An Oklahoma man charged in the shotgun killings of a Long Beach woman and her 4-year-old daughter, who were randomly targeted while returning home from grocery shopping, was found mentally incompetent Tuesday to stand trial.
Brandon Ivan Colbert Jr., 23, of Tulsa, was ordered to be sent to a state mental hospital, with another hearing to be held in August on Colbert's mental status.
Colbert is charged with the killings last Aug. 6 of Carina Mancera, 26, and her daughter, Jennabel Anaya, who were shot near Ninth Street and Locust Avenue. He is also accused of attempting to murder the child's father, Luis Anaya, who escaped injury.
The murder charges include the special circumstance allegations of murder while lying in wait and multiple murders, but prosecutors have opted not to seek the death penalty against Colbert.
At a May 15 hearing, Colbert collapsed to the floor and paramedics were called to take him to a hospital.
At a hearing in March, in which he was ordered to stand trial, Colbert said he believed the two victims were still alive and that he was being set up by police, whom he claimed staged the murders, the Long Beach Press-Telegram reported.
Prosecutors allege that Colbert hid behind a sign and opened fire on the family with a shotgun. Surveillance footage captured at least part of the shooting, according to testimony.
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He was booked last November in connection with the killings after DNA evidence allegedly linked him to the crime.
Colbert had been in custody since Aug. 27, when he was arrested by Los Angeles police on suspicion of driving a stolen vehicle and a DNA swab was obtained from him.
Luis Anaya told investigators that a man walked up to his longtime girlfriend and their daughter and suddenly — without provocation — opened fire, then ran off. He said he did not recognize the man, nor did anyone else in the neighborhood.
The gunman also fired at Anaya, but missed, according to police.
