Fresno County man’s competency in question, in ex-wife’s and mother-in-law’s killings
Alan Dupras, the Kingsburg man accused of killing his estranged wife and her mother, is being evaluated by a psychiatrist because his lawyer is concerned about his mental competency.
Mark Broughton, Dupras’ lawyer, would not go into detail about why his client needs to be examined other than to say, “I just had concerns based upon interviews and certain other things.”
Dupras is charged with murder in the December 2017 shooting deaths of beloved Kingsburg school principal Jennifer Dupras, and her 88-year-old mother, Cynthia Houk. The two women were killed inside Houk’s home in northwest Fresno.
The 58-year-old defendant has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder, arson and possession of an assault weapon. If convicted, he could face the death penalty or a life prison sentence without parole.
But the criminal case against him is on hold until a report by court-appointed psychiatrist Howard Terrell of Clovis is completed.
Still to be decided in the case is a motion by the defense to disqualify the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office over a potential conflict. Dupras’ lawyers argue their client can’t get a fair trial because Jennifer Dupras and her mother are relatives of a senior official in the District Attorney’s Office.
The DA’s office has denied a conflict exists and so has the state Attorney General’s office.
Judge Michael Idiart has yet to rule on the motion and won’t until he reviews Terrell’s report. A hearing to discuss the report is scheduled for Sept. 25.
Broughton said typically if a defendant is found to have mental health issues, a psychiatrist can prescribe medication or some other form of treatment to the person until a doctor determines they are competent. Than the case can proceed.
If the defendant is found mentally incompetent, they will likely be sent to Atascadero State Hospital where the state houses mentally ill convicts, Broughton said.
The issue of Dupras’ mental competency has been a lingering concern and not one that suddenly came up, Broughton said.
“I am not going to say that this didn’t come up in the beginning, but a diligent attorney must be watchful over his client,” he said. “Things can change. He (Dupras) has never been in custody before. And over time, those conditions can be very stressful.”
Authorities believe jealousy may have driven Dupras to allegedly commit the killings. Detectives have looked at the couple’s divorce and Jennifer’s new relationship as a possible motive. Jennifer Dupras filed for divorce in October 2017.
This story was originally published July 25, 2019 at 2:50 PM.