A judge has committed Jon David Guerrero to a state psychiatric facility after he was found mentally incompetent to stand trial in four murders of three homeless men including one man who attended Metropolitan Community Church and one woman.
San Diego Superior Court Judge Margo Woods read the psychiatric report on Guerrero, 40, and committed him July 26 for treatment. Another judge had suspended criminal proceedings July 14 and sent it to Woods to hear the report.
This is the second time Guerrero has been sent to Patton State Hospital for treatment. He was first sent in October 2016, and returned here in March after doctors and a judge determined he had regained his competency.
Guerrero’s attorney, Dan Tandon, said his client suffers from “severe mental illness.”
Guerrero has yet to even have a preliminary hearing and Deputy District Attorney Makenzie Harvey had planned on presenting four days of witnesses in the grisly slayings that occurred a year ago.
Railroad spikes were plunged into the bodies of three of the murder victims and other survivors. The identification of two victims was found in Guerrero’s apartment after he was arrested July 15, 2016.
The first homicide victim was Angelo DeNardo, 53, who was attacked where he was sleeping under the Interstate 5 bridge near Mission Bay July 3, 2016. His body was set on fire after he died.
Shawn Longley, 41, died in Ocean Beach where he was sleeping July 4, 2016. Another man was attacked in the Midway District after a railroad spike was driven into his sinus cavity and he survived, but was left blind.
The third murder victim was Dionicio Vahidy, 23, who was found dead July 6, 2016, downtown. A fourth murder victim was Molly Simons, 83, who was walking to a bus stop in North Park July 13, 2016 when she suffered a skull fracture. Simons is the only female victim.
DeNardo attended MCC and the church held a memorial Aug. 7 for him, Longley and Vahidy. Guerrero was charged with the fourth murder some months ago as Simons’ slaying was not thought part of the series.
He previously has pleaded not guilty. He is also charged with special circumstance allegations that allege multiple victims were killed. He is also charged with assaulting many victims who also survived.
