SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif., July 19 (UPI) -- A so-called clairvoyant who was charged in the shooting death of a man and the attempted murders of sheriff's deputies during a nine-hour standoff has died in a California hospital, authorities said Monday.
Nicole Honait Luxor, 62, died of gallbladder cancer in hospital in San Luis Obispo. She was arrested in November 2015 and hospitalized July 1, sheriff's officials said.
Luxor was awaiting trial on suspicion of shooting and killing 34-year-old ranch hand Benjamin Terra on her ranch in Paso Robles, in Central California.
Deputies responded to a call about an assault at the ranch on Nov. 14. Luxor barricaded herself and fired nearly 40 shots at deputies during the standoff. She was arrested after a SWAT team shot tear gas into her house.
Luxor was facing one count of murder and 36 counts of attempted murder for the shots fired at deupites. She pleaded not guilty and was being held in lieu of $1-million bail.
Luxor's attorney David Vogel described his client at having a high IQ of 170, and a self-described clairvoyant, horse breeder and owner of the Dancing Horse Retreat.
Vogel said Terra's death was strictly self-defense and intended to win had the case gone to trial.
