PORT ANGELES — A Port Angeles man accused of the murder of his father will go before a judge Oct. 3 to decide if he will stand trial or be committed to a psychiatric hospital.
Defense Attorney John Hayden said that Shay Clinton Darrow, 30, is expected to be found not guilty by reason of insanity Oct. 3 for the January 2017 shooting death of his father, Clint Darrow.
Superior Court Judge Lauren Erickson will make the decision.
Hayden said his client would likely be committed to Western State Hospital.
“I believe we have reached a resolution in this matter,” Hayden said in a Friday court hearing.
Darrow would remain at the state psychiatric hospital in Lakewood until a Department of Social and Health Services Public Safety Review Panel determines that he is no longer a risk to himself or others.
Clallam County Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Michele Devlin said survivor impact statements will be read at the Oct 3. hearing.
Devlin added in a telephone interview that Darrow’s fate will “ultimately be up to the court.”
Darrow was charged in January 2017 with first-degree premeditated murder with domestic violence and firearm enhancements.
Port Angeles police said Darrow had stopped taking his medication for schizoaffective disorder before he fired 29 rounds at his father with a semi-automatic .45-caliber pistol on Jan. 12, 2017.
Clint Darrow, who owned Van Goes Gourmet Pizza & Mexican in Port Angeles, was 53.
His body was found in a bedroom at his home on the 200 block of West Ninth Street after Shay Darrow reported the killing to police, according to the affidavit for probable cause.
Police said Shay Darrow was unprovoked when he shot his father.
Shay Darrow is being held in the Clallam County jail on $500,000 bail. He is the longest-serving inmate in the jail.
The case has been stuck in a holding pattern for the past 32 months because of delays with mental health reports.
Shay Darrow was previously found not competent to stand trial because he lacked the capacity to understand the nature of the charge against him and to assist in his own defense.
He was committed to Western State for competency restoration in 2017 was later found to have been legally insane at the time of the murder.
In a March 15 report, Dr. Barry Ward of the Office of Forensic Evaluation Services opined that Darrow was “acutely psychotic” when his father was killed.
“In the event that Mr. Darrow is acquitted by reason of insanity, he has clinical risk factors making him a substantial danger to other persons unless kept under further control by the court or other persons or institutions,” Ward wrote.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
