Woman Accused of Fatally Shooting Former Beau Charged

A woman accused of shooting her former lover and father of her child to death during a confrontation in a Menifee restaurant was charged Thursday with first-degree murder.

Amanda Jeanne Harwood, 35, of Big Bear was arrested Saturday after allegedly gunning down 39-year-old Joseph Hennings of Murrieta.

In addition to the murder count, Harwood is charged with a special circumstance allegation of lying in wait, as well as sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations.

Harwood is slated to make her initial appearance before Riverside County Superior Court Judge Helios Hernandez this afternoon at the Riverside Hall of Justice.

Sheriff’s officials allege that Harwood pulled a handgun and shot Hennings during a child custody exchange at a McDonalds in the 28000 block of Bradley Drive, just off Interstate 215, late Saturday afternoon.

The defendant remained at the restaurant after the shooting and was taken into custody without incident, according to sheriff’s officials.

A possible motive was not disclosed.

Paramedics pronounced Hennings dead at the scene 10 minutes later.

Harwood has traffic-related convictions in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, but nothing more serious, according to court records.

She’s being held on $1 million bail at Riverside’s Robert Presley Jail.

--City News Service, photo courtesy of the Riverside Sheriff’s Department