Today, San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas announced defendant Robert Elmo Lee, 83, of Lodi was sentenced by the Honorable Judge Lauren P. Thomasson to life without the possibility of parole for the murder of Dr. Thomas Shock, a Lodi podiatrist.

“Mr. Lee twisted a devotion for his late wife into a perverse obsession with Dr. Shock, one that led to inexcusable violence,” said District Attorney Ron Freitas. “I want to commend former San Joaquin County Deputy District Attorney Edward “Ted” McGarvey for his tenacity in seeking justice for the Shock family, as well as the Lodi Police Department for their investigative skill.”

In August of 2018, Dr. Thomas Shock was killed in his home in Lodi, California. Robert Elmo Lee was found guilty for orchestrating the murder of Dr. Shock in early 2022. Co-defendant Mallory Stewart pled guilty to murder in the first degree, as well as a weapons enhancement, for his role as the shooter. In 2021, Christopher Costello was found guilty for his participating role in the failed murder-for-hire scheme and co-defendant Raymond Jacquett IV, 29, was sentenced in December 2019 for his role in the crime.