Judge Finds Murder Defendant Competent for Sentencing

By D.C. Witness Staff - August 27, 2018
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects |

During a mental observation hearing Aug. 27, a DC Superior Court judge found a murder defendant competent to proceed with sentencing.

In February, a jury found Christian Romero guilty of second-degree murder while armed for the stabbing death of Dimas Fuentes-Lazo on the 800 block of Kennedy Street, NW in 2016.

According to court documents, Romero, 26, and Fuentes-Lazo, 38, got into an altercation after Romero smacked Fuentes-Lazo’s car side mirror. Ultimtely, Fuentes-Lazo was stabbed mutliple times in the upper body, inlcuding his face.

Romero was originally scheduled to be sentenced in May. However, the hearing was delayed twice for undisclosed reasons. During the third attempted sentencing, Romero repeatedly insisted he didn’t understand what was going on until court marshalls forcibly removed him from the courtroom.

On Aug. 27, Judge Juliet Mckenna found Romero competent based on information in a medical report.

Counsel did not challenge her finding.

Romero is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 14.