Woman who killed hubby unfit for trial, say doctors

The woman who shot and killed her husband and a security guard inside a mall in Quezon City last year has been determined to be mentally unfit to stand trial.

This was the finding of four clinical psychologists from the National Center for Mental Health who examined 25-year-old Shella Macapugay.

The results of the tests they conducted to determine the state of Macapugay’s mental and physical health have been submitted to Judge Bayani Vargas of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 219.

In their report, the doctors noted that while the suspect may be treated as an outpatient, she was “incompetent to withstand the rigors of court trial” for the Sept. 13, 2011, shooting of her husband and a security guard.

They told the court that they would submit a follow-up report once Macapugay becomes mentally fit to face a full-blown court trial.

The report was dated February 21 and received by the court on

February 28. It is expected to be taken up during the next hearing on March 20.

Vargas had ordered the conduct of the tests to determine the suspect’s mental fitness based on the recommendation of officials at Quezon City Jail where she is detained.

Macapugay is facing parricide and murder charges for shooting and killing her husband, Abel, who had left her for another woman, inside the mall where he worked.

She also shot security guard Ricardo Inamac III when he tried to take the gun away.

Based on their assessment, the psychologists said that Macapugay was suffering from a “major depressive disorder” characterized by (depression); diminished or loss of interest or pleasure in all or almost all activities of the day; a diminished ability to think or concentrate (and) loss of energy nearly every day; decrease in appetite, weight loss, insomnia, recurrent thoughts of death or suicidal attempts.”