ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A transient has been found competent to stand trial in the killing of a Seminole County caregiver.
Scott Edward Nelson faces charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping with a weapon, burglary and carjacking, among other charges, in the death of Jennifer Lynn Fulford, Winter Park police said.
Fulford disappeared from her employer’s home in September, and her body was later found dumped in west Orange County.
Doctors for Nelson said he’s competent to stand trial, attorneys said Tuesday.
“We had two independent evaluations done, one was the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and one was a local doctor here,” said Dan Eckhart, Nelson's attorney.
Nelson has been held in federal custody. He was on probation for a bank robbery when he was accused of killing Fulford.
A federal prosecutor said in court that they're putting their probation violation case on hold so that the murder and kidnapping charges can proceed in state court.
A motion has been filed to transfer Nelson from federal to state custody.
Judge Karla R. Spaulding warned Nelson not to write any more letters like the one he previously wrote using racial slurs and profanity while questioning investigators' evidence.
The letter was addressed to another judge, demanding special treatment in jail, and offering evidence in exchange.
Police: Missing woman's body found; person of interest identified
Nelson said in court Tuesday that he’ll do whatever he feels like doing.
The judge responded by directing jail officials not to deliver his mail and to monitor its content.
A motive has never been released for the killing.
Read: Person of interest in the death of Jennifer Fulford has violent criminal past, records show
Cox Media Group
