A Trumbull County Judge has ruled that a man convicted of murdering his adoptive grandmother in Farmington 27 years ago should not be put to death for his crime.

A mental health hearing was held Thursday before Judge Sean O’Brien to determine if 45-year-old Sean Carter suffers from an intellectual disability.

During that hearing, evidence was submitted by three doctors who evaluated Carter with all three agreeing that his mental condition has deteriorated while in custody to the point where he is too incompetent to be executed at this time.

Judge O'Brien agreed with this, ruling Carter incompetent. Another hearing will take place in two years to review Carter's competence.

If Carter is found competent, the state will contest Carter's Serious Mental Illness (SMI) claim at the time of the offense.

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that people with an intellectual disability are constitutionally barred from receiving the death penalty. The judge will issue a ruling in the coming days.

Carter was sentenced to death for the September 1997 murder of Veader Prince at her Farmington home. Carter was 18 years old at the time of the crime.

Investigators say Carter repeatedly beat Prince with his fists, stabbed her with a knife multiple times, and raped her.

Both prosecutors and defense attorneys working the case now are requesting he be taken off of death row because he has been diagnosed as a functioning schizophrenic.

In June, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine issued a reprieve for Carter who is now scheduled to be executed on November 17, 2027.

DeWine issued it because pharmaceutical suppliers are reluctant to provide drugs used in executions to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.