Psych exam ordered for parolee accused of fatally beating senior
City News Service
BANNING, Calif. (KESQ) – A parolee accused of fatally beating a 92-year-old man with whom he was rooming at an assisted living facility in Banning must undergo psychiatric examinations to determine his mental competency, a judge ruled today.
Sam Ato Timaloa, 77, allegedly inflicted grave injuries on Attilio Cecchetto of Banning in May.
Timaloa is charged with assault resulting in great bodily injury, elder abuse resulting in great bodily injury and battery resulting in injuries.
During a status hearing at the Banning Justice Center Monday, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Jay Kiel received motions from Timaloa’s public defender requesting comprehensive psychological tests to gauge the defendant’s mental health and whether he may be eligible for treatment at a state hospital, which would mean a possible indefinite suspension of criminal proceedings.
Kiel ordered the case transferred to the Riverside Hall of Justice, where another judge will handle the appointment of doctors and reports on their evaluations.
Timaloa is being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Smith Correctional Facility.
Banning Police Department Capt. Brandon Smith said that in the predawn hours of May 8, patrol officers were called to Banning Healthcare at 3476 W. Wilson St. to investigate reports of an assault on one of the nursing home’s residents.
“Officers discovered that the 92-year-old male victim had sustained severe injuries from an assault,” the captain said. “He was treated by Cal Fire paramedics and then transported to a trauma hospital for further treatment.”
Smith said the ensuing investigation determined Timaloa was assigned to the same room as the victim and had allegedly attacked him, but there was no word regarding why.
The defendant was taken into custody without incident.
Cecchetto died three days later.
The captain said a background check confirmed Timaloa was a registered sex offender.
Court records show he has prior convictions for forcible rape, attempted murder with a sentence-enhancing knife allegation and domestic violence. He was sentenced to 23 years in state prison in 2008 but qualified for early parole last year.
Documents indicated that he violated his parole in the summer of 2024, at which point the court ordered placed him in the skilled nursing facility, possibly due to health complications.
A county Adult Protective Services case worker had been assigned to handle his affairs, documents stated.