When the trial of Ryan Horne, 31, charged with the brutal murder of two sisters, Blanca Rosa Esquivel, 17 and Sandra Esquivel, 17, was to begin today in the court of Justice Adolph Lucas, his attorney, Alifa Elrington, submitted that psychiatric evaluation needs to be done on her client to determine if he is mentally competent to stand trial.
Justice Lucas agreed and adjourned the trial until Monday, December 17.
Crown Counsel Tracy Sosa represented the prosecution.
The incident occurred shortly before midday on Monday, May 22, at an apartment where the victims resided at #71 corner of Dean Street and Euphrates Avenue. Horne lived in a room next to the victims’ apartment.
According to the police, Horne, allegedly mentally challenged, entered the apartment of the victims and attacked them for no particular reason.
Blanca was stabbed about 45 times and Sandra was stabbed about 30 times.
The police reported that when they arrived at the scene they found Blanca lying face down at the entrance to her apartment. When they turned her body over they found a knife with a blade 6 to 8 inches long embedded in her vagina.
A woman reported that she saw the accused drag Blanca’s body by her leg to the entrance and leave her there.
Sandra was found lying in the kitchen next to the stove. She and Blanca were preparing beef soup for lunch when they were attacked and killed.
Reports are that shortly after the incident Horne waved a taxi to a stop in an attempt to escape. But a group of men grabbed him and tied him up until the police arrived.
Horne was charged with 2 counts of murder when he appeared in court on May 23, 2006.