Pierce County prosecutors charged Joe Conway Elder with second-degree murder in the death Tuesday of Ramoncito Barro, a 39-year-old father of five, at a University Place adult family home.

Elder, dressed in an orange jail uniform, sat in a wheelchair and wore headphones connected to a voice-amplifying device during Wednesday’s hearing.

Chief criminal deputy prosecutor Jerry Costello raised concerns about Elder’s mental health.

A King County judge deemed Elder incapacitated in September 2007 and ordered a guardian to make most of Elder’s decisions, Costello told Superior Court Judge Thomas Felnagle.

The court order indicated Elder suffers from major depression, delusional disorder and a personality disorder with paranoid and schizophrenic features.

“The state should be very concerned about competency,” Costello said in urging the judge to sent Elder to Western State Hospital for a competency evaluation.

Elder’s attorney, Richard Whitehead, agreed the assessment was needed.

Felnagle ordered the evaluation. He also found probable cause to charge Elder with second-degree murder but postponed his arraignment until after the competency evaluation.

Charging documents provided a few new details but offered no motive.

“It is unclear what defendant was upset about, no arguing or fighting was heard,” charging documents state.

The shooting took place in Barro’s home in the 5800 block of 62nd Street West. Barro was licensed to run Total Care AFH, an adult care home that provides rooms to elderly patients. Elder had lived at the home since December.

According to court documents, Barro went to Elder’s room Tuesday to bring him some grapes, Elder’s favorite. Elder shot Barro in the chest. Barro’s mother-in-law, Marietta Malang, an employee at the home, heard the noise and went to Elder’s room. She found the door locked but heard her son-in-law say, “You shot me,” court documents state.

“She opened the door and saw the defendant standing behind the victim, beating him with his fists, while the victim was slumped over a portable commode,” charging documents state. “She tried to intervene and defendant began physically assaulting her too.”

Malang was able to get free of Elder. She saw the gun on his bed, grabbed it and ran out of the room. Barro was taken to St. Joseph Medical Center, where he died a short time later.

Elder made no statements to police before he was booked into the jail.

The gun, a .38-caliber revolver, was registered to Elder. His caregivers did not know he had it. Residents of state-licensed adult family homes can own guns if they pass a test showing they are mentally and physically capable of using the weapons safely. The guns must be locked up while stored in the home.

Elder’s only known criminal history is a conviction 22 years ago for unlawful discharge of a gun, Costello said.

In addition to operating Total Care, Barro worked as a dialysis technician for DaVita Inc. in Tacoma, said his sister, Genalin Pecache.

She called Barro “the rock” of the extended family, working two jobs but still finding time to drive his own kids and sometimes nieces and nephews to school. He also did much of the cooking for his family, Pecache said.

Barro had three girls in first, third and fifth grades at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School in Tacoma.

He was a “very, very nice man,” said Jeff McVicker, the school’s development director. “We’re just trying to work through it and help the family out as much as we can.”

Stacey Mulick: 253-597-8268

blogs.thenewstribune.com/crime

Staff writer Adam Lynn contributed to this report.

How to help

An account for Ramoncito Barro’s family has been set up at Columbia Bank. Donations to the Ramoncito Barro Memorial Account can be made at any branch.