TAMPA, Fla. -- The man suspected in four Seminole Heights murders last year has been found competent to stand trial.

Howell Donaldson III, 24, is facing four charges of first-degree murder in the killings last fall in the Tampa neighborhood.

Although Donaldson was indicted last December for the crimes, the court wasn't sure he was mentally capable of understanding the charges and assisting in his own defense.

Prosecutors said that changed Thursday.

"Well, three separate experts doing their own investigation and interviews with the defendant agreed that there's no sign to suggest anything other than he's competent to stand trial," said State Attorney Andrew Warren.

No trial date has been set. The case is now in the discovery phase where lawyers on both sides prepare their cases.

The slayings left the community on edge and received national news coverage.

It started 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.

His parents, Howell Donaldson Jr. and Rosita Donaldson, were on house arrest for more than four months after being found in contempt of court for refusing to answer questions from prosecutors.

That ended in early July when a judge ruled they were no longer in contempt.

In June, the state attorney's office released 1,300 pages of documents along with 40 different audio files in the case.

During the four hour long recording with detectives, Howell Donaldson talked about everything from basketball, his plans to move back to New York for graduate school, and his parents. 

Spectrum Bay News 9 reporter Trevord Pettiford contributed to this story.