A Stearns County judge has hit pause on the thallium poisoning murder case tied to the death of Cody Ernst, ordering a new mental competency evaluation for the man accused in the killing. The decision puts the murder prosecution on hold while officials continue to review months of medical records and court filings connected to the unusual poisoning.
Judge orders new evaluation
As reported by WJON, the Stearns County District Court recently ordered another competency exam for Stuart Hanmer, and a review hearing on the results has not yet been scheduled. WJON also notes that Hanmer was found incompetent to face the charges last November, a ruling that previously paused proceedings.
Medical timeline and testing
Court documents show Ernst first sought medical care on May 15 for dizziness, vomiting, and seizure-like activity before being transferred for specialized testing. According to St. Cloud Live, a heavy metals screen at the University of Minnesota Fairview detected a lethal level of thallium, and Ernst died at Fairview on June 22.
Indictment and charges
A Stearns County grand jury later returned an indictment charging Hanmer with first degree premeditated murder and second degree intentional murder. As reported by KSTP, the indictment added a first degree count to the case that prosecutors had earlier pursued.
Case on hold until competency is restored
Prosecutors have told the court they intend to pursue the charges once Hanmer can assist in his own defense, and the case remains on indefinite hold while treatment is arranged. St. Cloud Live reports the prosecution filed a notice indicating it will continue the case when competency is restored, and notes that a first degree conviction carries a mandatory life sentence under state law.
Why thallium cases are uncommon
The CDC describes thallium as tasteless and odorless and says the metal has historically been used in homicides because it can evade routine testing, a trait that complicates investigations. The Minnesota Department of Health's Public Health Laboratory says it often assists hospitals with specialty testing for uncommon contaminants and coordinated the testing that identified thallium in Ernst's samples.
