OGDEN -- At his first hearing on charges stemming from a double homicide, Jeremy Valdes' attorney requested psychological evaluations of his client Monday to be sure he's competent to stand trial.
Valdes had no objection to his photo being taken by the media in open court, while his alleged accomplice did not grant permission to have her picture taken.
Valdes, 33, is charged with two counts of aggravated murder, for which he could face the death penalty, in the Nov. 25 slayings of Pamela Knight Jeffries, 56, and her son Matthew Roddy, 30, in a Roy mobile home.
After Monday's hearing, Valdes' public defender, Jim Retallick, would only say he sought the testing because of events, or Valdes' behavior, since his arrest.
"Based on some factors that have been brought to light, we're going to ask for (psychological) reports," Retallick told 2nd District Judge Mark DeCaria in open court.
DeCaria ordered the evaluations be done by two mental health professionals, then set a Jan. 25 review date.
Valdes and his co-defendant girlfriend, Miranda Statler, were arrested Dec. 1, the day after the bodies of Jeffries and Roddy were found hidden in a closet. Time of death was estimated at 6 a.m. Nov. 25.
Valdes and Statler were initially held on probation violations from prior cases, mostly drug offenses, then formally charged in the murders Dec. 4. They had hearings Dec. 7 on the prior cases.
In addition to the homicide counts against Valdes, both are charged with auto theft and obstructing justice, as well as two counts each of abuse or desecration of a human body, a charge that includes concealing as an offense.
Statler is also charged with unlawful possession of a credit card, as Roddy's credit card was found in her purse.
All charges are felonies.
Both Valdes and Statler have confessed to police, according to charging documents.
Valdes described in detail his stabbing of Roddy and beating of Jeffries, and said he duct-taped a plastic bag over Jeffries' head to suffocate her, the documents state.
Police said the reporting to police by Jeffries and Roddy on Nov. 25 that Statler and Valdes stole Jeffries' prescription medications, Valium and OxyContin, apparently triggered the attack.
Valdes is the third of three men now charged with double homicides in Weber County since 2007. All three face the death penalty, the first capital cases in the county since 2001.
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