Hearing in double homicide postponed
Suspect will remain in jail pending decision on detention
Jesus Cartagena Jr. will remain in jail for now after his lawyers asked the court to postpone a detention hearing set to take place Tuesday in Albuquerque.
Tom Clark, a contract public defender, said in state District Court that he believed it was imprudent to proceed, given possible mental health issues.
Prosecutors have asked the court to detain Cartagena, who is accused of killing his ex-girlfriend and her mother last month. According to court documents, Shanta Hanish, 19, and Laura Hanish, 58, were found dead with numerous stab wounds about two weeks after Shanta broke up with Cartagena, her boyfriend of about five years.
The killings came after several days of alarming behavior from Cartagena, court documents say. He had followed Shanta Hanish to work, parked outside her home, called and
texted her constantly and at one point tried to stop her from leaving the apartment they had once shared.
Clark emphasized that his client has no criminal record and that many people who know him describe him as a “gentle giant.”
“His past would not have predicted the allegations he faces now,” Clark told reporters after the hearing. “And he’s of a certain age that mental health issues often manifest. I think it’s paramount that (cocounsel Theresa Duncan) and I have a handle on where he is — mental health-wise — before we move forward.”
He did not say whether he plans to raise concerns about his client’s competence, but he said the extension will allow Cartagena’s defense team to understand his mental health status and his needs while he is in custody.
Judge Alisa Hart agreed to delay the hearing and asked defense attorneys to request a hearing when they’re ready to proceed.