Man Who Shot Wife on Mother's Day Sentenced to 50 Years

A man who shot his wife on Mother's Day, and tried to shoot his son and sister-in-law, was sentenced to life in prison Friday with all but 50 years suspended.

Edward McRavin pleaded guilty to attempted murder and assault for the shooting, which took place outside the Family Crisis Center in Prince George's County two years ago.

Judge Beverly Woodard said Friday there was nothing McRavin could say to excuse his crimes.

Prosecutors say that on May 8, 2011, Yolanda McRavin took her son to the Family Crisis Center for protective visitation with his father, News4's Tracee Wilkins reported. Less than two months earlier, McRavin pleaded guilty to second-degree assault against his wife and received probation.

"She obtained a protective order and in the protective order was the order that he could only see his son supervised at the family crisis center," said Judith Wolford of the House of Ruth Domestic Violence Legal Clinic.

Edward McRavin, 51, rode to the center on a bicycle and ran toward his wife. She covered their son with her body. He only fired one shot before his gun jammed, but the bullet struck his wife in the upper body, authorities said.

The 10-year-old boy ran toward the car in which his aunt was sitting and called 911 to report the shooting while his aunt drove away in reverse.

"We need you now," he told the dispatcher. "My dad, he just shot my mother."

"In shooting his wife in front of the doors of the Family Crisis Center, Mr. McRavin made that an unsafe place not only for his family but for every family in Prince George's County," Wolford said.

Police tracked Edward McRavin through his cell phone, Wilkins reported. He was found hiding under rocks under a bridge in cottage city.

In court Friday, he said he meant to commit suicide, but the gun misfired. Prosecutors said he pointed the gun at his wife and then at his son as the boy ran, and the Mother's Day card with a bullet hole that he brought was meant to be a message left by a killer.

Yolanda McRavin lost some internal organs, had multiple surgeries and still has surgeries to go.

"It completely shattered the lives of McRavin's wife, of his son, of his wife's family -- the trauma that they've gone through -- and he really has not shown any kind of remorse," said John Erzen of the Prince George's County State's Attorney's Office.

Judge Woodard said what irritated her most was that Yolanda McRavin was doing what she was supposed to, having been told by the court to go to the Family Crisis Center for the visitation.

“Anyone who would attempt to take the lives of their own wife and son is clearly a danger to our community,” Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela Alsobrooks said in a release. “Mr. McRavin has shown no real remorse for his actions, only trying to excuse them away. I am very pleased that he will spend the majority of the rest of his life behind bars.”