Attacker In Scary Mask Not Competent For Trial: Judge

PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, IL — A group home resident who was charged in June with stabbing a caretaker more than 30 times while wearing a demonic-looking mask in Plainfield Township will not be standing trial, Will County Judge Dave Carlson determined. The attempted murder case against Ederaldo Frantz was closed this month during the pretrial phase, court files show.

An order from the judge indicates Will County Sheriff's deputies brought Frantz into court on Nov. 6 for a mental fitness hearing. After reviewing a fitness evaluation performed by clinical psychologist Dr. Kathleen Murphy, the judge agreed with prosecutors and public defenders that Frantz is not fit to stand trial.

Frantz is unlikely to be restored to fitness, court records show.

Judge Carlson ordered Frantz be remanded to the Illinois Department of Human Services on an inpatient basis. The judge set a follow-up hearing for Dec. 5 to determine the status of Frantz's placement and treatment within the Department of Human Services.

Back in June, Plainfield Patch reported that a 50-year-old caretaker was attacked with a large kitchen knife after she caught resident Frantz, 24, inappropriately texting women, according to police. The Will County Sheriff's Office said Frantz has a developmental disability and history of mental illness, and he had been told he was not allowed to text the women.

The group home where the attack occurred is in the 23500 block of Fern Street. Frantz came into the living area wearing a monster mask, playing the theme to the horror movie "Halloween" on his iPod and carrying a large kitchen knife, authorities said.

Frantz was booked into custody on two counts of aggravated battery, two counts of aggravated domestic battery and attempted murder. Will County Sheriff's officials said that deputies found the injured caretaker holding the broken-off knife handle in her hand. She was taken to a nearby hospital and immediately rushed into surgery.

When Plainfield officers detained Frantz, they found him sitting in a front yard still wearing the mask and he had blood on his arms and clothing, police said.