Camarillo Man Charged With Murdering And Dismembering His Mother Found Competent To Stand Trial

Thursday May 16, 2024

   Update--A judge Thursday ruled the Camarillo man accused of murdering and dismembering his mother is now competent to stand trial.

     26-year-old David Hoetzlein had been considered incompetent almost since his arrest not long after the crime in 2022.

     Both prosecution and the defense had agreed back then that Hoetzlein was incompetent and could not understand the charges against him or aid in his defense.

     But at Thursday's hearing they both agreed that the intense psychiatric treatment had restored his sanity.

     The finding and decision by the court does not preclude the defense from arguing at trial that Hoetzlein was insane at the time of the crime.

     Hoetzlein remains in jail with no chance of release and is due in court on June 6th to be arraigned.

     Hoetzlein, who had a long history of mental illness, was arrested in June of 2022, a few hours after the dismembered remains of his mother, 62-year-old Tomoko, were found in the trash enclosure near their residence in the Las Positas Apartments in the 300 block of Townsite Promenade in Camarillo.