Peabody murder suspect may try insanity defense

SALEM – The defense in the trial of accused murderer Ashley Fernandes, the Peabody man charged with strangling his live-in girlfriend in their Oak Street apartment in 2008, may be considering an insanity defense.In Salem Superior Court Thursday morning, defense lawyer Aviva E. Jeruchim told Judge Timothy Q. Feeley that she is looking for a mental-health expert to retain in order to evaluate Fernandes concerning mental health issues.She asked the judge to continue the case to June 30 at which time she may seek funds for the medical expert to do an evaluation. The judge agreed to continue the case until then.If the defense does take that approach for the trial, then Assistant District Attorney Kate B. MacDougall will also want to hire their own medical expert to evaluate Fernandes, which will probably delay the trial.The case has been lingering due to ongoing preliminary trial motions that had to be resolved.Earlier this year, Feeley rejected the defense’s request to toss out key evidence because of unsigned search warrants and a statement from being introduced at the trial.Fernandes, 31, who worked at Bostik in Middleton, is facing a first-degree murder charge in the death of his live-in girlfriend, Jessica HerreraHerrera, 25, a mother of two, was found by authorities on the morning of April 6, 2008 strangled and wrapped in a blanket hidden under a pile of construction material in a back bedroom at their 7 Oak St., #9, Peabody, apartment.Fernandes had led police to her body following a motor vehicle stop.A key witness in the case told Beverly police that he had a conversation with Fernandes at an Indian restaurant in Beverly in which he said his girlfriend was dead inside his apartment and that the witness would soon be seeing him in the news.In addition to the murder charge, Fernandes also is charged with attempted murder and assault and battery involving another attack on Herrera three months prior, during which she allegedly sustained a significant bruise under her left eye and bruises to her right upper leg.Fernandes, who was born in India but is of Hispanic descent, has pleaded innocent to the charges lodged against him.A conviction on the murder in the first degree carries a life sentence in state prison with no chance of being paroled.Fernandes remains held at the Middleton Jail without bail pending the outcome of his trial.No trial date has yet been scheduled in the case.