NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — A competency hearing for the man charged in the kidnapping and killing of Ashanti Billie has again been put on hold.
Eric Brian Brown is faced with charges including murder and kidnapping for Billie’s death. The 19-year-old was found dead behind a church in Charlotte, North Carolina a week and a half after she was reported missing from Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story.
A federal kidnapping resulting in death charge against Brown carries with it a minimum sentence of life in prison and a maximum sentence of death.
Federal court records show a March 27 competency hearing for Brown was cancelled earlier this week. Brown has been ordered to be committed at Butner Federal Medical Center in North Carolina for an additional 120 days, where he will undergo more evaluation.
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The director at Butner is expected to inform the court of Brown’s status on July 11– which is one week before Brown’s latest commitment ends.
This is the second time in 2019 a competency hearing for Brown has been cancelled or pushed back. A hearing was initially slated for Feb. 27, but was delayed one month after a psychiatrist who has been working with Brown was unable to testify.
Brown was found incompetent to stand trial after he was diagnosed in with schizophrenia in December 2017. He has been at Butner since that time.
A psychiatric report on Brown was filed in court on Jan. 3, but remains sealed.