SAN DIEGO -- An ex-con facing the death penalty for allegedly killing a vacationer in the parking lot of an Oceanside shopping center is mentally competent to stand trial, a judge ruled Monday.

Eric Russell Andreasen, 37, is charged with murder and a special circumstance of murder during a robbery in the April 3 stabbing death of 54-year-old Katherine Parker.

After reviewing a doctor's report Monday, Judge Frederick Maguire found that the defendant understood the charges against him and could assist his attorney at trial.

Trial was set for March 22 at the Vista Courthouse.

District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis will decide later if Andreasen will face the death penalty or life in prison without parole if he's convicted.

Witnesses testified at a preliminary hearing last spring that they saw Andreasen grab the victim from behind and slash her with a knife.

Parker died after being airlifted to a hospital in La Jolla.

The victim -- from the town of Lincoln, near Sacramento -- was visiting family in North County when she was attacked.

Authorities said she was stabbed repeatedly in the face, neck and stomach.

Deputy District Attorney Roy Lai said Andreasen had a history of approaching female strangers and demanding money.

The prosecutor said Andreasen pleaded guilty to attempted grand theft in 2005 and was sentenced to 16 months in prison.

The defendant also spent time at Patton State Hospital and has a robbery conviction from 1991, according to court records.

Andreasen will be back in court Dec. 14 for a readiness conference.