Chico, CA: Slain man was respected businessman

CHICO -- Neighbors and others Monday provided insight into Robert Henry Bauman, allegedly shot and killed by his live-in girlfriend Friday night.
Bauman owned Bob's Concrete Pumping, a well-known contracting company he established in Chico in 1979.
A woman alleged to be his live-in girlfriend called 9-1-1 Friday night to report he had been shot.
Chico police and Butte County sheriff's deputies arrived about 9:15 p.m. and found Bauman dead inside his spacious Sega Drive home, south of Chico.
The Sheriff's Office declined to state if the woman, Jacqueline Anne Bolf, 47, confessed to shooting him, but she was arrested after questioning.
"We believe she is the shooter, and she is being held at the Butte County Jail on an open count of murder," said Sheriff's Lt. Al Smith.
Her first court appearance is set for this morning in Butte County Superior Court.
Bolf has no criminal history in Butte County, according to court records.
A handgun used in the shooting was recovered at the home, but it wasn't immediately determined if it belonged to Bolf or the victim.
Bauman, 56, was reportedly shot once in the chest, according to a relative.
His nephew and business partner, Jerry Henderson, said his uncle and Bolf had a volatile on-again, off-again relationship going back about three years.
Henderson recalled trouble at Bauman's home in the pricey Twin Palms neighborhood, off Entler Road, about 10 months ago.
He said Bauman called the Butte County Sheriff's Office, which arrived to check on a domestic dispute. Henderson said he heard the woman mentioned having a gun at the time.
"I certainly never expected it to end like this," he said.
Sheriff's officials said they had no official history of trouble at the residence.
On Monday morning neighbors said Bauman was quiet, and don't recall any problems at the home.
One woman who moved in next door about three years ago said Bauman was a good person who helped out his neighbors on numerous occasions.
"When we first moved in, Bob helped us with some plumbing problems," said Haifa Boutros. She described him as an up-front, honest person and a good neighbor.
At least two of Bauman's closest neighbors said they rarely noticed Bolf at the home, and didn't know if she actually lived there.
None of the neighbors reached by the Enterprise-Record said they heard a shot fired Friday night.
Henderson has been involved in helping to run Bauman's concrete contracting business on and off since 1984.
He said he will keep it going, and noted that a crew of about 14 workers currently rely on the company for a livelihood.
"I have some big shoes to fill," he said.
Bauman has a grown son, reportedly now living in Chicago.
A memorial service for Bauman is pending. When customers and friends in the construction industry heard about Bauman's death on Saturday, Henderson said they flocked to the business, which is located on Park Avenue.
"We had about 250 people standing out in the yard at one point," he said.