LIVONIA (WWJ) A psychiatric evaluation of a Livonia man charged with murdering three members of his own family and a fourth person determined him not competent to stand trial.
Gage Pierce faces four counts of First Degree Murder for allegedly gunning down his mother, father, brother and brother's girlfriend at the family home.
The competency hearing unfolded in Judge Sean Cavanaugh's courtroom at 16th District Court on Thursday, August 20th.
"I strongly believe my client is restorable," Pierce's attorney Robert Mullen told the court.
In the meantime, 25-year-old Pierce said he wanted to be found competent.
"It's been falsely misconstrued in those reports that my expressions have been unduly limited in the sense of, firstly I am confined to a space where it's a sub-day room in section 2C of this jail where I'm stuck in such a space with a lack of sunlight," Pierce said.
He added instances of him laughing also do not reflect his competency.
Judge Cavanaugh adjourned the hearing with the plan to have more discussions, and expressed the possibility of conducting an independent evaluation.
Wayne County Prosecutors said Pierce fired a semi-automatic rifle at the family home on Rensellor, near Inkster and 7 Mile, on June 9th. 21-year-old Neveah Finch of Warren; and 22-year-old Tanner Pierce, 53-year-old Holly Kimball, and 58-year-old Sterling Pierce, all of Livonia, lost their lives.
The family dog was also shot in the leg, but survived.
“A whole family was wiped out. Very tragically, it is extremely hard to protect yourself from a murderer in your own home," Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said when she initially announced the charges. "This domestic violence mass homicide could have happened anywhere and at any time. We will aggressively prosecute this defendant for his alleged actions."
About a dozen family members attended the competency hearing and said they were devastated.
Pierce is due back in court in late October.
25-year-old Gage Pierce is pushing for another evaluation.
25-year-old Gage Pierce is pushing for another evaluation.
