LAKEPORT, Calif. – A criminal grand jury has not returned an indictment against a Lakeport woman accused of shooting and mortally wounding her husband, a part-time sheriff's deputy, last December.

District Attorney Don Anderson said that means that a murder case will not move forward against 64-year-old Paula Ann Piveronas.

“We won't be filing any charges at this time,” Anderson told Lake County News on Friday.

She was arrested last Dec. 6 after authorities say she shot her husband, 66-year-old Robert Piveronas, twice at their Reeves Lane home outside of Lakeport early that morning.

Robert Piveronas was flown to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital for treatment of injuries that were reported to have included wounds to the stomach and chest. He died the following day.

Robert Piveronas was a part-time sheriff's seasonal marine patrol deputy and bailiff, and a retired commander from the Hillsborough Police Department.

Anderson convened a criminal grand jury to consider the case.

He said Paula Piveronas claimed she was defending herself when she shot her husband.

“That was a big issue, whether it was self-defense,” Anderson said.

“The people have the burden of proving it was not self-defense once that issue is raised, and we don’t have enough evidence to prove it was not a self-defense case,” according to Anderson.

He said investigators found no history of domestic violence between Robert and Paula Piveronas.

If any more information develops in the case, charges could still be filed in the future, Anderson said.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.