SALINAS – A former Naval Postgraduate School professor accused of shooting and dismembering his ex-wife in 2012 said in court Tuesday he was not guilty by reason of insanity.

Lawrence Jones, 72, stood quiet clad in a white and orange striped jumpsuit as the judge told him that by entering this plea he could face life in custody at a mental hospital.

“Yes,” Jones said in response.

Superior Court Judge Julie Culver said she would appoint two experts on Nov. 18 to evaluate Jones’ mental state. Jones’ criminal case has been beset by delays since his arrest on Sept. 14, 2012. Jones waived his right to a speedy trial, and no specific time frame was given for the evaluation’s duration.

Police arrested Jones after remains of Norife Herrera, his 29-year-old ex-wife, were found scattered beside a road in Aromas on Sept. 7, 2012, days after the two finalized their divorce.

After his arrest, a search warrant was issued to investigate the couple’s beachfront Monterey home. Authorities found evidence that Herrera had been shot and disemboweled inside the home. Police say the weapon used was a shotgun, and that Jones had purchased a round-trip ticket to Rio de Janeiro.

Jones’ attorney, Paul Meltzer, said Jones came to court Tuesday to reaffirm he is not guilty of the gruesome charges and to enter a new not guilty plea by reason of insanity. During Jones’ preliminary hearing in June, Meltzer alluded to his client’s unstable mental health at the time of the slaying, but did not comment on whether or not an insanity defense would be entered.

In February 2013, Jones pleaded not guilty to the charges, but prior to entering his plea, his arraignment was postponed six times in four months. The postponement was due to medical issues and Jones cycling through several attorneys, court records show.

Jones has a history with suicide attempts and was place on suicide watch when first booked in Monterey County Jail, court records show. He has also been housed in a one-man cell in the jail’s isolation unit because of his age and the case’s notoriety.

Jones was an internationally recognized financial management expert who worked as a consultant for the Asian Development Bank and was a visiting scholar at universities around the world. He taught at NPS and has lived in Monterey since the late 1980s.

Herrera’s body was discovered when a Pacific Gas & Electric Co. worker reported pieces of a mannequin in a secluded area of San Benito County, where Jones allegedly dumped his ex-wife’s body.

Ana Ceballos can be reached at 726-4377.