Murder suspect ordered to undergo competency exam

A Williamsburg man, who allegedly killed his aunt, Wanda Richardson, on June 21 by beating and stabbing her, has been ordered to undergo a psychiatric exam.

Michael Worley is charged with murder in the death of his aunt, Wanda Richardson.

On July 15, a Whitley County Grand Jury indicted Michael Worley, 41, for murder in Richardson’s death.

During a court appearance Monday afternoon in Whitley Circuit Court, Worley’s attorney, public advocate Caleb Pittman, noted that he had filed a motion Friday to have his client committed to the Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center (KCPC) for a competency hearing.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Ronnie Bowling asked if the motion also requested an evaluation for criminal responsibility, which Pittman said he thought it did.

After reviewing the motion, Bowling noted that he had no problem with the request to have Worley evaluated in those two areas, and that a competency hearing would eventually be necessary.

Circuit Judge Dan Ballou approved the request for the evaluations, and scheduled an Oct. 7 status hearing in the case.

KCPC is a state run psychiatric hospital, which is located in Lagrange prison. Those incarcerated in county jails or state prisons are often sent there for psychiatric treatment or evaluations to determine competency to stand trial.

Worley is currently being held in the Whitley County Detention Center in lieu of a $250,000 cash bond.

An R-Tech driver, who was at Richardson’s home on June 21 to pick her up for a doctor’s appointment, saw Richardson run out of her home with her head bloody yelling, “Help me! Help me!” according to Freeman’s testimony.

The R-Tech driver, who wasn’t identified in court, later allegedly saw Worley choking Richardson while she was down the on ground. When police arrived at the scene shortly before 8 a.m., the victim was covered in blood, and Worley had a significant amount of blood on him too, Williamsburg Police Lt. Bobby Freeman testified at a hearing last month.

Freeman was the first officer to arrive at the scene on Betty West Road.

Freeman said that when he got to the residence he recognized Worley, who was running away from the victim and yelled at him to stop and sit down. He didn’t sit, but stood nearby.

Whitley County Sheriff’s Deputy John Hill soon arrived at the scene and handcuffed Worley.

Freeman found the victim lying face down in the gravel between her residence and her mother’s residence, which were a short distance away.