HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015 09-25 90-year-old accused of shooting son incompetent for trial PIONEER PRESS 90-year-old accused of shooting son incompetent for trial
Updafed:0925l2015 11:17 15 AM CDT Twi n C ities.com
• Sep 15:
• • Maplewood father, 90,will be held in son's slaying
^ = ��4'} • Maplewood man charged in son's death is Minnesota's o�dest murder defendant
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`"� `3' • Maplewood mourns man shot dead by Alzheimer's-stricken father
� '`' • Sep 13:
��� � ' • Maplewood 90-year-old arrested in son's shooting death
�'"`� � � • Sep 12:
� �� • Maplewood fire chief, officials back to work after being placed on leave
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Minnesota's oldest murder defendant has been found incompetent to stand trial.
Kenneth Henry Bowser, 90,was charged in Ramsey County District Court earlier this month with second-degree murder for
the shooting death of his 65-year-old son, Larry Bowser.
Kenneth Bowser is accused of shooting his son Sept. 12 after a dispute about watching TV in their Maplewood home,
according to a criminal complaint.
The elder Bowser told investigators he'd seen something on the news recently about a son who killed his father by setting
him afire and said he was worried something like that might happen to him. He said he fired a warning shot, but the bullet
instead struck and killed Larry Bowser.
Defense attorney Albert Goins told the court last week that Bowser suffers from health problems, including dementia. He
argued that the nonagenarian,who requires a wheelchair and catheter,should be released from custody into the care of his
family.
But the court denied the request and ordered Bowser held in custody pending the results of a mental health evaluation.
The evaluation was distributed to court officials Wednesday and Judge Elena Ostby found Bowser incompetent on
Thursday.Typically,when a defendant is found incompetent,they are held and treated at the state hospital pending future
evaluations.
At 90, Bowser is the oldest person ever charged with murder in Minnesota. The previous record-holder, also a Maplewood
man,was 84.
Elizabeth Mohr can be reached at 651-228-5162. Follow her at twitter.com/LizMohr.