The suspect in a mass stabbing attack at the Traverse City Walmart store in July was found incompetent to stand trial Friday in 86th District Court by Judge Michael Stepka. 

Bradford Gille will remain at the Michigan Center for Forensic Psychiatry in Saline to continue receiving treatment for what an expert witness described as bizarre delusional beliefs, disorganized thinking, and a diagnosis of schizophrenia that included Gille hearing voices. The witness, Dr. Jay Witherell, said he believed it was possible Gille could be restored to competency within the 15-month timeline allowed by law.

Witherell, who evaluated Gille, said the suspect exhibited a "psychotic thought process" that included believing he was in danger and under threat by people who were attempting to harm him and other individuals around him, "who he referred to as being his spiritual children or his spiritual family," Witherell said. The doctor said that Gille "rambled and switched from one topic to another" during conversations and shared paranoid beliefs. Those included being mistrustful of judges because he had been ordered by a judge in the past to be involuntarily hospitalized, believing psychiatric medications were poison that would kill him, and referring to the forensic center as a "death camp or a concentration camp," Witherell said.

Gille had said he "would not under any circumstance, for any reason" consider an insanity defense because he "felt that being civilly committed for treatment...would lead to his death," Witherell said. Gille believed witnesses who might be called in the case were part of a conspiracy to harm him and referred to hearing voices, the doctor said.

Stepka noted that suspects are considered competent to stand trial unless determined otherwise - a ruling that hinges on two standards. To be found incompetent, a suspect must be "incapable because of his mental condition of understanding the nature and object of the proceedings against him, or in assisting his defense in a rational manner," Stepka said. While Gille appeared to understand the nature of the proceedings - he could understand the charges against him and the parties involved in the case - Grand Traverse County Prosecutor Noelle Moeggeneberg said it was clear that Gille's delusional beliefs "prohibit him from assisting in his defense." Stepka agreed, ruling Gille incompetent and ordering him to continue receiving treatment at the forensic center.

Witherell said it was his opinion Gille could be restored to competency in the next 15 months, noting the suspect already seems to be responding to treatment. Providers have described him as being "less irritable, agitated, (and) aggressive," though still exhibiting delusional beliefs, Witherell said. "His behavior has significantly calmed," the doctor added.

Gille's case is stayed while he receives further treatment, meaning nothing else will happen until he is deemed competent. Moeggenberg previously told The Ticker that periodic check-ins will occur on Gille during the time period of working to restore him to competency to determine his progress. If he is still found incompetent to stand trial at the end of that time period, institutionalization is a possible outcome of the case. Gille's defense attorney, Jacob Graff, also has the right to seek an independent competency evaluation if good cause is shown to obtain such a review. Graff indicated Friday he will explore that option and determine whether to pursue another evaluation.