Merrill, Iowa — A judge has issued a ruling into the competency of an elderly Merrill man charged with murder for the shotgun slaying of his stepson in May of last year.
Court documents indicate Judge Duane Hoffmeyer has ruled 83-year-old Thomas Knapp incompetent to stand trial in the slaying of 51-year-old Kevin Leroy Juzek, also of rural Merrill.
The judge ruled that Knapp is “suffering from a mental disorder which prevents the defendant from appreciating the charge, understanding the proceedings, or assisting effectively in the defense.” Due to the judge’s ruling, all criminal proceedings against Knapp are on hold until his competency is restored.
The judge directed that Knapp be sent to the Iowa Medical and Classification Center of the Iowa Department of Corrections, with the facility providing the court with progress reports on his competency.
Knapp is accused of firing a 20-gauge shotgun through a bedroom door, striking the victim who then made it to a living room area, where Knapp allegedly shot him a second time.
