A man accused of brutally murdering a transwoman this past summer will undergo a psychological evaluation before trial, according to a judge’s ruling this week.
Charles Sargent, 44, came before Municipal Court Judge Teresa Carr Deni Dec. 17 for a preliminary hearing at the Criminal Justice Center.
Sargent is charged with murder, possession of an instrument of crime and abuse of corpse in connection to the stabbing death and dismemberment of Diamond Williams.
On Tuesday, Sargent’s attorney, J. Michael Farrell, asked Carr Deni to grant Sargent a psychological evaluation to determine if he is competent to stand trial, which the judge ordered.
Investigators allege Sargent stabbed Williams before dismembering her body in his Strawberry Mansion home. Williams reportedly came to Sargent’s home for a sexual encounter.
Sargent was arrested July 20 and remains incarcerated at Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility.
Sargent is also charged with making terroristic threats, after he allegedly threated to kill his girlfriend if she contacted law enforcement about his alleged involvement in Williams’ murder.
Carr Deni has been criticized for a 2007 case she presided over involving a sex worker who was raped at gunpoint. In that case, the judge dismissed the rape and sexual-assault charges but let stand “theft-of-service” charges.
Sargent’s next hearing will take place at 9 a.m. Dec. 24 in Room 306 of the Criminal Justice Center.