‘Cannibal killer’ accused of hacking his girlfriend to death then eating her brain not fit to stand trial, lawyers claim
Joseph Oberhansley, 35, is said to have stabbed Tammy Jo Blanton, 46, to death with a knife before sawing her open
A MAN accused of killing, raping and eating his girlfriend is not fit to stand trial, his lawyers claim.
Joseph Oberhansley, 35, of Jeffersonville, Indiana is said to have stabbed Tammy Jo Blanton, 46, to death with a knife after breaking into her home.
He then allegedly used an electric jigsaw to open her skull to scoff parts of her brain and ate part of her heart and a lung.
Oberhansley has been charged with murder, rape and burglary at Tammy Jo’s home in September 2014.
He is also accused of dismembering and consuming parts of her body and could face the death sentence if convicted.
Oberhansley confessed to the grisly crimes including “cooking a section of her brain and eating it,” police said after his arrest.
But he has since repeatedly denied the allegations and told a judge he wanted to sack his “so-called” attorneys.
Now, lawyers say he is not competent enough to consult with them or understand proceedings, according to newly filed court papers.
According to documents: "Mr. Oberhansley has consistently appeared irrational and expressed bizarre thoughts at hearings.
"While in jail, he was observed experiencing hallucinations."
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Oberhansley was transferred from Clark County jail to an Indiana Department of Correction facility in 2015.
He was placed in a psychiatric unit after an evaluation and is still there, according to the documents.
The paper states: "There has been a complete breakdown of Mr. Oberhansley's communications with counsel.
"He is suspicious, paranoid, uncommunicative, and agitated whenever he meet[s] with counsel."
Clark County Prosecutor Jeremy Mull acknowledged the court was obligated to investigate when information indicated a defendant may not be competent for trial, reports the News and Tribune.
He said: "However, I'm very frustrated by the fact that these issues are only now being raised by the defence after this case has pended for this length of time.
"It was my strong hope to have this case tried to a jury in June of this year, and it is my hope that this does not delay the trial.”
A hearing has been set for March 8 when Mr. Mull expects Oberhansley's lawyers to address the court about their competency concerns.
A trial date has been cancelled and rescheduled at least twice before, according to court records. It is now down for June 12.
Tammy Jo was found with parts of her skull removed under a vinyl camping tent draped over her bath.
Cops also found a “plate with what appeared to be skull bone and blood” on it.
A skillet, a pair of tongs with blood on the handles and tissue were in the rubbish bin.
An autopsy revealed she died from multiple stab wounds and parts of her heart, lungs and brain were missing.
At the time of the murder, Oberhansley was free on parole for fatally gunning down his girlfriend Sabrina Elder, 17, in a drug-fuelled jealous rage in 1998.
He also shot his mum in the back and fired at his sister before tucking the weapon under his chin and pulling the trigger to give himself a “partial lobotomy.”
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