New Competency Exam Delays Trial in Tenisha Butler’s Killing
A judge ordered another evaluation of Frederick Owusu-Sakyi over prosecutors’ objections, postponing the October trial without setting a new date.
HERE'S WHAT WE KNOW
The October murder trial was postponed after a judge ordered a new inpatient competency examination. Owusu-Sakyi was found competent in November 2024; the new examination is not itself a finding that he is incompetent. Prosecutors opposed the postponement, and no new court dates had been set as of the supplied report.
The murder trial of Frederick Owusu-Sakyi, accused of killing his estranged wife outside an Urbana grocery store in January 2024, has been postponed while the court seeks a new competency evaluation.
The trial was scheduled to begin Oct. 19. A judge ordered the delay after an Oct. 13 pretrial hearing, and an order for an inpatient examination was filed Oct. 14, The Frederick News-Post reported.
Owusu-Sakyi, of Walkersville, faces first-degree murder and other charges in the death of Tenisha Butler, 33. He was previously found competent to stand trial in November 2024.
Ricky Lewis, chief counsel for the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office, told the newspaper that Owusu-Sakyi refused transport from jail for the Oct. 13 hearing. Lewis said defense attorneys raised concerns about his hygiene, behavior and reported depression, prompting the court to order another examination on its own initiative.
Prosecutors opposed the delay. Lewis said Owusu-Sakyi has not been found incompetent and that the prosecution does not believe he is incompetent. Defense attorney Elizabeth Connell declined to comment because the case is ongoing.
The evaluation concerns whether the defendant can understand the proceedings and assist in his defense. It is separate from the question raised by his earlier plea of not criminally responsible, which concerned his mental condition at the time of the alleged offense.
Butler was killed Jan. 6, 2024, after leaving work at the Giant on Sugarloaf Parkway. Charging documents allege that Owusu-Sakyi approached in a pickup truck and shot her as she tried to flee. He was arrested the following day in Columbia.
Butler had filed for divorce the day before her death and had an active protective order against him.
In addition to first-degree murder, Owusu-Sakyi faces charges involving firearm use and possession, stalking and violations of a protective order. Prosecutors have said they will seek life without parole if he is convicted.
The criminal case has had several trial dates, including September 2025 and June 2026 before the October setting. Lewis said no new dates have been scheduled.
Separately, Butler’s mother filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Frederick and its police department in July 2025, alleging failures to protect her daughter. The News-Post reported that court records show that civil case was dismissed in December 2025.
WHAT IT MEANS
The delay adds another unresolved step before the criminal charges can be tried. The new evaluation addresses the defendant’s ability to participate in court proceedings; it does not determine guilt or resolve the separate question of criminal responsibility.
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