Assessment on hold

Joshua Epstein, the man charged with killing Randell Sexton in front of 7-Eleven at the corner of First and Main streets last summer, remains in Butte County Jail due to a lack of beds at Napa State Hospital.

On Aug. 31, Epstein, 30, and Stephanie Vogel, 23, reportedly beat 44-year-old Sexton with a skateboard and repeatedly stabbed him in the head and upper torso. Sexton was pronounced dead on arrival at Enloe Medical Center. Epstein has been charged with murder, while Vogel faces a charge of assault with a deadly weapon; both pleaded not guilty on Sept. 10.

In November, Dr. Paul Wuehler, appointed by Butte County Superior Court to evaluate Epstein, testified that he is mentally incapable of understanding his charges. Epstein was scheduled to stay in a psychiatric facility until he was deemed capable of standing trial. District Attorney Mike Ramsey said the county is still looking for a mental facility for Epstein, explaining that further mental evaluation must be completed before court proceedings resume.