Man accused of stabbing mom to death with wood carving knife must undergo mental evaluation

HEADLAND, Ala (WDHN) -A mental evaluation has been ordered for a Headland man accused of stabbing his elderly mother to death in her home to see if he is fit to stand trial.

Alex McKay is accused of stabbing his mother, Annie McKay, to death in her home a little over a year ago. The 70-year-old wife and mother had been stabbed multiple times in the neck, wrist, and hand with a wood carving knife and was found by her husband in their kitchen.

McKay was taken into custody on the night of the crime and charged with one count of murder in the first degree.

McKay’s attorneys requested a mental evaluation on Tuesday, March 26. Judge Christopher Richardson granted the request a day later.

The evaluation will determine if McKay can stand trial and assist in his defense. The test results must be immediately written into a report and submitted to the Henry County Courts.

According to court documents, if McKay is found incompetent, the court will discuss the treatment required for McKay to attain competency, the most appropriate place for possible treatments, and if the treatments will have any effect.

At the time of McKay’s arrest, Headland Police Chief Mark Jones told WDHN he had a history of mental illness, and a search warrant of his home on the night of the murder revealed he had not been taking prescribed mental health medication, such as antipsychotics.

Officials say McKay has a history of drug use and mental illness, and the family has had recurring problems with him in the past.

During an Aniahs Law Hearing for McKay not long after his arrest, Dothan Police Investigator Terry Nelson described the murder as one of the most brutal he had ever seen. He said the victim’s spine was exposed. After that hearing, McKay’s initial $1 million bond was stripped away.

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