Murder suspect granted further mental health evaluation

The Somerton man charged with shooting and killing the mother of his children and seriously injuring another man is competent to stand trial, a judge ruled on Tuesday.

During his court appearance, the public defender representing 26-year-old Oscar Quintero asked for a request to follow a recommendation by a court-appointed doctor who performed a mental competency evaluation.

The defense asked the judge for further evaluation as there may have been “psychotic episodes” at the time of the alleged incident.

Quintero has been charged with first-degree murder per domestic violence, attempted murder, and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and one count of aggravated assault in the death of 24-year-old Clarissa Medina.

Prosecuting attorney’s argued Quintero is competent to stand trial and there is no evidence that would support any further evaluation.

However, prosecutors did not object the evaluation.

Judge Brandon Kinsey, the defense, and prosecuting attorneys agreed to appoint a new psychiatrist to perform the follow-up evaluation.

Somerton police said on Jan. 4, 2018, officers received a 911 call of several gunshots fired in the area of 725 E. Main Street. Once on scene, officers located two gunshot victims in the parking lot, one adult man and woman.

Both victims were transported by the Somerton/Cocopah Fire Department to the Yuma Regional Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.

Medina was pronounced dead at YRMC at 9:22 p.m. and Verdugo was airlifted to St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Phoenix in serious condition.