Man in murder case competent for trial
The Somerton man charged in connection to a shooting on Main Street that left a woman dead and a man seriously injured is mentally competent to stand trial, a Yuma County Superior Court judge ruled on Tuesday.
The 26-year-old Oscar Quintero has been charged with first-degree murder per domestic violence, attempted murder, two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and one count of aggravated assault in the death of 24-year-old Clarissa Medina of Somerton.
During a status hearing, attorney Eugene Marquez of the Yuma County Public Defender’s Office, who represents Quintero, asked that the court follow the recommendation included in the final report from the court-appointed psychiatrist who performed a mental competency evaluation on his client.
Marquez said the report recommended that further evaluation was needed to determine his client’s mental state at the time he allegedly committed the offense. He added that Quintero has a history of mental illness, and there are still some concerns that need to be addressed.
When asked the state’s position on the request, prosecutor Meaghan Gallagher of the Yuma County Attorney’s Office said there was no basis for another mental evaluation, but she would not object because she did not want to deprive Quintero and his attorney a basis for a possible defense strategy.
Gallagher also requested that the court accept the finding of the recently completed psychiatric evaluation that Quintero was competent. Marquez, in response, said he also agreed with the report’s determination and stipulated that his client was mentally fit to proceed.
To be found incompetent, a person’s mental illness must prevent them from understanding their actions or being able to aid their attorney(s) in their own defense.
A person may have a mental illness or cognitive delays and still be found competent for trial.
Afterward, Judge Brandon Kinsey appointed a new psychiatrist to perform a new follow-up evaluation on Quintero to evaluate any potential indications of mental illness. He also scheduled the next hearing in the case for next month.
Somerton police say that on Jan. 4, 2018, Quintero had been waiting for Medina and approached her as 22-year-old Hugo Ponce Verdugo of San Luis, Ariz., was walking her to her car on Main Street. Quintero allegedly shot at her several times with a .40-caliber handgun as she was trying to run away from him.
One of the bullets struck Medina, who fell to the ground. Quintero then allegedly accused Ponce of ruining his marriage and shot him once in the face. He then reportedly went back over to where Medina was lying on the ground and shot her twice more in the back.
After that, he allegedly returned to Ponce, pointed the gun at him and said, “I’m going to let you live.”