Competency evaluation sought for man charged with murder in Kandiyohi County – West Central Tribune

WILLMAR – The attorney for the man accused of fatally shooting a driver during an attempted carjacking outside Willmar is asking the court for an evaluation of his mental capacity.

Ameer Musa Matariyeh of Minneapolis is charged in Kandiyohi County with the murder of 55-year-old Jerome Skulzacek of New London, the additional shooting of another man in Lake Lillian and fleeing police.

At a remote hearing Monday in Kandiyohi District Court, attorney William Walker requested that a motion hearing regarding Matariyeh’s assessment be scheduled.

Matariyeh was arrested just outside Willmar on Oct. 22 after multiple law enforcement agencies began pursuing him throughout western Minnesota. He is accused in court documents of hitting a pickup truck driven by Skulzacek from behind before jumping out of the stolen car he was driving, ripping open the pickup truck door and shooting the New London man.

Post / Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office

Prior to Matariyeh’s arrest near Willmar, Matariyeh allegedly shot a man at the victim’s rural Lake Lillian residence. This Lake Lillian man survived.

The four felony counts in Kandiyohi County are second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault and fleeing police in a motor vehicle.

Officials said Matariyeh was also the suspect who fled the scene of an apartment in Minneapolis where a domestic incident was reported earlier that day.

Meanwhile, criminal charges are also being filed in Hennepin and Carver counties, where additional crimes allegedly occurred before law enforcement chased Matariyeh through Meeker County to the Highway 71/23 bypass.

Kandiyohi County First Assistant Prosecutor Kristen Pierce said at Monday’s hearing that investigations into these other matters are ongoing and it is unclear at this time how these cases will impact criminal proceedings in Kandiyohi County.

Walker told the court that Matariyeh met with an examiner while in custody at the Kandiyohi County Jail, and based on all information available to date, it was clear that Matariyeh may have had “impaired mental capacity” and “lacked control” over his actions had at the time of the alleged crimes.

Under Rule 20 or jurisdiction of the Minnesota Judicial Branch, adjudications in criminal cases occur when there is a belief that the defendant is not competent to proceed with the case or was not responsible at the time of the alleged offenses due to mental illness or a developmental disability.

According to Minnesota statute, mental illness is defined as an organic disorder of the brain or a “clinically significant disorder of thought, mood, perception, orientation, or memory.” The law specifically states that the definition includes “short periods of intoxication caused by alcohol, drugs, or other mind-altering substances; or repetitive or problematic patterns of use of alcohol, drugs, or other mind-altering substances.”

The charges filed in Hennepin County allege that Matariyeh may have ingested a controlled substance during the events in Minneapolis. According to the complaint, Matariyeh’s ex-girlfriend told police that he appeared to be under the influence of drugs during their argument and saw a white, powdery substance under his nose.

Judge Stephen Wentzell on Monday advised both attorneys to file their briefs in Kandiyohi District Court sometime in December to schedule a competency evaluation motion hearing in January 2025.

The hearing on the motion is currently scheduled for January 23rd. The next collective hearing on the criminal case is scheduled for April 8th.

Matariyeh is currently in custody at the Kandiyohi District Jail. He is being held on $3.5 million unconditional bail.