Transient to Stand Trial for 2014 Fatal Beating

Photo via Shutterstock

By City News Service

A homeless man was ordered to stand trial Thursday for allegedly beating another man to death in San Mateo County last year.

Paul Ahern, 54, is accused of beating Michael Gonzalez, 46, to death during a fight at about 8:15 p.m. on June 9, 2014, in the 3100 block of Middlefield Road in an unincorporated part of San Mateo County near Redwood City.

Witnesses told sheriff’s deputies that Ahern yelled repeatedly that he was going to kill Gonzalez, slammed his head against the ground, punched him in the head, slammed his head into a car and held him in a chokehold for 10 minutes, according to prosecutors.

When deputies arrived, they found Ahern standing three feet from Gonzalez, who was lying facedown on the sidewalk, prosecutors said. Deputies arrested Ahern.

Gonzalez was pronounced dead at the scene.

On Aug. 4, 2014, Ahern was scheduled to enter a plea for the murder, but criminal proceedings were suspended to determine whether he was mentally competent to stand trial. On Sept. 30, two doctors concluded Ahern was not competent to stand trial, according to prosecutors.

On Jan. 7, a judge committed Ahern to the California Department of Mental Health and ordered Ahern be placed at Napa State Hospital. At the time, Ahern also consented to involuntary medication at the state hospital if determined to be necessary by the hospital doctors, prosecutors said.

Ahern was taken to Napa State Hospital in March. He has since been returned to court and has been found competent to stand trial, according to prosecutors.

Ahern’s defense attorney was not immediately available for comment Friday.