Hays Post
An Ellis County man accused in the death of his wife has been deemed competent to stand trial.
Jay Naldo Schumacher appeared in Ellis County District Court Monday for a hearing to determine if he was competent to stand trial in the March 2022 death of Karen Schumacher.
District Court Chief Judge Glenn Braun, following the more than two-hour hearing, found that Schumacher was competent to stand trial.
Schumacher’s defense team presented two expert witnesses during the hearing while the state and Assistant Ellis County Attorney Aaron Cunningham relied on the testimony of Cathy Schaffer from High Plains Mental Health.
Cunningham said Schaffer conducted an interview with Schumacher and that he, “did not score any impairments to stand trial during the interview.”
Schumacher is charged with first degree murder, aggravated battery, domestic battery and mistreatment of a dependent adult.
He is being held in the Ellis County Jail on bond and a preliminary hearing has been scheduled for January.