Mark Andrews
An assertion that God commanded an Atascadero man to kill his neighbor highlighted Thursday’s closing arguments in the murder trial of Mark Andrews. [KSBY]
Andrews, 51, is accused of murdering Colleen Marie Barga-Millbury, 52, in May 2013. The Atascadero man has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, and a San Luis Obispo jury is currently deliberating in the first phase of his trial.
Both the prosecution and defense made closing arguments Thursday. Deputy District Attorney Matt Kraut said that Andrews was an on-point, organized killer who held the gun less than two feet away from Millbury’s head.
Kraut argued that Andrews was not psychotic at the time of the murder. The prosecution also played a recording of Andrews telling his mother that he just wanted to be executed and die.
Defense attorney Ilan Funke-Bilu countered by telling the jury that Andrews believed he was a werewolf and that Barga-Millbury was a vampire. God commanded Andrews to kill the vampire, Funke-Bilu said.
Funke-Bilu argued that Andrews should be treated for mental illness, not convicted because of it.
If jurors return with a guilty verdict, the trial will move into second phase in which they will determine Andrews’ sanity.
