Competency Hearing Set for Suspect in Fire That Killed 7

A man charged with setting an apartment fire that killed his wife and six children may be incompetent to stand trial and could be sent to a state mental facility, his lawyer said Monday.

Psychiatric evaluations conducted on Jorjik Avanesian, 41, will be used to argue that Avanesian is incapable of assisting in his own defense, said Deputy Public Defender Stanley Perlo.

A competency hearing is scheduled today in Judge Janice Claire Croft’s courtroom at Pasadena Superior Court.

“We’re going to go forward and request a determination of incompetence,” Perlo said. “That’s based on all the evidence that we have.”

Perlo declined to reveal details of the recently completed independent evaluations by two doctors. Deputy Dist. Atty. Kevin McCormick also declined to reveal information from the doctors, saying it was confidential.

Avanesian, who pleaded not guilty, faces seven counts of murder and one count of arson as the suspect in a Feb. 6 fire that killed his wife, Turan, 37, and their six children, ages 4 to 17. He remains in custody.

Authorities say that Avanesian, an Armenian-Iranian immigrant who came to California nearly a year ago, intentionally set his family’s Harvard Street apartment ablaze with gasoline out of anger toward his wife.

During previous court hearings, Avanesian has at times ignored Perlo or interpreters and attempted to speak directly to the judge. Several times, he loudly declared his innocence or called police liars.

Perlo said if the court rules that Avanesian is incompetent, he would be sent to a state mental facility for treatment. Generally, a progress report is issued by state officials within about three to six months, he said.

“Once he regains competence, he would return to court for trial,” Perlo said. “That means the trial could be delayed six months or longer, until he regains competence.”

Perlo said it was too soon to determine whether Avanesian’s case would include an insanity defense.