Attorneys for fatal shooting suspect Miguel Ortega intend to plead not guilty by reason of mental disease or defects, according to information submitted early last week in Warren County Circuit Court.

Ortega, of Warrenton, is accused of fatally shooting his former wife in May 2021 at a home on Anthony Steven Court. The two had divorced earlier that year.

In a notice submitted to the court on Jan. 31, defense attorney Matthew Radefeld informed the court that Ortega will seek the protection of a Missouri state statute that says a person isn’t responsible for a crime if a mental deficiency prevented them from understanding their own actions.

“Defendant asserts that he is not responsible for any alleged criminal conduct because at the time of said conduct, and as a result of mental disease or defect, he was incapable of knowing and appreciating the nature, quality, or wrongfulness of his conduct,” Radefeld wrote, quoting the state statute.

Court proceedings for Ortega have been on hold since September 2021 in order for him to undergo evaluation by a forensic psychologist, coordinated by the Missouri Department of Mental Health. According to recent court records, a booking backlog kept that mental evaluation from being performed until December, and a report was submitted to the court and attorneys on Jan. 19. The report itself is not a public record.

The court has scheduled a video conference hearing on March 2 to review the status of criminal proceedings. The case is currently being overseen by Associate Circuit Judge Richard Scheibe.

On the night of the killing, Ortega was found in the home of the victim, María Vargas. Police at the time said he was found near the door with an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head, which was not life-threatening. Vargas was found in the bedroom of the home with a fatal gunshot wound and multiple knife wounds, police reported.

Ortega reportedly spoke to police on the night of the killing and allegedly admitted to the killing. After arguing with Vargas over the phone, Ortega allegedly drove from his home a short distance away, armed with a gun and knife.

Two juveniles were present at the home and witnessed the killing, police said at the time, adding that there had been no prior record of violent conflicts between the two.