Despite a court order, accused serial killer Fredrick Scott remains on the waiting list for the state psychiatric hospital

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Accused serial killer Fredrick Scott remains in prison despite a judge committing him to a state mental institution in Fulton nearly two months ago.

The murder case is currently on hold so that Scott can be evaluated by the mental health unit.

Thursday's status conference revealed a long waiting list of patients and the fact that Scott was not prioritized because he is currently stable.

A representative from the Department of Mental Health explained that Scott was still on the list and that in the meantime a mobile team from DMH had met with Scott via Webex.

Scott attended the hearing via Zoom and sat silently in glasses and pigtails as lawyers and a judge discussed next steps in the case.

Another status conference will take place in November.

The family of murder victim Mike Darby was present at the hearing. Subsequently, a family member expressed concern that the case continued to be “on hold.”

The question of competence

The case dragged on for more than six years. It is excruciating for the families and friends of the victims.

Mike Darby's family has been the most vocal in publicly expressing their frustration over the delays, describing what they are experiencing as legal purgatory.

Scott has been found to be both competent and incompetent by various mental health professionals. Much of this appears to be related to medication adherence.

Scott had previously received a long-term injection that relieved symptoms, but he lost weight and was allowed to switch back to oral medication. Compliance failed in July.

At a court hearing in July, Scott insulted numerous people in the court, including the judge, and said people were “lying.” He was eventually removed from the courtroom.

Anamnesis

Investigators called the murders the “KC Trail Area Homicides,” but most people following the case simply call them the “Indian Creek Trail Killings.”

Most of the murders in 2016 and 2017 were middle-aged white men on or near trails. One victim was a woman.

The series of murders puzzled investigators for months. Prosecutors filed charges against Scott based on DNA data and surveillance video taken near a crime scene.

The suspect had no connection to any of the victims – they were all believed to be strangers he was following.

Mike Darby was the fourth victim.

He was killed on May 18, 2017 while walking the Indian Creek Trial with his lab coach and Sadie.

According to investigators, he was shot in the back of the head.

In court documents, Scott confessed to some of the shootings when questioned by police. He also told police that he reported his guns stolen to distance himself from the shootings.

During an interrogation, Scott reportedly whispered, “You didn't see it coming.”

What happens next in this case?

Scott's public defender has floated the idea that there may never be a trial because Scott is simply too ill to be found competent for a long period of time.

“Some people are mentally ill,” public defender Patrick Berrigan said in July.

On Thursday, Berrigan openly questioned whether Scott was taking the correct dosage, pointing out that Scott was given medication at night even though he was supposed to take it with food.

Berrigan asked to go on the record, pointing out that the current path has been unsuccessful in the past.

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