Mental health experts have found Gary Montgomery incompetent to stand trial for the February 2012 stabbing death of 23-year-old Deoni Jones.
Police found Jones on February 2, 2012 around 8:15 p.m. at a bus stop in the 4900 block of East Capitol Street Northeast suffering from a stab wound. She was transported to a local hospital and was admitted in critical condition. She died the next day.
One week later, Montgomery, 56, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder while armed in Jones’ death.
According to court documents, Judge Robert Morin found Montgomery not fit to stand trial, based on the findings of a 30-day competency examination Montgomery went through from October to November.
A mental health report filed on November 27 states that Montgomery currently should not stand trial because he experiences mental illness symptoms including schizophrenia, hallucinations, thought disorder and an irritable mood.
“[Montgomery] was observed ‘talking quietly to himself,’” the report states. “Mr. Montgomery began to demonstrate more psychotic symptoms such as worsening of disorganized thinking, bizarre hoarding behaviors, and unprovoked aggressive behavior.”
Evaluators also stated that between Montgomery’s first and second examination, he made “substantial progress toward the restoration of competence to stand trial.”
In April, doctors at St. Elizabeth Hospital found Montgomery mentally competent to stand trial.
But Montgomery’s defense attorney, Anthony Matthews, pushed for a contested mental competency hearing.
Montgomery will undergo further evaluations, at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, and remains held there pending a mental observation hearing on Feb. 7, 2014.
