SR toy box slaying suspect competent

<p>A second psychiatrist has concluded that a Santa Rosa man charged with murdering his girlfriend and stuffing her in a toy box over Mother's Day weekend is competent to understand the criminal case against him.</p><p>After reading the latest report, Judge Elliot Daum ruled Wednesday that criminal proceedings against Honorio Pantaleon, 30, would resume.</p><p>Pantaleon is charged with murder, aggravated mayhem, domestic violence, child endangerment and other charges that could trigger the death penalty or life in prison without parole if he is convicted. He is being held without bail.</p><p>A charge of attempted murder was added Wednesday in connection with what authorities say was an attack on the mother of the suspect's girlfriend in Mendocino County two days after he is accused of stabbing to death the girlfriend, Patricia Barrales, 25, in their Rincon Valley apartment.</p><p>Police say Pantaleon stabbed Barrales several times in the head and upper body and hid her in a plastic toy box in a closet. They said he then packed up their two children and family dog and dropped them off at his mother's house in Kelseyville.</p><p>Family members alerted Santa Rosa police that something may have happened to Barrales, but officers didn't find her body when they first checked the apartment. She was found during a second check hours later.</p><p>Investigators said Pantaleon attempted to shoot Barrales' mother, Isabel, at her home in Mendocino County on May 12. When the rifle didn't fire, she reportedly grabbed for it and he hit her in the head and left, police said.</p><p>He was arrested later that night in Ukiah. He is due back in court Friday to enter a plea to the charges.</p><p>You can reach Staff Writer L.A. Carter at 568-5312 or lori.carter@pressdemocrat.com.</p>