Briceland murder suspect’s competency hearing yet to be set
Briceland murder suspect’s competency hearing yet to be set
The mental competency hearing for a Briceland man accused of murder has yet to be set because of scheduling issues.
The hearing for Ryan Anthony Tanner, 32, who is being charged with the murder of Jason Todd Garrett, 33, on or about Feb. 12, was supposed to be scheduled in court Tuesday, but defense attorney Russell Clanton and county mental health expert Dr. Jennifer Wilson weren’t mutually available on a date that also worked for the court.
Deputy District Attorney Luke Bernthal, who was appearing on behalf of Deputy District Attorney Whitney Timm, said Timm also requested “a day at least 30 days out.”
“The reason for that request is that some of the psychiatric tests and answers to those tests that were conducted on the defendant have not been provided to the people yet,” Bernthal said of the separate psychiatric evaluation Clanton had done by Dr. Martin Williams.
Bernthal said that was an issue because a protective order that would allow that information to be provided had yet to be signed, but attorney Sara Zalkin, who was appearing on behalf of Clanton, said that issue had been resolved.
The court set 10:15 a.m. Thursday as a further setting date for the competency hearing.
Rio Dell murder suspects’ prelim set for July 28
The preliminary hearing for two suspects in the murder of a Rio Dell man is set for 9:15 a.m. July 28.
Demetrius Coleman, 39, of Eureka, is being charged with the murder of
Texas native Johnny Renfro, 26, on or about Aug. 29, 2019, and Alma Ahumada-Mendoza, 22, of Rio Dell, is being charged with knowing about the crime after it was committed and be
ing an accessory to the crime after the fact. The two pleaded not guilty and their preliminary hearing will determine if there is enough evidence to hold them for the crimes.
Defense attorney Andrea Sullivan, who was appearing on behalf of both Coleman and Ahumada-Mendoza, who has a separate attorney, said she didn’t expect the preliminary hearing to take more than three or so hours.
The Rio Dell Police Department put out a press release after the homicide investigation began stating Renfro died shortly after getting out of his car and being fatally shot while on the curb.
About a month later, the Rio Dell Police’s press release stated Coleman was identified as a person of interest after finding pieces of evidence tying him to the crime, such as mobile phones and computers.
The pair were arrested in North Dakota months later; Coleman on Jan 26 and Ahumada-Mendoza on Jan. 28.