Man Ruled Competent To Stand Trial In 4 Killings

Published On: Oct 14 2011 02:31:30 PM EDT  Updated On: Dec 07 2006 07:01:32 AM EST
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -

A man accused of shooting four people to death in a house near Orange Park more than two years ago was ruled competent to face the murder charges in court, a judge ruled on Wednesday.

Prosecutors said Gary McCray killed three men and a woman on May 23, 2004, in one of the worst crimes ever committed in Clay County.

Clay County deputies investigating reports of shots being fired in the home off Blanding Boulevard found Phillip Perrotta, 53, John Whitehead, 37, John Oliver Ellis, Jr., 51, and Robin Selkirk, 45, dead of gunshot wounds.

Investigators said they were each shot with a high-powered semi-automatic, two of them as they were running away.

Detectives said what led to the killings is still under investigation.

McCray apparently knew his victims and deputies said the house was the scene of drug activity. The house has since been destroyed.

In February 2006, Judge Frederic Buttner found McCray not competent to stand trial and sent to a Florida State Hospital for treatment.

This week, after hearing the recommendation of doctors at the mental hospital, Buttner ruled that McCray is now able to assist in his own defense.

"Now, essentially, we have the green light to proceed to trial," said State Attorney Harry Shorstein, who plans to prosecute the case himself.

No trial date was set, but all the parties will return to court next month.

"This, of course, is an extremely serious case for the citizens of Clay County unfortunately, a quadruple first-degree murder case in which we made the decision to seek the death penalty," Shorstein told Channel 4's Dan Leveton.

Previous Stories:

  • Copyright 2011 by News4Jax.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.