PORTAGE, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – UPDATE – The son accused in the murder of his father, a retired Portage oral surgeon, has been ordered to take a mental competency exam, according to an update from MLive Monday.
Previously, police had arrested 56-year-old Scott Sterffy in connection with the death of his father, 82-year-old Dr. Thomas Aye.
Sterffy was apprehended in Kalamazoo in late July after a national manhunt was initiated.
Aye was found dead in his home on July 25.
Sterffy faces charges of murder and the mutilation of a dead body, which he denied at a court appearance earlier this month.
Aye’s daughter, who had found his body, told police that Aye had been beaten to the point of being unrecognizable. She added that Sterffy has mental health issues, having been previously diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.
Sterffy had also been institutionalized while he was in his late teens. He alleged that he had been abused during his stay, of which he blamed Aye.
She also noted that Sterffy stood to benefit from Aye’s estate, which she described as being “substantial.”
In the weeks leading up to Aye’s death, he had informed Sterffy that he would no longer give him money, since he often asked for large sums at a time.
On Monday, MLive reported that Sterffy had been ordered to take a mental competency exam, which will be administered by the Kalamazoo County District Court.
This is an ongoing case and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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