Indiana man accused of eating ex-girlfriend's heart and lung ruled mentally incompetent to stand trial

A man from Indiana, who is accused of raping and killing his ex-girlfriend before eating her body parts, has been ruled incompetent to stand trial.

Clark County Circuit Court Judge Vicki Carmichael's statement came on Wednesday (25 October) after three doctors and two psychologists, who evaluated Joseph Oberhansley, testified in the court that the accused is currently not fit for a trial, The Daily Mail reported.

The 36-year-old is reported to have broken into the home of his ex-girlfriend Tammy Jo Blanton in September 2014. He allegedly raped and stabbed her to death before eating portions of her heart, lungs and brain.

Police had found the 46-year-old woman's mutilated body under a tarpaulin in the bath, after a colleague called 911 when Blanton did not show up for work the following day.

Oberhansley has been charged with murder, abuse of a corpse and breaking and entering. If found guilty, he could get a death sentence.

The latest development came after Judge Carmichael ordered for competency test. The judge had asked for the test after defense attorneys Brent Westerfeld and Bart Betteau filed a plea in February, saying Oberhansley was not able to participate in his own defense or fully understand the court proceedings.

They wrote in the motion that the accused "is suspicious, paranoid, uncommunicative, and agitated", and there is a "complete breakdown" in communication between them and him.

Meanwhile, it was reported that Oberhansley has been deemed incompetent only for now and his competency will be addressed again in 90 days. Until then, he will undergo treatments at a state hospital in an effort to try him at a later time.