Villegas Ruled Incompetent In Attorney Murder Case
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBS4) - The man charged with murdering Plantation attorney Melissa Lewis then dumping her body in a canal has been ruled incompetent to stand trial.
Villegas was charged with the crime two years ago. Melissa Lewis was a law partner of convicted Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein and the best friend of his ex-wife Debra Villegas, Rothstein's chief operating officer.
Tony Villegas, 47, was first declared unfit for trial earlier this year and transferred to a state mental health facility. Two mental health experts testified Tuesday that he is still incompetent because he gets so emotional that he could not adequately assist his attorneys if he went to trial. Part of the problem, they said, is due to the fact that Villegas refuses to take antidepressants while he's in jail.
All the doctors agreed that Villegas would be competent if he took the medication. Prosecutors argued that Villegas is refusing the medication in order to avoid jail.
In the end, Broward Circuit Judge William Haury ordered Villegas be transferred back to a state hospital to receive treatment.
