The attorney for Cristopher Gaudreau, a Centralia man accused of murdering his girlfriend on Halloween weekend, has filed a notice informing the court Gaudreau intends to “possibly rely upon the defense of insanity.”
Gaudreau, 28, pleaded not guilty in November to one count of first-degree murder, domestic violence, after a competency evaluation completed by Western State Hospital determined he was mentally capable of standing trial for 39-year-old Rikkey Outumuro’s murder.
Gaudreau’s attorney, Christopher Baum, requested the competency evaluation on Nov. 4 due to conversations he’d had with Gaudreau that gave Baum “concerns about his ability to assist in his own defense,” Baum told Lewis County Superior Court at the time.
Baum filed the notice of intent to use insanity as a defense on Dec. 16.
To use insanity as a defense, Washington state law requires defendants to prove their mind was “affected” by a “mental disease or defect” to the extent that, at the time of the alleged offense, they were “unable to perceive the nature or quality of the act” they have been charged with or were “unable to tell right from wrong with reference to the particular act charged.”
Gaudreau has claimed he does not remember anything between approximately 11:30 p.m. on Oct. 30, at which time he was out drinking with Outumuro. On the morning of Oct. 31 he said he woke up on the floor of his residence and found Outumuro on the couch nearby, deceased.
Gaudreau was arrested Oct. 31 after he was interviewed by Centralia police officers about the circumstances of Outumuro’s death and was charged with first-degree murder, domestic violence.
The Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office added a second-degree assault charge to Gaudreau’s case on Dec. 15, charging him for allegedly shooting at a friend around midnight before the murder.
Gaudreau was expected to enter a plea on that charge during a hearing on Jan. 20, but at Baum’s request, the hearing was rescheduled to Feb. 24.
His trial is currently scheduled for June 13.
