A Utah teenager accused of filming another teenager’s suicide has been found mentally competent to stand trial.
In the Fourth District Court in Provo on Tuesday, Judge James Brady ruled that 18-year-old Tyerell Przybycien is competent to stand trial on a murder charge after he allegedly helped a 16-year-old girl hang herself and then filmed the suicide, PEOPLE reports. Judge James Brady also rules Przybycien competent to stand trial on a misdemeanor charge of failure to report the finding of a dead human body.
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Prosecutors allege that Przybycien purchased the rope used in 16-year-old Jchandra Brown’s suicide, tied the noose, and then filmed the May 2017 incident. Defense attorneys do not dispute that Przybycien aided in the suicide.
On May 6, 2017, Brown’s body was discovered by turkey hunters hanging from a noose from a rope tied to a tree. Two grocery bags containing receipts for the rope and an aerosol air duster, her phone, and a handwritten note stating to watch the video on her phone were discovered next to her body.
In the video, which authorities allege was filmed by Przybycien, Brown is seen standing on a rock and a piece of wood as she inhales the aerosol air duster. After losing consciousness, she falls. Przybycien’s can allegedly be heard on the video, with him saying “Thumbs up if you’re okay” after Brown falls unconscious.
Police, who believe that Przybycien purchased the aerosol air duster as well as the rope, claim that he told them Brown confided in him months before her suicide that she wanted to kill herself. They also claim that Przybycien had a fascination with death and was excited about aiding in Brown’s suicide, as evidenced by text messages exchanged between himself and a friend.
“The thing is..I wanna help kill them. It be awesome. Seriously [I’m] going to help her. [It’s] like getting away with murder! [I’m] so f– up. I’m seriously not joking. [It’s] going down in about a week or two,” one of the text reads.
A pre-trial conference is scheduled for March 27.
