HAMILTON, Ohio — A Middletown woman, accused of shooting and killing her sister in December 202,1 remained incompetent to stand trial after a month of psychological counseling, a Butler County judge ruled on Thursday.
Monica Ann Pennington, 48, of 1607 Lafayette Ave., was charged with murder and felonious assault in the death of her sister, Pamela Pennington on Oct. 20, 2021. The 52-year-old woman was found dead in the living room of the residence after Monica called 911, according to Middletown police.
Defense attorney David Brewer entered a not guilty by reason of insanity plea for Pennington.
On Dec.. 2, Butler County Common Pleas Judge Keith Spaeth said, according to her psychological evaluation, Pennington was incompetent to stand trial. She will eventually receive treatment at Summit Behavioral Healthcare in Hamilton County, he said.
Speath said since that facility has a backlog of cases, Pennington is receiving counseling in the Butler County Jail until she can be seen by doctors. She is scheduled to be back in court Feb. 24 of a third competency evaluation hearing.
Pennington is being held in the jail in lieu of a $650,000 bond.
At her arraignment, Assistant Butler County Prosecutor Dan Phillips said the sisters were involved in a physical fight, which was not uncommon in their lives, when Monica walked into her sister’s bedroom, grabbed her pistol, walked back to her sister and pointed it at her.
Phillips said it was supposed to be a murder-suicide, but Pennington did not go through with the suicide part.
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