A competency hearing for a man who allegedly killed a teenager in a “random” stabbing

MEDIA COURT – Clifton Heights man’s competency hearing accused of murdering a teenager on Upper Darby Street last year was scheduled for December for no apparent reason.

Marson Weh, 24, of 100 Willowbrook Road, is charged with first-degree murder and related offenses in the stabbing death of 15-year-old Michael Garr in the 200 block of Bridge Street on April 21, 2023.

A “random” act of violence

From information previously provided by the police:

Officers were called to the scene of the stabbing at 9:43 p.m. Officer Thomas Gardner found Garr on the sidewalk with a witness holding a towel around the teenager’s neck.

Garr suffered a cardiac arrest and died despite life-saving efforts by police. Doctors arrived at 9:56 p.m. and pronounced him dead, and his death was ruled a homicide.

The victim was walking home from his girlfriend’s house in Clifton Heights when he was attacked in the street.

Investigators said surveillance video showed a person identified as Weh following Garr toward the location where he was later found. One part of the video allegedly shows Weha near Garra at 9.40pm on Bridge Street, where he was fatally wounded.

Police noticed the suspect’s distinctive clothing and continued to track his movements after the stabbing on other video surveillance. One of these videos allegedly shows a clear image of the suspect’s face, which was matched to Weh using facial recognition technology.

Weh was arrested in May on an assault and carjacking warrant in Ohio and identified himself in a photo taken from surveillance video immediately after the killing.

He told detectives he went for a walk that evening after getting into an argument with a girl he was dating.

At the time of his arrest, Weh was wearing clothes with a brownish stain on his thigh. A section of the fabric stain was tested and allegedly matched Garr’s DNA sample.

Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer said at the news conference where the murder charges were announced that there was likely no motive for the killing and characterized it as accidental.

Restored to competence?

A defendant in criminal proceedings is considered incompetent if, due to illness or mental disorder, he is unable to understand the charges against him and the consequences of the proceedings and/or is unable to assist in his own defense.

Court of Common Pleas Judge G. Michael Green found Weh incompetent to stand trial in May after a brief hearing during which defense attorney Joseph Schulz and First Assistant District Attorney Tanner Rouse argued that two qualified psychologists had reached the same conclusion.

Rouse and Schulz then agreed that Weh should remain at Norristown State Hospital until he could recover and stand trial for Garr’s death.

According to Rouse, that time may already have come.

Rouse said Dr. Michael Gavetti, head of Norristown’s competency program, reviewed several exhibits provided by the Commonwealth and released a report on Oct. 9 indicating Weh was competent. Rouse said he was returned to the Concord County Jail.

Schulz asked for a hearing on the questioned competences, which is scheduled for December 6.