Modesto man charged with inflicting torture while fatally stabbing his mother
A Modesto man is charged with the murder of his mother while inflicting torture. The victim, 55-year-old Dana Morris, was a double leg amputee stabbed multiple times with a screwdriver early Saturday at the south Modesto home they shared.
The case against Zachary Ray Morris, 38, also includes a charge of abuse of a dependent adult causing death.
Stanislaus County Deputy District Attorney Wendell Emerson said the criminal proceedings against Morris have been suspended while a doctor evaluates Morris’ mental competency.
Emerson said that during Morris’ arraignment Tuesday in Superior Court, his defense attorney raised questions about his client’s ability to understand the proceedings and assist in his own defense. Emerson said it typically takes four to six weeks for a doctor to evaluate a defendant’s mental competency.
Morris is being held at the Public Safety Center. His bail is set at $2 million, according to the Sheriff’s Office website. Morris is represented by the Public Defender’s Office.
Sheriff’s detectives arrested Morris on Saturday after patrol deputies were dispatched around 4 a.m. to a disturbance in the 800 block of Inyo Avenue.
Deputies found a woman with life-threatening injuries. Paramedics attempted to save her life and transported her to a local hospital, where she died. Deputies found Morris near the crime scene and detained him for hours before arresting him.
Emerson said if Morris is not found competent, he will undergo a “restorative process” so he can understand the criminal proceedings against him and assist in his defense. That process could take place at the Public Safety Center or a state mental hospital, Emerson said.
