Man Accused in Thermal Murder Changes Plea to Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity

Man Accused in Thermal Murder Changes Plea to Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity

by Contributing Editor

A suspect accused of beating a Thermal man to death changed his plea on a murder charge to not guilty by reason of insanity Friday, prompting a judge to order a doctor to review the defendant’s mental state.

Saul Mayoral, 50, is accused in the March 23, 2018, death of a man identified only as Hector Q. in court documents. The victim’s body was found in a drainage channel near the suspect’s mobile home, authorities said.

A local resident discovered the victim’s body at 7:17 a.m. that day in the 87800 block of Avenue 52 and flagged down deputies, Riverside County sheriff’s Sgt. Wallace Clear said at the time.

Mayoral, who allegedly killed the victim with a bat, lived close to where the victim was found and was arrested later that evening.

He initially pleaded not guilty to one murder count and was in court Friday for a trial-readiness conference, where he changed his plea to not guilty by reason of insanity. Riverside County Superior Court Judge Burke Strunsky instructed a psychologist to return to court with a report on Mayoral’s mental status for an Oct. 1 mental competency hearing.

At the time of his arrest, Mayoral was on probation for battery committed against a custodial officer, according to court records. In addition to the murder count, he also faces a sentence-enhancing allegation of using weapon in commission of a felony.

Mayoral continues to be held at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning in lieu of $1 million bail.

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All credit goes to Contributing Editor
Originally published on https://mynewsla.com