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CASTLE DALE — Emery County prosecutors moved Thursday to dismiss aggravated murder charges against a Castle Dale man who police believe shot and killed his parents in 2009, saying he will likely remain incompetent to stand trial.
Peter Simon Sharp, 32, will continue to stay at the Utah State Hospital for evaluation and treatment, the Emery County Attorney's Office said in a statement.
"He was initially found incompetent to stand trial and that status remains unchanged and is reportedly unlikely to change in the foreseeable future," the statement reads.
He was initially found incompetent to stand trial and that status remains unchanged and is reportedly unlikely to change in the foreseeable future.
–Emery County Prosecutor statement
Police believe Sharp shot and killed his father, William, 51, and mother, Charmaine, 54, at their home in Castle Dale on Oct. 21, 2009. Sharp also pointed the shotgun he had used in the attack in the direction of his sister, according to charges filed against him soon afterward.
Sharp was charged with two counts of aggravated murder, a first-degree felony, and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon or force, a third-degree felony. He pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.
Sharp was found incompetent to stand trial in July 2011 by 7th District Judge George Harmond. The judge ruled again in January 2014 that Sharp was still incapable of understanding the charges made against him and unable to assist in his own criminal defense.
Doctors have named catatonic schizophrenia, intermittent explosive disorder and borderline intellectual functioning as mental conditions likely plaguing Sharp, according to Harmond.
Future case possible
Prosecutors said Thursday it's possible the case against Sharp will be restored at some point in the future. The Emery County Attorney's Office requested the charges be dismissed "without prejudice," meaning that the dismissal will not bar future prosecution.
"Should his competency be restored, the charges may be reinstated at that time," the office said in its release.
Four of Sharp's nine siblings were home when he allegedly shot their parents, including two who tried to wrestle the shotgun away from him, police said. Multiple family members have said he began exhibiting mental illness several years before the deadly incident after suffering serious injuries in a car crash.
Sharp was frequently confused, had a hard time recognizing family members and had the mental ability of a 5-year-old, relatives said.
- Catatonic schizophrenia — a type (or subtype) of schizophrenia that includes extremes of behavior (source: MNT)
- Intermittent explosive disorder — a chronic disorder involving repeated, sudden episodes of impulsive, aggressive, violent behavior or angry verbal outbursts (source: Mayo Clinic)
- Borderline intellectual functioning — a cognitive impairment that applies to people who have lower than average intelligence but do not have intellectual developmental disorder or mental retardation (source: DisabilitySecrets.com)
