The Washington C.H. man charged with the murder of Robert Lee Gould II recently entered a plea of “not guilty by reason of insanity” and is scheduled to undergo a competency evaluation.
The original trial date of Dec. 16 for Kyle Wes Wilson, 28, has been vacated at this time due to the evaluation. Another trial date will be set once the evaluation findings are returned.
On Nov. 30, Fayette County Common Pleas Court Judge Steven Beathard ordered that Wilson be evaluated by Netcare Forensic Center in Columbus “for the purpose of determining the competence of the defendant to stand trial and the defendant’s sanity at the time of the offense.”
Wilson is accused of shooting and killing Gould II, 45, around 1 a.m. June 24 at the intersection of East Temple and Delaware streets in Washington C.H.
According to Fayette County Prosecutor Jess Weade, Wilson could serve 15 years to life in prison plus three years on a gun specification, if convicted of the murder charge. Wilson was also indicted in the same case on a third-degree felony count of having weapons under disability.
At 1:16 a.m. June 24, the Washington C.H. Police Department received a call of a possible shooting at the intersection of East Temple and Delaware. Once they arrived, officers located a male — identified as Gould II — lying face-down on the ground.
Personnel from Fayette County Emergency Medical Services were called, however Gould II died at the scene from a gunshot wound to the chest, according to authorities.
Gould II and Wilson were involved in an altercation on the sidewalk at the East Temple/Delaware intersection when the shooting occurred.
Investigative leads revealed that individuals reportedly associated to a narcotics investigation were possibly connected to the homicide and subsequently, an early morning traffic incident on US 35.
Members of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office and the Washington Court House Police Department, assisted by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office S.W.A.T. unit, executed search warrants the afternoon of June 24 at two locations in Washington Court House. The search warrants were the result of a months-long investigation into drug trafficking by sheriffs’ detectives and agents of the US 23 Major Crimes Task Force.
At approximately 4:30 a.m. June 24, the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center received a call of an erratic motorist traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes of US #35 near Milepost 76. Deputies checked the area and discovered that the vehicle had been involved in a crash and that another occupant had reportedly fled the vehicle.
Deputies identified the only occupant inside the vehicle as Wilson. A firearm, suspected narcotics, and US currency were located, and Wilson was placed under arrest.
Reach Record-Herald Editor Ryan Carter at 740-313-0352.
