A young man who killed his mother in 2014 will spend the next 12 months in a mental hospital.
Ronnie Lavender Dovbish, 22, was found not guilty of second degree murder by reason of insanity in January. He appeared in York-Poquoson Circuit Court Thursday morning for a hearing on whether he should be committed to a hospital or released into the community.
Psychological evaluations conducted by both a professional psychiatrist and a psychologist were submitted as evidence in the case. Both concluded Dovbish had a psychiatric disorder and suggested commitment to a mental institution.
“My client is mentally ill,” said Defense Attorney Romeo Lumaban. “I think he would benefit from that.”
Dovbish will be reevaluated and his situation reviewed in one year, at which point professionals will recommend a further treatment plan.
Police said Dovbish choked his mother and then stabbed her three times March 4, 2014 in Yorkshire Downs. The then-19-year-old called 911 dispatchers that night to report “a murder in my house,” giving dispatchers an incorrect address and then hanging up.
When dispatchers called him back, he told them he was standing on the home’s porch, “waiting,” police said.
Dovbish then told the dispatcher, “Oh and by the way, I did it.”
A blood test revealed no signs of illegal substances or alcohol in Dovbish’s system at the time, Commonwealth’s Attorney Benjamin Hahn said.
WYDaily archives were used in this story. Sarah Fearing contributed reporting.
