Merrill, Iowa — The murder trial of an elderly Merrill man can now proceed after he was ruled competent to stand trial.
The case against octogenarian Thomas Knapp was put on hold in August when a judge ruled him incompetent to stand trial in the May, 2020 shotgun slaying of his stepson at Knapp’s rural Merrill residence.
Online court records indicate that, following a competency evaluation, Knapp was declared competent to stand trial earlier this week. His trial is now scheduled to begin September 6th.
Knapp is accused of firing a 20-gauge shotgun through a bedroom door, striking 51-year-old Kevin Juzek, who then made it to a living room area, where Knapp allegedly shot him a second time.
