On Monday morning, Starlene Casarez Delacruz, 32, was found competent to stand trial by a federal judge. Delecruz was charged with robbing the Prosperity Bank at 8232 University Avenue on March 13. She was accused of taking $1,900 from a teller after making a threat.
Specifically she was accused of saying, “I don’t want to freak anybody out, but my dad is waiting and if we don’t fill this up with all your money, then there are bombs and this will all blow up.”
According to official records she did not display a weapon. She was arrested the same day as the robbery.
On April 2, her defense attorney, Mark Snodgrass, wrote in court records, “Counsel has met with Ms. Delacruz and finds communication to be quite difficult.”
Snodgrass also wrote, “Further, counsel learned through communications with Ms. Delacruz’s family that Ms. Delacruz may be suffering from a mental disease.”
Delacruz was then the subject of a mental health evaluation at the Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth.
Delacruz was not claiming innocence by reason of insanity, which is a different issue. Her attorney was claiming she might have been incompetent to stand trial.
But the judge on Monday determined she can stand trial. Her federal arraignment is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.