SAN ANGELO, TX - This morning, 30-year-old Thomas Riddle, who is accused of murdering his mother's boyfriend, Jerry Don Barr, in March of 2016, slowly made his way into the Tom Green County courthouse. Chains weighed down Riddle's hands and feet as he walked into the building.
Riddle never made it into Judge Jay Weatherby's courtroom, however.
In fact, Riddle's defense attorney, Stephanie Goodman said she wasn't sure why there was a scheduled hearing.
On August 24, 2016, the defense filed a motion for a psychological exam to determine Riddle's competency to stand trial. According to the Order of Setting on Motion Suggesting Incompetency and Request for Examination signed on Aug. 25, the court ordered that a hearing on this motion be set for today at 9 a.m.
However, there appeared to be some confusion as to why the hearing was scheduled at first. After further discussion, Goodman reconfirmed to Judge Weatherby the motion to have Riddle undergo a competency evaluation, and used the term "insanity." She also asked Judge Weatherby if Riddle needed to appear in the courtroom to determine the evaluation. He was not present during the discussion, but was sitting across the hall. Weatherby, however, said that wouldn't be necessary and he would sign the order.
With that being said, Riddle is set for another criminal pre-trial hearing on Nov. 1, and his jury trial is set for Nov. 14. It is not clear how the competency evaluation may affect that trial date.
According to court documents, Riddle, on or about March 19, 2016, "intentionally and knowingly" caused the death of Barr by striking him with a blunt metal object. The incident occurred in the 3300 block of Rock Brook Drive.
For more stories on this case, click here and here.
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