Experts appointed to determine if man accused of killing Laguna Beach doctor is fit to stand trial

Attorneys in the case of a man accused of stabbing to death a doctor from Laguna Beach appointed experts Wednesday to evaluate whether he is psychologically competent to stand trial.

Vanroy Evan Smith, 39, faces one count of murder in connection with the death of Dr. Michael Mammone. The victim was bicycling in Dana Point on Feb. 1 when the defendant allegedly rear-ended him in a white Lexus, then got out and attacked him.

Relatives of the defendant told the Los Angeles Times he had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia as well as bipolar disorder and that his mental condition had been crumbling in recent years. The attorney representing Smith, deputy public defender Kevin Song, had raised questions about his client’s ability to participate in his own defense. Those have placed criminal proceedings in the matter on hold.

On Wednesday, he and Senior Deputy Dist. Atty. Jennifer Walker each selected mental health experts to evaluate whether the defendant is capable of facing the charge filed against him. All parties are scheduled to return to court on April 12 to go over their findings. If they do not agree, a bench trial must be held to decide whether the case can move forward.

If Judge Julian Bailey finds that Smith is not competent to respond to the allegations before him, the Orange County Health Care Agency will then have to determine if he should be committed to a mental health institution or undergo some other form of treatment. If the defendant is later deemed fit to go to trial, the case can be brought back to court.

The fatal stabbing Smith is accused of appeared to have been unprovoked, and any motive for it remained publicly unclear as of Wednesday. Authorities said he did not have any prior connection to Mammone.

Friends and relatives of the 58-year-old victim described him as a talented emergency room physician who had saved numerous lives over the course of his decades-long career. They said his upbeat personality became a well of support for his colleagues as they worked during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many called him a mentor who inspired them to be better versions of themselves.

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