A St. Joseph man accused of the unprovoked beating death of his grandmother with her own hammer and then stealing her vehicle appeared in court Friday. A judge ruled Michael Courter competent to stand trial on charges of second-degree murder and vehicle tampering.

Courter, 41, has been in the custody of the Missouri Dept. of Mental Health undergoing a mental-health exam after his lawyer filed a motion for a competency examination in August of last year.

In court documents, St. Joseph Police described Courter as a violent and brutal man, who “without cause or provocation” violently killed the victim.  “He previously assaulted his mother and received a felony conviction,” according to the affidavit.

Courts documents assert that Courter was pulled over by police in the stolen vehicle in Hobart, Indiana about 12 hours after the incident but before the alleged crimes were discovered. He was released on a summons, and was not taken into custody in Buchanan County until the about three weeks later.

As we reported, Courter is charged with second-degree murder and vehicle tampering for the death of his grandmother Clyda Spurgeon. The woman was found dead at her home at 108 E. Highland Ave on April 29, 2016. In court documents officials said that sometime between 8 p.m. April 28 and 8 a.m. April 29 Courter allegedly hit Spurgeon repeatedly with a hammer he borrowed from her.

Circuit Judge Patrick Robb reviewed notification from the Fulton State Hospital that indicated Courter was “not in need of further detention at DMH.” He declared the defendant mentally competent to understand the charges and help in his own defense. Judge Robb scheduled the case for a status review hearing August 7, at 2:00 p.m.