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View Winners → Uncle Declared Incompetent to Defend Himself for Murdering Arcadia Teenagers
Arcadia Weekly Jan 23, 2017
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Deyun Shi of San Gabriel initially entered a “not guilty” plea during his third appearance at Pasadena Superior Court on Wednesday morning, May 18
– Photo by Terry Miller/Beacon Media News
By Terry Miller
A man accused of killing his two teenage nephews in their Arcadia home last January and then fleeing the country appeared in Mental Health Court last week and is tentatively deemed incompetent to stand trial, at least for now.
According to Sheriff’s Department Public Information Officer Ricardo Santiago, the criminal proceedings are “on pause” while the mental health experts do a complete evaluation of Deyun Shi, 44.
Shi was named as a suspect after his two nephews, ages 15 and 16, were found murdered inside their home on Thursday on the 400 block of Fairview Avenue.
Deyun Shi of San Gabriel initially entered a “not guilty” plea during his third appearance at Pasadena Superior Court on Wednesday morning, May 18. The delay was caused due to funds being transferred from China for his defense.
Shi is accused of killing 15-year-old Anthony Lin and 16-year-old William Lin on Jan. 22, 2016.
The defense raised the issue of Shi’s mental competency in July which put the criminal case on hold pending further evaluation.
In addition to two counts of murder, the prosecution has also charged Shi with injuring his estranged wife, Yujing Lin, on Jan. 21 of that same year.
Investigators alleged Shi headed to his brother-in-law’s Arcadia home and fatally beat his two nephews. He went to Los Angeles International Airport where he took a Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong.
Soon thereafter, Shi was extradited back to the United States.
Shi is being held without bail at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles.
“The criminal case has been continued into mid-April to see how Mr. Shi is doing. Mr. Shi was declared incompetent to stand trial,” Shi’s attorney Vicki I. Podberesky, told Arcadia Weekly Monday.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s office could not confirm or deny that Deyun Shi was transferred to Patton State Hospital where such cases are usually treated.
The next court appearance is slated for Feb. 15, but Shi is not expected to appear.
