Jesse Lucatero, 25, a son accused of killing his own mother in their Plum Canyon home, returned to court on Friday for his preliminary hearing.

Lucatero is the only suspect in the murder of his mother, 57-year-old Maria Acevedo Lucatero, who was found dead in the kitchen of the family’s home by her husband in 2016.

Lucatero, their youngest son, reportedly had a confrontation with his mother while at home before her murder, according to prosecutors.

An official, who, in a previous KHTS article, spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the potential motive, said mental health concerns likely played a factor in the killing.

Lucatero’s mental competency was called into question at the beginning of his trial, but officials ruled he was competent to assist in his own defense in June 2017, according to officials with the District Attorney’s Office.

Maria was a chef and co-owner of Margarita’s Mexican Grill located in Valencia, which she had run with her husband for years. The two also ran a restaurant in Thousand Oaks.

He is scheduled to return on Oct. 29 for a continuation of his preliminary hearing.

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