RICHLAND, Wash. (AP) — The man accused of fatally shooting a man inside Richland’s Fred Meyer store was ordered to take mental health medications.
Superior Court Judge Joe Burrowes ruled Tuesday that Eastern State Hospital can require Aaron Kelly, 40, to take the anti-psychotic Abilify to treat an unspecified schizophrenia spectrum or other psychotic disorder, Tri-City Herald reported.
The treatment is scheduled to last until late September when he will return to court to determine if he is competent to stand trial for murder and attempted murder.
If he has not improved, his treatment could be extended. Kelly objected to the ruling. He has refused any medications stronger than a multivitamin during his four months at the Medical Lake facility.
Kelly is accused of shooting two strangers on Feb. 7 — Instacart worker Justin Krumbah and Fred Meyer employee Mark Hill. Krumbah died in the store, and Hill was wounded three times but survived.
He was charged with murder and attempted murder. Legal proceedings have been on hold since Feb. 23 when defense attorneys asked to have his competency evaluated.
After months of waiting, psychologist Brooke England returned with an opinion that Kelly wasn’t mentally healthy enough to stand trial.
As part of the diagnosis, she said the hospital would need to administer medication. It still remains unclear why he doesn’t want medication, he argued that he has participated in other therapy since a June order was entered to restore his competency.
