Eighteen-year-old Alexander Mills of New Bedford, Massachusetts, and a 16-year-old male being charged as a juvenile were both arraigned Tuesday on charges in connection with the robbery and murder of 66-year-old Donald DePina.
A Vietnam veteran who once served as the city's Veterans Agent, DePina was driving for Bluebird cab in New Bedford Saturday night when he was found suffering from a gunshot wound in Brooklawn Park.
He was pronounced dead a short time later.
"It's unbelievable what they did to him, you know what the worst part is if they were trying to rob him they could have just asked him for the money and he probably would have given it to them," DePina's son said.
A court clinician who examined Mills said he told her he had PTSD, he hears voices, and at times those voices tell him to harm people.
Mills' defense attorney questions his client's competency.
"There's prior indications of him needing his medication, going off his medication. The prosecution suggests there's malingering here, I don't think that's appropriate," defense attorney Drew Segadelli said.
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DePina's daughter says the focus now is on seeing this case through to a conviction.
"But just know everybody we got these people and we're going to get justice for my father because he's a good man, he left grandkids, he was a great grandfather and we're all going to miss him," she said.
