Man found guilty of fatally stabbing mother in 2005

12/1/2011
ASSOCIATED PRESS

HAMILTON, Ohio — A man earlier ruled incompetent to stand trial because of mental illness has been found guilty of murdering his mother in 2005.

Butler County Prosecutor Michael Gmoser says jurors on Thursday found 31-year-old Michael Carreiro guilty of aggravated murder. He was sentenced to life in prison with eligibility for parole after 20 years.

Carreiro was first charged in 2005. A judge ruled that he was incompetent to stand trial for killing 56-year-old Christine Minnix. Carreiro said that God told him to kill her.

He was re-indicted this year after a doctor said he had improved.

Carreiro attorney Chris Pagan declined to comment Thursday.

He had argued that mental illness prevented Carreiro from knowing his actions were wrong. Prosecutors argued Carreiro planned the killing and knew it was wrong.