A Kansas man has been found guilty in the death of a pest control worker more than six years ago.
A Riley County jury on Wednesday found 58-year-old Howard Barrett guilty of reckless second-degree murder in the death of 48-year-old Thomas James of Clay Center.
James was doing extermination work when he stabbed and beaten in Barrett’s Leonardville apartment in February 2008.
Barrett’s trial was delayed when he was ruled incompetent to stand trial in 2009 after experts said he suffered from schizophrenia. A judge ruled in 2010 that Barrett could stand trial.
Ddefense attorney Mark Dinkel said during closing arguments that Barrett was “not right in the head” when he attacked James. Prosecutors argued Barrett knew what he was doing when he attacked his victim.
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Information from: KMAN-AM.
