Man accused of slashing two Fresno County correctional officers, plus murder, changes plea
A Fresno man accused of murder and slashing two correctional officers changed his not guilty plea Thursday in two felony cases to not guilty by reason of insanity.
Emilio Juanito Mancia, 37, appeared in the Department 30 courtroom Thursday wearing handcuffs and a yellow jumpsuit for high-risk inmates.
Judge Gary Hoff ordered that Mancia be evaluated by two psychiatrists to determine if he was insane when he allegedly committed the murder and the attack on the officers. If he is ruled insane he will be committed to a state hospital. If not, he will go to trial.
Mancia is being defended by attorney Christina Gonzalez and the prosecutor is Deborah Miller.
Mancia, who has a long criminal history, is facing a possible life sentence for stabbing to death 36-year-old Martin Holt on May 14, 2016.
Police said Holt was riding his bike north on Blackstone Avenue toward Belmont Avenue when Mancia allegedly came up to him, hit him in the face and stabbed him in the neck. Video surveillance cameras from a nearby business recorded the violent incident.
It didn’t take long for police to find him. He was already in the Fresno County Jail on a probation violation.
While in Fresno County jail in 2018, Mancia allegedly attacked two correctional officers, causing them serious injury. One of the officers was cut with a homemade weapon, slicing him on the cheek and part of his neck. The other officer was also slashed in the face and neck.
Mancia has been arrested multiple times over the years for other cases. He’s previously been charged with assault with a deadly weapon, robbery, auto theft, burglary and grand theft. He has also served two previous terms in state prison for prior felony offenses.
Plus, he had previously served time at the State Hospital in Atascadero to be treated for mental illness.
Mancia is due back in court on Sept. 28 in Department 30.
