Man accused in Point Loma killing of ex-boss is ruled competent to stand trial

A man accused of fatally shooting his ex-boss at the victim’s Point Loma auto repair shop a decade ago was ruled competent April 5 to stand trial on a murder charge.

Nicolas Brito Rosales, 56, could face 50 years to life in state prison if convicted of killing Jalal “Joe” Abou, 63. A jury trial was tentatively set for September.

Rosales was originally arraigned in late 2017 but was ruled incompetent to stand trial the following year, meaning he was found unable to understand the charges against him and assist his attorney at trial.

He also was ruled incompetent at a bench trial in 2019.

The morning of April 19, 2011, Abou was found lying in a parking lot at his Rosecrans Street business, Joe’s Auto Repair.

Several good Samaritans performed CPR until paramedics took over, but Abou — an Iraq native and father of three who lived in Rancho San Diego — died at the scene.

Witnesses told investigators that they had seen a man parked near the auto repair business in a dark green sedan with primer spots on it before the shooting and saw him driving away immediately afterward, authorities said.

At the time, Rosales hadn’t been working at the victim’s business for about six months. The circumstances of how he left the job were unclear.