A Mission Beach stabbing case that rattled regulars at Moe’s Steakhouse is on hold after a San Diego judge ruled the accused attacker is not mentally fit to stand trial. The criminal case began last September when a bartender was stabbed inside the restaurant, survived, and witnesses say other patrons rushed in to subdue the attacker.
Judge sends suspect to Patton for treatment
In a Jan. 14 ruling, San Diego Superior Court Judge Kristopher Young found 42-year-old Hector Manuel Vasquez II mentally incompetent to be tried after reviewing psychiatric reports. He ordered Vasquez committed to Patton State Hospital for up to two years so clinicians can attempt to restore his competency.
Under the order, doctors at Patton must return Vasquez to San Diego if they determine he has regained competency. If that does not happen within two years, a judge will review his case and decide whether further hospitalization is necessary, according to the Times of San Diego.
Attack inside Moe's Steakhouse
The attack unfolded around 2 p.m. on Sept. 18, 2025, when Vasquez allegedly slipped in through an unlocked side door at Moe’s Steakhouse and confronted bartender Matt Harden while he was eating lunch. Harden was stabbed seven times and suffered wounds to his face and abdomen before a bystander hit the suspect with a rock, and other patrons grabbed barstools to help subdue him.
Both Harden and the suspect were taken to hospitals. The bartender survived the attack and has been recovering, according to KGTV/ABC 10News.
Charges and halted proceedings
Vasquez is charged with attempted murder and burglary. Prosecutors said at his arraignment that he made statements indicating he intended to kill everyone in the restaurant.
Judge Young’s Jan. 14 competency finding automatically suspended the criminal proceedings and transferred the case to the Department of State Hospitals for restoration efforts. At an earlier hearing in September, a judge denied bail after prosecutors argued Vasquez was a flight risk, according to Times of San Diego.
What 'incompetent to stand trial' means in California
Under California law, a defendant who is found incompetent to stand trial can be committed to a facility run by the Department of State Hospitals so clinicians can try to restore competency. If doctors later conclude the person understands the proceedings and can assist a lawyer, they must file a certificate of restoration and send the defendant back to court.
Recent statutory changes and court rulings have shortened the maximum restoration period in many cases to two years and set clearer procedures for returning a defendant to the committing court if competency is restored. Appellate decisions have helped define how those rules work in practice, including the process for filing and acting on a certificate of restoration. See the case of People v. Carr on Justia for one example.
Aftermath and community response
Harden has undergone multiple surgeries since the stabbing, and neighbors and coworkers launched a fundraiser to help cover his medical bills, local outlets reported. Moe’s temporarily closed after the attack so staff could regroup, and the case has fueled ongoing conversations about worker safety in crowded beach neighborhoods.
Earlier coverage chronicled Harden’s recovery and the community’s fast response. See KGTV/ABC 10News for details on the fundraiser and unprovoked Moe's steakhouse stabbing coverage from Hoodline for more on the day of the attack.
What comes next
While Vasquez is housed at Patton State Hospital, clinicians will monitor and treat him with the goal of restoring competency. If they eventually file a certificate stating that he is competent, he will be returned to San Diego County Superior Court and the attempted murder and burglary case can resume.
If he is not restorable within the current statutory framework, the court may consider other options such as conservatorship or dismissal, depending on his condition and the law at the time. Officials at the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office and the court have not offered further comment beyond the Jan. 14 ruling, and the case will only move ahead if Vasquez is returned to San Diego for proceedings. For more on recent California reforms to competency restoration timelines, see LegiScan.
