FeedsMurder suspect found incompetent
Court proceedings against a Westland man accused of murdering his long-time girlfriend have halted, at least temporarily, after a forensic psychiatrist deemed him incompetent to stand trial.
Timothy Joseph Catalano, 45, returned to the courtroom of Judge C. Charles Bokos of the 18th District Court in Westland on Thursday, eight weeks after he was ordered to undergo mental competency testing. The request had been made by Catalan’s defense attorney at the preliminary hearing on Sept. 6.
In court last week, Catalan’s attorney read part of a written report attributed to forensic psychiatrist Thomas Shazer that said Catalano—who is deaf—had “linguistic and cognitive deficits” stemming from his condition and that, as a result, he does not fully understand the nature of the situation.
The report suggested that with further treatment Catalano would become legally competent to undergo further court proceedings. On Thursday, the defendant was remanded without bond back to a mental health facility for treatment.
Prosecutors allege that on Aug. 27 Catalano shot and killed 44-year-old Tammy Susalla of Westland in the couple’s home on Gloria Street. At the time of Catalano’s arrest, Sgt. Steve Borisch of the Westland Police Department said that the couple’s 20-year-old daughter told police that her mother was allegedly “in the process of separating” from Catalano. The couple had been in a relationship for more than 20 years.
Neither the daughter nor her boyfriend—who were in the basement of the home—heard the gunshot. According to police, Catalano allegedly woke his daughter and told her that her mother was injured and that he had to leave. Catalano went to his father’s home in Jackson County, where Jackson County Sheriff’s Department deputies apprehended him the same day.
He now faces trial for first-degree murder and a felony firearm charge.
Susalla, who was unresponsive at the scene, was airlifted to the University of Michigan Hospital where she died the next day.
At the original arraignment, Catalano—with the aid of a sign language interpreter—indicated that the shooting had been an accident. Police indicated at that time that a search warrant executed on the home had recovered two rifles. Borisch said at the time that the defendant had allegedly confessed to police, indicated which gun had been used in the incident, and told police that Susalla, who was also legally deaf, had been asleep when the shooting took place.
Court officials are expected to check the status of Catalano’s treatment every 90 days with the case returning to the docket as soon as possible.
If an individual is convicted of homicide in the first degree, the penalty is mandatory life imprisonment. If convicted of the firearm charge, the penalty is two years in prison.
