A 19-year-old man from Oklahoma has been ruled competent to stand trial for the murders of his parents, whom he admitted to shooting because he believed they were Satanists who were sending him telepathic messages.
Michael Elijah Walker faces two first-degree murder charges for the March 2019 shooting deaths of his rock band drummer father, Michael Logan Walker, 50, and his mother, Rachel Walker, 44, at the family’s home in Edmond.
In June, a judge found the defendant to be mentally unfit to stand trial, but on Wednesday he reversed his decision after the 19-year-old had received psychiatric treatment and medications.
An Oklahoma judge has declared Michael Elijah Walker, 19 (left), competent to stand trial for the March 2019 murders of his parents, Michael and Rachel Walker (right)
The couple were found fatally shot inside their home in Edmond, Oklahoma (pictured above), on the morning of March 4, 2019
His defense lawyer, Derek Chance, pointed out to the station KOCO that being found competent to stand trial does not prove that he was mentally competent at the time of the killings.
Walker is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on February 21.
According to an affidavit, Walker’s 17-year-old brother called police at 2.30am on March 4 after waking up to his mother’s screams and the sound of gunshots.
The teen told officers that his 19-year-old brother said everything would be OK and that he would bury their parents’ bodies.
A judge previously found Walker (left) unfit to be tried for the killings of his parents (right). He has since undergone psychiatric treatment and has been given medication
Investigators said the teenagers’ parents were shot several times inside their home in the 2600 block of North Bryant Avenue, and that their son Michael apparently reloaded his gun during the attack.
When police officers arrived at the family’s home, the 19-year-old suspect was still inside with a gun.
The cops used a PA system to talk Michael Elijah into exiting the home, as KTUL reported. Once outside, he was arrested without incident and taken to the Oklahoma County Jail, where he was booked on two counts of first-degree murder.
Both his mother and father were pronounced dead at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds.
Michael was shot in the head, face and torso, His wife was also shot multiple times in the upper torso.
Police recovered a Glock 9mm handgun, believed to be the murder weapon, inside the house.
Michael’s brother (left) made the 911 call to report his parents’ slayings. The 19-year-old suspect later told police he shot his mother and father because he believed them to be Satanists
The elder Michael Walker (pictured second left) was a long-time drummer in the Oklahoma rock band Aranda, as well as at Life Church and other groups
During an initial search of the house, police said they recovered four homemade explosive devices, including pipe bombs, hidden inside a first aid kit, which were then detonated.
When interviewed by detectives, the suspect said he shot his parents during an early-morning argument about satanism, according to the affidavit.
Michael Elijah said his father tackled him on the bed, prompting him to grab his gun that was next to him and shoot him.
The 19-year-old said he also opened fire on his mother as she attempted to flee.
When asked if he would do it again, the victims’ son allegedly said he would and that he believed he did the right thing, the affidavit stated.
Walker’s older step-sister claimed in a Facebook post after the killings that her sibling is schizophrenic.
The suspect’s father was a long-time drummer in the Oklahoma rock band Aranda, as well as at Life Church and other groups and institutions, including South Western Christian University.