A doubt was declared Tuesday about the competency of a woman who allegedly strangled a 78-year-old woman at a nursing facility in Long Beach.
Estela Rodriguez, 69, is charged with murder for the Aug. 1 killing of Euniece Suzanne Brown, according to a criminal complaint filed last week.
The charge includes an allegation that she personally used a dangerous and deadly weapon — a drawstring — during the crime, according to the complaint.
Officers responded Aug. 1 to the 2600 block of Grand Avenue, south of the San Diego (405) Freeway and west of Lakewood Boulevard, in connection with a report of an assault, according to the Long Beach Police Department.
Officers found the victim unresponsive, police said. She was pronounced dead after Long Beach Fire Department personnel attempted life-saving measures.
Rodriguez was arrested near the scene after a preliminary investigation determined she had allegedly assaulted the victim, police said last week, adding that a motive for the crime remained under investigation.
Rodriguez is due in a Hollywood courtroom Aug. 25 for a mental competency evaluation, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.