Orem murder suspect is waiting for review

PROVO — A man charged with aggravated murder in the fatal stabbing of his father on Father's Day is waiting for one more competency review to determine if he can stand trial.

Michael Kirsch, 31, was in 4th District Court Thursday as his attorneys, Tom Means and Richard Gale, told Judge Gary Stott they were waiting for one final report.

"He's still working on it," Means said of the evaluator. "He needed to do considerable background research into previous treatments that Mr. Kirsch has had."

He told Stott the report would come shortly, and Stott set the case again for Oct. 30.

Kirsch has been in jail since June 15, when police responded to his parents' Orem home. Police say Kirsch had gotten into an argument with his father, Christopher Kirsch, and then stabbed him repeatedly. Christopher Kirsch, an adjunct professor at Utah Valley University, died soon after arriving at Timpanogos Regional Hospital.

Michael Kirsch has a history of mental health issues, including schizophrenia, as evidenced through past diagnoses in the court system.

In 2005, Kirsch he pleaded guilty and mentally ill to a charge of aggravated assault with a knife, and served time in the Utah State Hospital and then the Utah State Prison.

He was released from prison March 2007 and was still on parole when he was arrested for aggravated murderin his father's slaying.