Man who killed dad with garden shears not guilty by reason of insanity George W. Bryce
Updated 2/18/2021 6:13 PM
The Beach Park man charged with killing his father with garden shears in 2019 was ruled not guilty by reason of insanity this week.
As a result, George W. Bryce, 23, most likely will be involuntarily committed to a mental health facility, according to officials.
Bryce was charged with first-degree murder in the slaying of his 70-year-old father, Warren Bryce. The elder Bryce died July 19, 2019, one day after his son stabbed him with shears at the family home.
Lake County state s attorney s spokesman Jim Newton said Thursday that the ruling was made Tuesday after a stipulated agreement was reached by Assistant State s Attorney Stella Day and Bryce s lawyer, Assistant Public Defender John Radosevich. Stipulated agreements are documents produced by both parties and entered into the record as a court order.
Lake County Judge Patricia Fix ruled that George Bryce could not substantially appreciate the criminality of his acts in July 2019 when he attacked his father Warren at their home.
Judge Patricia Fix ordered the continuation during a Zoom teleconference hearing on the morning George Bryce was scheduled to stand trial for first-degree murder in the death of Warren Bryce, 70. Authorities say the son stabbed his father to death with garden shears on July 18, 2019, at their Peacock Road home.