MARYSVILLE — A man accused of beating and stabbing a Marysville teenager to death in 2002 was again found not competent to stand trial this month.
Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Millie Judge dismissed second-degree murder charges against Todd Brodahl, 40, for the fourth time earlier this month in the death of Brady Sheary, 18. Brodahl was readmitted to Western State Hospital two weeks after he was moved to “less-restrictive” group home in Everett in February.
The defendant spent 22 years at the mental health facility being treated for schizophrenia disorder. On Tuesday, representatives from the Public Safety Review Panel that authorized his release were unable to provide comment without patient consent.
Court documents indicate Brodahl suffered more hallucinations and paranoia upon his release, noting an incident in which he assaulted a staff member and later a hospital security guard. After an evaluation earlier this month, psychologist Alexis Reyes wrote he lacked the capacity to understand the legal proceedings of this case.
When asked to identify his charges, Brodahl reportedly said: “It says I died and there was some methamphetamines in the back of a sports car,” Reyes wrote in the report. Later, he acknowledged the murder charge was a “serious charge … something that I have.”
Defense attorney Natalie Tarantino noted her client has undergone multiple mental health evaluations since Sheary’s death and was found incompetent on almost all occasions, according to court documents.
On Tuesday, the attorney wrote in an email that she believed Brodahl’s charges will likely never be tried in a courtroom.
“It is a very sad situation all around,” Tarantino wrote.
In January, Snohomish County Prosecutor Jason Cummings called the decision to release Brodahl “premature and ill-advised” in a letter to Western State Hospital CEOs Charles Southerland and Mark Thompson. Following his release, prosecutors again filed charges against Brodahl.
At the April 22 hearing, Judge also ordered a civil commitment evaluation for Brodahl. Refiling charges will depend on the results of that assessment.
Brodahl and Sheary spent the evening of April 23, 2002, together before the killing, the charges say. The two were together at a store in Marysville. Police stopped them as they walked home. Around 4 a.m., witnesses saw them arrive at Cedercrest Middle School at 6400 88th St. NE.
Hours later, Brodahl returned to the convenience store alone, with injuries to his knuckles and throat, according to court documents. He told the store clerk he “took care of some Marysville fool last night,” the charging papers say.
Around 6 a.m., an employee at Cedercrest reported a person had been beaten. Police arrived to find Sheary’s body in the parking lot with “obvious trauma inflicted to his head, face, hands and chest,” according to the charges filed in 2003. A large knife and rock were reportedly found nearby.
Sheary died from either major head trauma or a stab wound to the heart, the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office determined.
Brodahl was first civilly committed to Western State Hospital for a competency evaluation in February 2003, about 10 months after Sheary’s death.
In January, Sheary’s mother, Tamera, said Brodahl’s release from the hospital made her fear for her life. In a text message Tuesday, she said she was “not surprised at all” he was readmitted.
“I am happy that he is back at Western! I feel ‘safe,’” Sheary wrote.
Brodahl remained in Western State Hospital this month. It was unclear when he will undergo his next evaluation.
Maya Tizon: 425-339-3434; maya.tizon@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @mayatizon.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
