Man Accused Of Murdering Neighbor Deemed Incompetent To Stand Trial

By Mike Perleberg Terry Wayne Storey. Photo by Dearborn County Sheriff's Department. (Lawrenceburg, Ind.) - An accused murderer has been found incompetent to stand trial in Dearborn County court. Terry Wayne Storey is accused of shooting and killing his next door neighbor, 30-year-old Brittany Black, as she was mowing her lawn in Manchester last July. Storey also allegedly shot and wounded Black’s husband, Kyle, as he came to his wife’s aid. Police say he attacked a deputy as they moved to investigate and arrest him in the wake of the double shooting. Storey is charged with Murder, Attempted Murder (level 1 felony), Aggravated Battery (level 3 felony), Obstruction of Justice (level 6 felony), Battery on a Public Safety Official (level 6 felony), and Resisting Law Enforcement (class A misdemeanor). On Monday, Dearborn Circuit Court Judge James D. Humphrey ruled that Storey is unable to stand trial. “The defendant presently lacks the ability to understand the proceedings in this criminal action against him, and to assist in the preparation of a defense,” Humphrey wrote in the order. Storey, 55, had undergone psychological evaluations from two doctors who agreed he was incompetent. Those evaluations were cited by Humphrey in his decision. Terry Storey is escorted to a courtroom on July 31, 2017. Photo by Travis Thayer, Eagle Country 99.3. The psychologists’ reports on Storey’s mental state are not public record. However, a glimpse at Storey’s mental illness was given at a November 15 competency hearing, for which Storey was not present in the courtroom. An assistant jail manager testified that Storey repeatedly stated “No court. No judge. No police report. No gun.” Storey will be sent to an Indiana Department of Corrections controlled medical facility. The superintendent of the facility will certify within 90 days whether Storey has a substantial probability of attaining comprehension sufficient enough to understand the proceedings and aid in his defense. If he is ever restored to competency, the criminal court proceedings would start again. If not, he’ll remain committed as a mental patient with the IDOC indefinitely. “The order speaks for itself. It seemed pretty obvious that he was not competent,” said Gary Sorge, Storey’s defense attorney. Dearborn-Ohio County Prosecutor Lynn Deddens said she informed Brittany Black’s family about the judge’s decision. Eagle Country 99.3’s Travis Thayer contributed to this report. RELATED STORIES: Doctors To Testify On Accused Murderer’s Ability To Stand Trial Manchester Shooter May Use Insanity Defense Bail Denied For Aurora Man Accused Of Murder VIDEO: Past Property Line Dispute May Have Led Man To Kill Woman Mowing Grass; Injure Husband Police ID Couple Shot In Yard Of Their Home By Neighbor; Press Conference Monday