Salina, KS — The Saline County District Court has ordered that a competency evaluation in the case of Preston James Reyna be filed under seal, restricting public access to the report as court proceedings continue.
Reyna, 36, faces multiple felony charges, including two counts of first-degree premeditated murder, following an incident on February 16, 2025, that resulted in the deaths of Martha Reyna and Rosalinda M. Reyna. He is also charged with aggravated battery, aggravated kidnapping, interference with law enforcement, battery against a law enforcement officer, domestic battery, and criminal damage to property. The case is being prosecuted by Saline County Attorney John Reynolds.
The recent court order stems from a motion filed by the Saline County Public Defender’s Office, represented by Chief Public Defender D. Justin Bravi and Assistant Public Defender Ashley Grams, requesting that Reyna’s Report of Competency to Stand Trial Evaluation, conducted by Dr. Jarrod Steffan, Ph.D., be sealed.
The motion cited Kansas statutes and Supreme Court rules allowing for the protection of confidential medical and mental health information to ensure a fair legal process. Following a hearing on August 4, 2025, District Court Judge Amy Norton granted the motion on August 6, 2025, finding that “good cause exists” to file the report under seal. The order was approved by both the defense and the State, represented by Assistant Saline County Attorney Noah J. Morgan.
The sealed filing ensures the competency evaluation remains private while the remainder of the case record remains accessible through standard court procedures. The case — State of Kansas v. Preston James Reyna (Case Nos. 25 CR 100, 23 CR 300023, and 23 CR 300177) — remains active in Saline County District Court as legal proceedings continue.
Timeline of Court Hearings in Reyna Double Murder Case
Salina, KS — Court records show a series of hearings held in Saline County District Court in the ongoing case of State of Kansas v. Preston James Reyna, who faces multiple charges including two counts of first-degree murder following the deaths of Martha and Rosalinda Reyna on February 16, 2025.
- February 19, 2025 – First Appearance
Judge Amy Norton presided as Reyna appeared in Courtroom 301. The Public Defender’s Office was appointed, and bond was set at $5,000,000 with GPS monitoring and a no-contact order with potential lay witnesses. - March 3, 2025 – Scheduling Conference
Reyna appeared with Chief Public Defender D. Justin Bravi. The court continued the no-contact order and scheduled the next conference for March 24, 2025. - March 24, 2025 – Scheduling Conference
Heard by Judge Rene Young, the court granted the defense motion for a competency evaluation to assess Reyna’s ability to stand trial. A review hearing was set for April 7, later reset to April 28, 2025. - April 28, 2025 – Status Conference
Judge Norton ordered a second competency evaluation, with a follow-up review hearing set for June 16, 2025. - June 16, 2025 – Review Hearing
The court reviewed progress on the evaluation and scheduled the next hearing for August 4, 2025. - August 4, 2025 – Status Conference
Assistant County Attorney Noah Morgan represented the State. The court granted a motion to file the competency report under seal, adopting the findings of Dr. Jarrod Steffan, Ph.D. Judge Norton ordered that Reyna be transferred to Larned State Security Hospital (LSSH) for competency restoration. A status hearing was set for November 10, 2025. - November 10, 2025 – Upcoming Status Conference
The next court date remains scheduled before Judge Norton to review the restoration process and determine Reyna’s competency status moving forward.
The case remains active as the court continues to monitor Reyna’s mental competency and readiness for trial.
