The Tooele man charged with the murder of his mother in July will be subjected to a competency hearing before he will be able to request a change of venue.
Jesus Aragon, 44, is charged with first-degree felony murder and first-degree felony aggravated burglary. He appeared before 3rd District Court Judge Robert Adkins on Tuesday and the continuance for the competency review was requested by his public defender, Jaime Topham.
Tooele City police was dispatched to Marcella Aragon’s home at 245 E. 600 North around 7:30 a.m. on July 22 for suspicious circumstances and a welfare check, according to Tooele City Police Officer Tanya Turnbow. The reporting party, who was a family member of the victim, alerted dispatch that Jesus “Jesse” Aragon was in the area and acting suspicious.
Jesus Aragon was not a resident of his mother’s house, according to the probable cause statement.
When officers arrived on scene, they went to the front door and knocked but received no response. They made contact with Jesus Aragon through an open window on the southeast side of the home, where he was found asleep on a bed, the statement said.
Officers asked him to come out to speak with them and he did so willingly, Turnbow said.
Tooele City police entered the home and found Marcella Aragon deceased on the living room floor with obvious signs of an assault, according to the probable cause statement.
The responding police spoke with Aragon but he resisted arrest and got into a scuffle with officers, Turnbow said. He was safely taken into custody and transported to the Tooele City Police Department for questioning, where he was cooperative with investigators.
During an interview with Tooele City police, Aragon admitted to the murder of his mother, the probable cause statement said.
Tooele City police have not released a cause of death or motive in the case.
Aragon is expected back in 3rd District Court for his competency review on Oct. 25 at 9 a.m. before Adkins.