Judge orders third opinion of sanity evaluation for man accused of Butler Twp. quadruple homicide

DAYTON — The man accused of killing four people in Butler Twp. in August will have his sanity evaluated for a third time.

A Montgomery County Common Pleas Court judge ordered a third opinion examination for Stephen Marlow’s competency and sanity on Friday, according to court records filed Monday.

Marlow’s second competency evaluation was due back in court on March 24 and the first was submitted Feb. 1, but on Monday the court ordered another evaluation.

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“The Court, at request of the Court, is desirous of a third opinion evaluation and report,” court records state.

The doctor conducting the third examination must have their written report submitted to the court no later than May 17.

Marlow, 39, entered an insanity plea in December.

Marlow is facing 12 counts of aggravated murder for the killings of Clyde and Eva Knox, and Sarah and Kayla Anderson. He was also indicted on eight counts of aggravated burglary and one count each of having weapons while under disability and tampering with evidence.

He’s accused of shooting and killing all four of them at their residences on Aug. 5.

After a nationwide manhunt, he was taken into custody by police in Lawrence, Kansas just over 24 hours after the shooting.

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The charges Marlow is facing, in addition to three Aggravating Circumstance Specifications attached to each aggravated murder count, makes him eligible for the death penalty, Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck, Jr. said in a news conference on Nov. 10.

“The death penalty is not something we ask for in many cases at all. The death penalty should be reserved for the most horrific and shocking crimes. This case certainly meets that criteria,” Heck previously said.

Marlow remains booked in the Montgomery County Jail on a $10 million bond.

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