Dementia concerns for Elk Grove man, 85, accused in wife’s murder
An Elk Grove octogenarian accused of stabbing his wife to death in February remains in the medical and psychiatric unit of Sacramento County Jail, his attorney said this week.
Anh Thai, now 85, and facing a murder charge, was 84 when he was arrested by Elk Grove police Feb. 23 on suspicion of killing his wife, Xuan Xa, 77, at their Laguna area home.
Norm Dawson, Thai's court-appointed counsel, said there are "concerns over dementia. We are exploring all of that at this moment."
Thai was scheduled to appear Wednesday before Superior Court Judge Bummi O. Awoniyi, but remained on the jail's second floor. Dawson, a supervising attorney in the Sacramento County Public Defender's office, appeared at the hearing.
Dawson said any hearings to determine Thai's fitness would be weeks or more away.
Darrell Smith: (916) 321-1040, @dvaughnsmith
This story was originally published May 14, 2015 at 12:16 PM.