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ST. GEORGE — A 19-year-old Toquerville man accused of killing his neighbor last year has been found incompetent to stand trial.
On Thursday, Joshua David Canfield was determined to be incompetent to proceed with his case in 5th District Court. Canfield is charged with murder and aggravated robbery, both first-degree felonies, as well as several counts of theft, obstruction of justice, aggravated assault, and two counts of assault on police officers in the death of 58-year-old Geraldine Bommarito in her Toquerville home on March 19, 2014.
Canfield is also accused of burglarizing a second home, taking guns and a coin collection. When he was arrested near Springdale, police say Canfield was "belligerent and combative" and appeared to have suffered a self-inflicted cut or slice that required hospitalization for three days before he could be booked into jail.
Within 10 minutes of arriving at the Washington County Jail, Canfield committed an undisclosed act that sent him back to the hospital for five more hours. When he returned to jail, he was wearing a neck brace.
Three people evaluated Canfield as part of his competency determination.
Canfield will now be sent to the Utah State Hospital. He will return to court at a later date, at which time it will be decided whether competency has been restored and the case can proceed, or if it will remain on hold and he will remain at the Utah State Hospital.
