Waite Park Murder Suspect to Undergo Mental Competency Exam
ST. CLOUD -- The criminal case against a man accused of killing a St. Cloud man then fleeing to North Dakota is on hold until a mental competency exam is conducted. Twenty-one-year-old Desmond Barzey was scheduled to appear in court Thursday, but a judge ordered the exam which put all future court proceedings on hold.
Barzey is charged with second-degree unintentional murder, five counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and being a felon in possession of a gun.
Five new charges have been filed against Barzey while being held in the Stearns County Jail. Four charges of making terroristic threats and one charge of assaulting a correction officer were filed after an incident at the jail in April.
According to the filing complaint, four jail staffers were trying to remove Barzey from his cell when he became combative. Barzey is accused of kicking at officers, spitting at one of them and threatening to kill them.
The murder case against Barzey stems from an incident last December. According to the criminal complaint, Barzey entered Park Meadows apartments with a handgun and demanded everyone inside to get on the ground and empty their pockets. The victim, 19-year-old Bobby Williams of St. Cloud, threw a shirt at Barzey and began moving towards him when Barzey allegedly shot him in the chest and ran from the apartment.
Williams was taken to St. Cloud Hospital for his injuries but later died from his wounds.
Records show Barzey was later found in North Dakota driving a stolen vehicle. After a short chase, he was arrested. Police searched the vehicle and found the handgun with a round inside the chamber.
If the mental competency exam shows Barzey is fit to stand trial, a new court date will be set. If Barzey isn't found competent to face the charges, a judge would order Barzey to undergo mental health treatment in an effort to restore him to competency.