A Martin County judge ruled that a man charged with fatally stabbing a 73-year-old woman in a Stuart neighborhood is incompetent to stand trial, according to the State Attorney’s Office.
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‘Even worse than I described’: Sheriff discusses latest in random, brutal stabbing investigation
Kersten Francilus, 25, was examined by two doctors and determined to be incompetent during a hearing on Aug. 28. He has been remanded to a state mental hospital for restoration to competency before his case can proceed.
Brutal Attack Left Woman Dead After 50+ Stab Wounds
Francilus faces premeditated first-degree murder charges in the April 2025 stabbing death of Joyce Ellen Thompson Adams in the Southwood community near Stuart. The Martin County Sheriff’s Office arrest affidavit reveals the attack was far more brutal than initially reported.
While investigators previously said Adams was stabbed approximately 16 to 17 times, they now believe she was stabbed more than 50 times…