TAMPA -- A Thursday competency hearing for the man accused of killing four people in Seminole Heights has been postponed.
The hearing was anticipated to give some determination if suspect Howell Donaldson III could stand trial.
- Competency hearing for suspected Seminole Heights killer postponed
- Howell Donaldson III charged with 4 counts of first-degree murder
- Attorneys say Donaldson III suffering from mental health issues
The hearing was postponed until June 29, when the doctor who did the competency evaluation, Dr. Richard Carpenter, can be present in court.
Donaldson III, 24, is facing four charges of first-degree murder in the killings of four people last fall in the Tampa neighborhood. Donaldson III's attorneys had previously filed a motion asking that his mental status be evaluated by specialists.
The competency hearings have been set to determine if he is competent to stand trial. Even if it is determined he can stand trial, it could take months or even years before an actual trial.
"It's a low standard, a high percentage of cases where people are evaluated way more likely than not," said Bay News 9 legal analyst Kevin Hayslett, who is not affiliated with the Donaldson case. "The ruling would be they're competent to stand trial."
Seminole Heights residents and police were on edge last fall, starting when 22-year-old Benjamin Mitchell was shot to death Oct. 9.
Two days later, 32-year-old Monica Hoffa, was slain. And on Oct. 19, Anthony Naiboa, 20, was killed after taking the wrong bus home from his new job. On Nov. 14, 60-year-old Ronald Felton was shot and killed.
Donaldson III was arrested Nov. 28.
Data collected from Donaldson's phone shows he was in the area during the time of the killings and had searched online for information about the murders.
His attorney has said Donaldson suffers from mental health issues and may not understand the legal process.
Hayslett said if a judge says Donaldson is found competent, then the defense could ask for further psychiatric evaluations. But if the judge rules he's not competent, Donaldson could be sent to a state hospital.
"They would receive competency training," he said. "That means they're given professional training to become competent perhaps given medication to become competent with the idea that the end game would be that they're competent and then start the criminal trial process."
If he is found competent and this case goes to trial, the defense could plead not guilty by reason of insanity.