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SALT LAKE CITY — As many as three competency evaluations may be ordered for a West Valley teenager accused of raping and killing his 12-year-old neighbor last summer.
Now 16, the boy appeared for a hearing Thursday where his attorneys requested the evaluation. In an early hearing, the teen's attorney's said they didn't believe he understood what is happening in the case.
The defense's motion has been sealed to the public.
In addition to the court-ordered evaluation by the Utah Department of Human Services, the boy's attorneys as well as prosecutors said they will likely be hiring private evaluators to complete their own reports.
"So you're suggesting there may be three separate evaluators?" 3rd District Juvenile Judge Jim Michie asked.
Prosecutor Coral Rose-Sanchez confirmed, saying, "In this case I do think it will be necessary."
The results of the evaluations will be argued during a two-day competency hearing Nov. 9-10.
The West Valley boy, who was 15 at the time, is accused of luring 12-year-old Kailey Vijil from her home late at night on July 17, 2015, to help him look for a lost cat. Kailey's naked body, which showed evidence of sexual assault, was found about three hours later in a horse pasture near her home.
A medical examiner determined Kailey died of strangulation.
The teen was charged a few days later with aggravated murder, a first-degree felony. A charge of rape of a child, a first-degree felony, was added in August.
KSL has chosen at this time not to name the 16-year-old, who was silent during the hearing Thursday.
Michie ended the hearing Thursday, calling the case "complex and complicated."
"I want this case to move along as quickly as it can, but we will do this correctly," Michie said.
In October, the judge voiced frustration at the amount of time that was passing with little progress in the case.
