cousin was in an abusive relationship that was “very toxic” and the couple had their problems.
According to Donahue, Nicole had recently filed for divorce, but said the pair was possibly reconciling.
She said the family had woken up to a call saying that Nicole’s husband had shot her.
“It was just … it was devastating,” Donahue said.
Nicole had gone to the Parade of Lights in Lodi with her kids a day before her death.
“She had a good time with her kids and pretty much her last hoorah,” Donahue said.
Family described the mother as a beautiful soul, a bright light, someone who made everyone smile, and someone who did not deserve what had happened to her.
In a news conference after the arraignment, Beth O’Hara, chief deputy district attorney of the county’s homicide and conviction integrity unit, said the case epitomized the deadly reality of domestic violence, especially at the most dangerous step of leaving an abusive relationship.
“You are not alone if you’re in a similar situation,” O’Hara told the public. “If you need help, reach out to the Family Justice Center so we can prevent something like this from happening in the future.”
Shane Winans is expected to return to court Dec. 19 for further arraignment and bail review.
If you or a someone you know is a victim of domestic violence and needs help, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE (7233).
This article originally appeared on The Record: Lodi man charged in deadly shooting of estranged wife