A man who killed two men in Otay Mesa in 2017 has been found innocent by reason of insanity.
Ricard Valles, 53, will likely be committed to a state psychiatric hospital, said Deputy District Attorney Victor Ou.
Two homeless men, Albert Stringer, 61, and Curtis Murray, 56, were stabbed to death on May 17, 2017 in front of a closed business at Rita’s Italian Ice at 3410 Palm Avenue. A San Diego Police officer discovered the two at 2:45 a.m. and they had stab wounds to their chests.
Valles did not know the men but he was arrested six days later at the intersection of Palm Avenue and Beyer Way. A motive has not been determined.
Chula Vista Superior Court Judge Dwayne Moring set a commitment hearing for Nov. 30. The case was assigned to him for trial. In a dual proceeding, Valles pleaded guilty to both murders and his attorney submitted the sanity phase of the trial to Moring.
Valles had a mental history of delusions, said Ou. Moring read the reports from psychiatrists who evaluated him, and determined he was insane at the time of the murders.
Valles could be committed to a state psychiatric hospital for life. He could only be released if doctors determine his sanity has been restored and a jury or judge agrees that he is no longer insane. A judge would have to find he was no longer a danger.
Murray had three stab wounds to his chest which killed him, said a deputy medical examiner. Murray had defense wounds to his arms and hands which indicated he tried to fight off the attack. Stringer had two stab wounds to the chest.
Valles remains in jail without bail.
