The Garden City Telegram
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Competency hearing set for murder suspect
Published 2/21/2009 in News
BY SHAJIA AHMAD
A competency hearing has been scheduled in the case of a 17-year-old Garden City boy facing murder charges in connection with the death of a 16-year-old Deerfield girl.
Joaquin Deanda already has had a mental health evaluation. During a March hearing, a Finney County District Court judge will decide whether he is competent to stand trial.
Defense attorney Doug Spencer asked for the evaluation of his client during a closed Jan. 13 hearing. At that time, Asst. Finney County Attorney Lora Ingels also filed a motion to try the 17-year-old as an adult. The court did not take up the latter issue at Friday's afternoon hearing.
Deanda was arrested Dec. 21, 2008, on allegations of first-degree murder, rape, aggravated criminal sodomy and felony obstruction of legal process in connection with the death of Julia Quintana, whose body was found in a Dumpster on Dec. 16 in the west alley behind Deanda's residence at 1009 N. Fourth St. in Garden City.
Evidence from an autopsy disclosed that Quintana died because of suffocation, sustained a broken neck and was sexually assaulted, police said.
Deanda, a former classmate of Quintana's at the New Outlook Academy, 1401 Jones Ave., is being held at the Finney County Jail. Police said the two individuals were acquaintances at school.
Deanda's mother, Margorie Romero, and a grandparent were present during the hearing. Romero has previously declined to comment to The Telegram.
Deanda also is facing criminal charges in Otero County, Colo., said Otero County Deputy District Attorney Marty Barta. Neither Barta nor the Finney County Attorney's Office would confirm the nature of those charges.
On April 3, 2008, Deanda was arrested by the La Junta Police Department in La Junta, Colo., on charges of first-degree arson while he was a resident of La Junta, Otero's county seat. Deanda allegedly set fire to his house, 409 W. Fourth St. in La Junta, according to an arrest affidavit. According to the affidavit, Deanda told his mother he started the fire because he was angry and also that he did not feel remorseful about damaging the property. Deanda allegedly started the fire by spraying cologne on a bed and lighting it on fire, as well lighting clothes on fire.
Barta said he would take no action on the pending charges until matters have been settled in Kansas.
A competency hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. March 20 at the Finney County District Courthouse.
Prosecutors said they will not be seeking a death penalty if Deanda's case goes to a trial because Kansas law does not allow juveniles to face capital punishment.
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