Suspect in brutal Boise stabbing awaits psych evaluation, victim home from hospital

The psychiatric evaluation ordered for a man accused of brutally slashing a stranger in Boise on Nov. 8 has not been completed, and a judge has postponed his latest court hearing until the suspect can be fully evaluated.

Ruben Diaz, 36, who was charged with attempted murder for allegedly attacking a 74-year-old man, was in court for a preliminary hearing before Ada County Magistrate Judge Russell Comstock. He appeared for the hearing through a video conference at the jail on Thursday. His next hearing was postponed until Jan. 10.

Diaz remains in custody on a $1 million bond in the Ada County Jail. Last week, a judge ordered that he undergo a psychiatric evaluation to determine whether he’s competent for trial.

The victim in the case, who was a stranger to Diaz and was doing yard work when the incident occurred, has been released from the hospital. His family has started a GoFundMe page to help pay for his medical bills. They have raised about $27,000 of the $50,000 needed to treat his injuries.

The victim was stabbed in the face, neck and hands with a folding-blade knife, according to court documents.

Diaz has developmental delays and schizophrenia, according to court documents that say his mother is his court-ordered legal guardian and conservator. He was released into an assisted living facility four months ago after spending nearly 10 years in prison. The facility was less than a mile from the victim’s home.

The Idaho Statesman has submitted a request for copies of the criminal complaints in his two prior aggravated battery convictions in Bonneville County. The court documents had not been received as of Thursday morning. Diaz was paroled four months ago, but his sentence would not have been complete until that parole finished in 2037.

This story was originally published November 15, 2018 at 10:11 AM.