Waco man charged with slitting throat of autistic son found incompetent to stand trial

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - A Waco man who police say killed his 10-year-old autistic son in September 2021 by slitting his throat was found incompetent to stand trial Wednesday.

Judge Susan Kelly of Waco’s 54th State District Court ordered Bronchae DeFraunce Lewis, 37, to be treated at a state mental hospital in an attempt to regain mental competence to face capital murder charges in the death of his son, James Rashard Lewis, a student at Dean Highland Elementary School.

Lewis’ attorney, Walter M. Reaves Jr., submitted a six-page report from Waco psychologist Lee Carter, who found that Lewis’ longtime mental health issues render him incompetent to assist his attorneys in his defense or to comprehend the charges against him. State prosecutors did not contest the findings.

Kelly sent Lewis for treatment at a secure state mental hospital for a period not to exceed 120 days. After that, Lewis’ condition will be evaluated and his ordered treatment could be extended.

Lewis has been jailed since Waco police found his autistic/nonverbal son lying in a pool of blood on a mattress, bleeding from the neck at Lewis’ apartment at 2400 Washington Ave. He died later at a local hospital.

Reaves said Lewis is receiving no medication at the county jail for his schizoaffective disorder, bipolar diagnosis. Reaves said he has been told it could be from two to three years for a bed to become available at one of the state’s overcrowded mental facilities. Lewis’ 120-day commitment order won’t begin until he is transferred to a state mental hospital.

Lewis fought with officers and tried to take a stun gun from one, arrest records allege. Several officers and Lewis suffered minor injuries from broken glass in the struggle.

Police allege Lewis slit the boy’s neck with a large serrated kitchen knife.

Carter examined Lewis in jail on Sept. 9, 2022, and also interviewed Lewis’ mother. According to the doctor’s report, Lewis grew up in Marlin and started showing signs associated with schizophrenia as a late teen. That led Lewis to “be increasingly odd in his belief system and perceptions.”

“His mother said he became paranoid and complained of seeing or hearing things that are not real,” Carter wrote.

Lewis was a “troubled man” who seemed distressed during Carter’s examination, the doctor noted.

“Contact with reality was tenuous,” Carter wrote. “At times he seemed coherent and in touch with reality, but more often he did not.”

Lewis acknowledged hearing voices, but told Carter he thinks most people do. Carter wrote that Lewis is aware he is charged with killing his son.

“There’s certain things that happened that night…” Carter wrote, quoting Lewis in the report. “I have a video that shows my son breathing. I took a video so when the police came to my door it shows my son breathing… You can see the video showing him alive.”

Carter asked Lewis if he is aware that authorities are holding him responsible for his son’s death. Lewis asked, “Is Michael Jackson really dead? Is George Washington really dead? What about Jesus? Jesus Christ has super powers. See what I’m saying? You think about super powers, people with super strength. Superman? The Flash? He moves fast. Vampire? Heard of vampires? … We all gotta go sometime, you know?”

Carter wrote that because of “mental confusion, delusions, hallucinations and weak contact with reality,” Lewis cannot properly assist his attorneys in his defense and would not do well in a courtroom setting.

With proper treatment in a secure hospital setting, Lewis potentially could reach competent status within weeks or months, according to Carter’s report.