An East Huntingdon Township man accused of shooting a woman to death in her Hempfield Township home will be held at a mental hospital until a pretrial hearing is scheduled.
Leonard M. Pritchett, 29, is charged with criminal homicide in the October 2005 death of Patricia A. Collier, 19.
Westmoreland County Judge John E. Blahovec signed an order on June 19 for Pritchett to be evaluated at Mayview State Hospital in Allegheny County.
Another order filed Wednesday in the county clerk of courts office states that Pritchett has been deemed fit to participate in a pretrial hearing, but will be held at Mayview until the hearing is scheduled.
Her family said Collier was a loving, friendly person who recently started classes at Westmoreland County Community College near Youngwood. Police said Collier used cocaine and heroin, and that Pritchett was a drug dealer.
Police say Pritchett shot Collier in the head at her home along Old Route 66. Collier's sister, Tracy, found her the next day.
Police initially thought the death was a suicide. But a .38-caliber revolver left on the floor next to Collier's right hand still had the hammer cocked and contained no live ammunition or empty casings -- meaning it had not been fired.
Investigators say they recovered a tape recording of Pritchett speaking about killing a woman.
During a preliminary hearing last year, Pritchett steadfastly proclaimed his innocence, at times breaking into a ramble that ultimately led to him being removed from the courtroom.
Pritchett tentatively is scheduled to go to trial next month.
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