Daniel Gunnarsson claims jurisdiction over Kathryn Pham’s murder

Daniel Gunnarsson (centre).

A man who allegedly killed and butchered a woman out of unrequited romantic interest has been declared competent. Daniel Gunnarsson21 years old, being treated at a state hospital, according to KGET.

He was declared incompetent for trial in August for alleged murder Kathryn “Katie” Pham21. Public defender Pam Singh Yes speak that Gunnarsson was “unresponsive at all” when lawyers tried to speak to him in prison.

Prosecutors said he killed Pham in a macabre fashion. He was found with her body in an RV garage at his stepfather’s home in Kern County, California last year. His pants are “saturationWith blood all over his hands and neck, authorities said. Pham suffered major injuries to the back of his head and body.

“I killed her,” he allegedly said when authorities asked what happened to her.

When asked about the injuries, he said he didn’t know, but said he “definitely got it in” using a bandage.

Two friends are said to be him and Pham have a normal romantic relationship but she did not reciprocate his feelings for her. A friend of Katie’s said that Gunnarsson picked Pham up from Las Vegas a few days before the murder, and was driving erratically at high speed because Pham was on the phone and wasn’t paying attention to him. The friend also claims to have overheard Gunnarsson insult Pham over the phone when she didn’t want to go to his house.

Friends of Gunnarsson allegedly said he committed suicide the day before the murder – he drove erratically and backed up hard against a wall.

When speaking to detectives, Gunnarsson was said to have acted oddly but he said he was “acting out.” He allegedly said he was tall.

Hundreds of people attended a vigil in memory of Pham, according to The Daily Independent.

“Our only solace is that justice is done so Katie can rest easy and Ridgecrest as a community can rest easy with her,” her father Tom Pham said there.

The authorities said Gunnarsson refuses to come out of his cell to be arranged in May, and he refused again in June to appear in court.

[Screenshot via KGET]

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