Fourmile murder suspect deemed incompetent to proceed to trial

The fishy successful a 2019 Fourmile Canyon murder has been declared incompetent to proceed to trial.

Stephen Christopher Wolf, 26, is charged with first-degree execution aft deliberation, felony murder, first-degree burglary, second-degree burglary, tampering with a deceased quality body, vehicular eluding and tampering with carnal grounds successful the decease of Jeffrey Michael Lynch, 57.

At a proceeding Wednesday, Boulder District Judge Thomas Mulvahill noted that an valuation recovered that Wolf was not competent to basal proceedings and was incapable to assistance successful his ain defense.

Neither prosecutors nor defence attorneys requested a 2nd report, and Mulvahill declared Wolf incompetent to proceed.

Wolf had been scheduled to basal proceedings this week, but that proceedings was canceled and the lawsuit was placed connected clasp pursuing Mulvahill’s ruling. The lawsuit volition not beryllium capable to determination guardant until Wolf tin beryllium restored to competency.

Wolf volition stay successful custody for the restoration process. He is acceptable for a reappraisal proceeding connected Dec. 1.

Wolf himself was absent from the proceeding aft refusing to look successful idiosyncratic oregon by video from the Boulder County Jail connected Wednesday, citing illness.

But Wolf’s lawyer Beth Kelley noted Wolf had told different lawman helium simply would not look successful court, and Mulvahill noted it was the 3rd clip Wolf had refused to look for a hearing.

Due to the level of the charges and “behavioral issues” astatine the jail, Boulder Deputy District Attorney Ryan Day asked that Wolf beryllium transferred to the Colorado Mental Health Institute successful Pueblo.

But Kelley asked that Wolf alternatively acquisition restoration efforts astatine the Boulder County Jail owed to a important hold clip for transfers to the authorities infirmary amid the pandemic.

“My interest is we would fundamentally beryllium successful a holding signifier for months,” Kelley said.

Mulvahill said helium would permission the determination connected wherever Wolf should beryllium treated up to doctors.

“We’ll fto the professionals fig it out,” Mulvahill said.

Wolf pleaded not blameworthy to the charges backmost successful February 2020, but a alteration successful attorneys, the coronavirus pandemic and different delays person continually pushed backmost the proceedings day for the case, which is present much than 2 years old.

According to an apprehension affidavit, Lynch was reported missing July 30, 2019, by his lad aft Lynch failed to amusement up astatine his girlfriend’s location connected the erstwhile Sunday.

Lynch was a wide contractor and had been moving connected a vacant location connected Camino Bosque successful Fourmile Canyon, truthful the spot owners went to spot if Lynch was there. The owners arrived and recovered Wolf, who they did not know, sitting successful Lynch’s car successful the garage.

Jeffrey Lynch, middle, with sons Michael, left, and Mark.

The spot proprietor confronted Wolf, who said helium was determination to cleanable earlier saying the constabulary were aft him. The homeowner said she had not hired anyone to enactment connected the location different than Lynch, and called the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office.

When deputies arrived, they recovered Wolf carrying shovels successful a trash bag, according to the affidavit. Wolf saw the deputies and ran into the garage, but the 2 deputies were capable to handcuff him.

Deputies searched Lynch’s car and recovered Lynch’s assemblage wrapped successful integrative successful the trunk of the vehicle.

The coroner’s bureau ruled the origin of Lynch’s decease was “homicidal unit by unspecified means.” While the study could not specify immoderate nonstop injuries Lynch sustained, owed successful portion to decomposition of the body, a forensic pathologist ruled the mode of decease a homicide.

Prosecutors said Wolf had been trying to elude constabulary pursuing a postulation halt 2 days earlier being recovered with the body, broke into the location successful the hopes of uncovering substance for his car, and killed Lynch upon uncovering him successful the house.

Wolf besides has been charged with attempted first-degree execution and second-degree battle after reportedly assaulting an inmate astatine the jail.

That lawsuit besides remains connected hold.