Man competent for trial in co-worker killing

Published 6:40 am Sunday, October 21, 2012

MONTEVIDEO — A 25-year-old man has been found competent to stand trial in the stabbing death of an 18-year-old woman he worked with at a Montevideo pizza restaurant.

Judge Dwayne Knutsen last week confirmed an order finding Darek Nelson competent to stand trial.

The original competency order was issued in April after Nelson underwent a mental health evaluation. The defense wanted its own experts to review the evaluation.

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Court documents show the defense did not file an objection to the original evaluation.

A grand jury indicted Nelson for first-degree murder in the death of Vinessa Lozano. Lozano was killed Jan. 13 outside the Pizza Ranch.

According to the complaint, Nelson was upset when Lozano didn’t show up at his house the weekend before to hang out.