An Indiana teen who allegedly told police a “shady man” forced him to kill a 6-year-old girl will undergo a psychological evaluation while his attorneys try to have him declared “legally insane.”
Anthony Hutchens, aged 15, will be examined by a psychiatrist and a psychologist to see if he is fit to stand trial for the murder in March of 2021 of young Grace Ross in the small town of New Carlisle in Indiana, reported the South Bend Tribune .
The local doctors will then present their findings to the court for review following a Tuesday order from St. Joseph County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Sanford, according to the Tribune .
Anthony was 14 years old on 12 March when he allegedly molested Grace and fatally strangled her in a wooded area of Carlisle, to 15 miles from South Bend. Grace was reported missing by her family and her body was found several hours later.
The accused killer allegedly told police that the girl followed him into the woods near the apartment complex where they both lived. before he strangled her under the control of “a shady man,” the Tribune previously reported, citing court records. Anthony ran away and was later arrested.
Anthony is detained at a youth center in Kokomo. His mother testified at a hearing that his son is on the autism spectrum and suffers from a sensory disorder, according to the Associated Press.
The accused murderer’s case was originally in juvenile court, but he has since moved to adult court and his legal team has reportedly been planning to use an insanity defense in the case. The attorneys also requested that the case be decided by a judge rather than a jury.
The evaluations are expected before August.
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