Is man accused of killing 4 in Salishan competent for trial? Here’s what a judge ruled
The 22-year-old man accused of gunning down four people in the alley behind a home in Tacoma’s Salishan neighborhood last year was found by a Pierce County judge Thursday to be competent to stand trial.
Superior Court Judge James Orlando found Maleke Pate capable of understanding the nature of the proceedings against him and to assist in his own defense. Pate underwent three evaluations to determine his mental competency and a 90-day stay at Western State Hospital to improve his psychiatric condition.
Pate is charged with four counts of aggravated first-degree murder for the Oct. 21 killings of Maria Nunez, 42; her son, Emery Iese, 19; Nunez’s brother, Raymond Williams, 22; and Williams’ girlfriend, Natasha Brincefield, 22. If convicted, Pate could face a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole on each count, according to state law.
Not guilty pleas were entered on his behalf Thursday, and he was ordered jailed without bail. A trial date of Sept. 28 was set, but that is likely to be rescheduled.
“I want him to know who he took,” Lauvale Iese, Nunez’s husband, said in a phone call with the News Tribune last week.
Iese is a longtime pastor to an Eastside congregation. He said he wants Pate to be held accountable. The defendant lived near Iese’s neighborhood, and he recalled knocking on his door several years ago to invite him and others who lived there to church.
Pate was arrested about a week after the shooting at a duplex where he was living, just about a half-mile from the 4200 block of East Everett Street, where he allegedly went up to a vehicle the four victims were in or near and opened fire.
Psychological evaluations found that the defendant meets the criteria for bipolar disorder based on interviews with a licensed psychologist and his mental health history.
According to court records, a woman who was inside the victims’ home saw part of the shooting unfold. From an upstairs window, she saw a body on the ground and watched the gunman shoot Nunez, who was trying to get out of the car. Moments later, records say, she saw the shooter chase Emery Iese out of an alley. The teenager fell to the ground, and the gunman shot him at an arm’s length.
So far no information from law enforcement or prosecutors has laid out a motive. When Pate was charged, investigators said they didn’t believe it was a robbery and that the victims were not associated with gangs or drugs. Records say Pate is a former student of Mount Tahoma High School and that he attended fifth grade with one of the victims.
Tacoma Police Department detectives identified Pate as a suspect by using surveillance footage that captured the gunman going to the scene and fleeing afterward.
According to court records, images from the footage were sent to local law enforcement Oct. 25, and the next day, a school resource officer recognized Pate as a former student at Mount Tahoma.
Iese addressed the court and a gallery of about 30 people during the hearing. He described how he and his family — including his wife Maria and his son Emery — have served the Tacoma community for years through their ministry.
“We love our city, we’ve done so much to help, and I just want justice to be served,” he said.
Iese held back tears as he exited the courtroom and went into the hallway. He returned to the gallery as a deputy escorted Pate away. People filed out into the hallway, and Iese embraced his oldest daughter, Mary.
After months of waiting for a decision as to Pate’s competency and multiple rescheduled hearings, Iese said he was ready to expect the unexpected today. He said his emotions came out because he and his family shouldn’t have to be in court fighting for justice for their loved ones.
“At least now we know officially what the next court hearing is going to be,” Iese said. “Instead of coming here for a mental evaluation and it being rescheduled, now we know we can mark it as day one.”
This story was originally published August 11, 2022 at 1:57 PM.
