TRAVERSE CITY — Hunter Vanderwall’s competency will be determined at a later date.
A competency hearing for Vanderwall, who is being charged in connection with the shooting death of 32-year-old city employee Lawrence Boyd IV in a parking deck last November, was adjourned Friday to allow the expert time to consider additional information.
The court will take up the issue again at 1:30 p.m. Aug 7 in the 86th District Court.
Dr. Daniel Sorkin said that he conducted a remote forensic interview with Vanderwall on April 7 to determine whether or not he is competent to stand trial and submitted a report in June. Sorkin said that his findings from that evaluation was that Vanderwall was competent to stand trial.
During cross examination, defense attorney Jesse Williams asked Sorkin if he had seen a 2024 clinical and neuropsychological revaluation. Sorkin said he had not.
Judge Michael Cooney asked Sorkin if seeing that report could affect his opinion, and Sorkin said “there’s always a possibility that it could.”
Assistant County Prosecutor Kyle Attwood said that he had no issue with adjourning the hearing so that Sorkin could review the other report.
“For the sake of thoroughness and completeness, I don’t have an issue with the doctor reviewing those tests,” he said. “That way, we can all say that he looked at everything and have that much more faith in his opinion when we do receive it.”
Vanderwall was arraigned on charges of felony murder, larceny from an auto, and resisting and obstructing police on Nov. 18. Officials said that Vanderwall and Eugene Thompson, 17, were together on Nov. 15 when Thompson shot Boyd, a Traverse City Parking Services employee, in the Larry C. Hardy parking deck in the 300-block of East State Street.