Sanity to be determined in Tierrasanta murder trial

EL CAJON (KUSI) – A jury Monday will begin determining the sanity of a woman who was convicted of murdering her 74-year-old great-aunt in her Tierrasanta home.

The jury convicted Tiffany Nicole Burney, 26, of first-degree murder on Feb. 26th for shooting and killing Daisy Mae Hayes. If found sane, Burney faces 50 years to life in prison.

Burney, who had been diagnosed with a form of schizophrenia, was in a psychotic state when she shot Hayes, according to her Public Defender Kevin Haughton. He also stated that the defendant started hearing voices at the age of 11 and was hospitalized for the first time when she was 13.

According to the Deputy District Attorney, however, Burney was upset that she did not live up to the expectations of the rest of her family and decided that she would take out her frustrations on her great-aunt.

Upon arriving at her great-aunt’s house shortly after 3a.m. and asking to use the bathroom, Burney came back with a gun and shot Hayes four times, prosecutors said.