A New London man accused of fatally stabbing Delma Murphy in November 2015 will spend an additional 60 days at the Whiting Forensic Institute as clinicians attempt to restore him to competency to stand trial for murder.

New London Superior Court Judge Hillary B. Strackbein ruled Monday that there is a "a substantial probability" that 48-year-old David McKeever could be restored to competency by June 9.

Strackbein had committed him to the state hospital in January after ruling he was incapable of understanding the legal proceedings against him or assisting in his defense.

McKeever is charged with murdering Murphy, his longtime girlfriend, at their 53 Cole St. home in New London.

Police said Murphy suffered multiple stab wounds about her body and had what appeared to be defensive wounds on her hands, and that McKeever admitted to killing Murphy.

Police said he wrapped her body in towels and a blanket and left her in a bedroom for several days until a friend who was concerned for her welfare went to the home on Nov. 18, 2015.

McKeever has a history of mental illness, but social worker Susan McKinley, who is part of a clinical team that evaluated him at Whiting this winter, testified during a competency hearing that McKeever is not showing psychiatric symptoms that interfere with his day-to-day abilities and is taking only one medication, the sleep aid Trazadone. 

McKinley said, however, that McKeever has been unable to demonstrate an understanding of court proceedings such that he would be able to assist effectively in his own defense.

He has vision and hearing problems due to a congenital condition known as Usher's Syndrome, according to McKinley's written report to the court.

He has received new glasses and is awaiting a hearing aid, according to testimony.

Because he said he could not hear well on Monday, he sat directly in front of the judge's bench and just a few feet away from the witness stand where McKinley sat.

Several of the victim's family members and friends have been attending McKeever's court appearances.

On Monday, they met with prosecutor Lawrence J. Tytla and Victim Advocate Beth Ann Hess.

McKeever is represented by attorney M. Fred DeCaprio from the public defender's office, who said McKeever has a "severe lack of memory" about the crime.

The clinicians' report indicates that McKeever has demonstated at Whiting that he is capable of engaging in "relevant, logical discourse, unencumbered by memory deficits, during casual or superficial interactions," but that he presented "with utter confusion" and inability to learn new information about his legal status during formal meetings.

The report indicates that McKeever may not be trying as hard as he could.

"Psychological testing indicated that Mr. McKeever has adequate cognitive capacities to be competent when he puts forth concerned effort; yet his performance on a test of his legal knowledge suggested less-than-optimal effort and quite likely intentionally poor performance," the report says.

k.florin@theday.com