OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla.,None — An Osceola County judge decided not to rule Wednesday on whether or not to dismiss a murder charge against a man ruled incompetent to stand trial.
Steve Bronson, who changed his name to Nancy Sue, was arrested for the 1979 murder of Norma Page, a pastor's wife.
The Public Defender's Office said as long as the murder charge remains open, no rest home will take Bronson.
But prosecutors said there's another option.
WFTV’s Melonie Holt spoke with prosecutor Ken Lewis as he stepped out of court on Wednesday and he didn't see any reason to dismiss the charge. He says the court is within its rights to order a civil commitment then the state hospital would be forced to take Bronson.
Bronson wasn't in the courtroom as his attorneys asked the judge to dismiss the murder charge against him without prejudice.
Bronson has been housed at the Osceola County jail since his December 2010 arrest in connection with the death of Page. DNA linked him to the slaying, and despite a series of strokes in 2003, St. Cloud police said Bronson had no trouble recalling the 1979 killing of Page at the parsonage of the Church of The Nazarene.
Officers said that Page was stabbed more than 30 times. Her sons, ages two and four at the time, were in another part of the home.
WFTV spoke with her eldest son about the motion to dismiss.
“It's outrageous to us to think the charges can be dismissed,” said the victim’s son, Adam Page. “We know in five years they could be, but that's what we were prepared for. But right now we want him committed to a state hospital and ultimately I think that's what will happen.”
The judge may decide to issue his ruling in writing. WFTV will check throughout the week for updates.