Mental Competency Ordered For Las Cruces Man

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) – A Las Cruces man accused of fatally shooting his mother is to be taken to a state hospital to determine his mental competency.

District Attorney Susana Martinez says 25-year-old Justin Quintana was to be arraigned Monday, but was instead ordered taken to the New Mexico Behavioral Health Institute in Las Vegas.

Martinez says Quintana will not be arraigned until his mental competency is determined – a process that could take up to 60 days.

Quintana, who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia, has been indicted on charges of murder, aggravated burglary and larceny of a firearm.

The charges stem from the Dec. 13 slaying of state police officer Susan Kuchma.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)