PARKERSBURG, Iowa – A judge has set aside the trial of an Iowa man accused of killing his former high school football coach pending a ruling on the man's mental competency.
Judge Stephen Carroll did not indicate Thursday how long he would take to rule on the competency of 24-year-old Mark Becker. Becker had been scheduled to go on trial Sept. 15.
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Becker is charged with first-degree murder in the June shooting death of Aplington-Parkersburg coach Ed Thomas.
Psychologist Dan Rogers, called by the defense, testified Becker is unfit to stand trial because he is paranoid schizophrenic and confuses fact with delusion.
Rogers said Becker has constant hallucinations.
Psychiatrist Michael Taylor agreed with that diagnosis but said Becker is competent.
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