San Diego

A retired engineer from Clairemont was ordered Friday to stand trial on charges that he killed his wife with an ax. After a brief preliminary hearing before Municipal Court Judge Rafael Arreola, David Lewis Swingle, 56, was ordered to appear Jan. 18 in Superior Court so a trial date could be set. Swingle is charged with killing Nelda Swingle, 65, his wife of 31 years, on Dec. 16 in their Driscoll Drive home. Pathologist David Katsuyama testified Friday that the woman died from brain injuries. According to Superior Court records, Swingle has been diagnosed as psychotic and in a 1981 court hearing, was legally determined to be gravely disabled due to a manic-depressive psychosis that included violent behavior. His wife was named his conservator on June 15, 1981, and was reappointed every year. Judge Arreola continued Swingle’s bail at $500,000. He remains in County Jail.