Competency hearing ordered for accused killer of Nevada teen

By SCOTT SONNER
Associated Press

RENO, Nev. (AP) — A justice of the peace has ordered a competency hearing in Lyon County District Court for a rural Nevada man accused of kidnapping and killing a Fernley teenager before he buried her body in the desert in March.

The order comes as Troy Driver’s lawyers continue to argue he can’t legally be tried in Lyon County for the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Naomi Irion, which occurred in neighboring Churchill County.

Canal Township Justice of the Peace Lori Matheus earlier set a preliminary hearing in justice court in Fernley Sept. 13-15 to determine if there’s enough evidence to bound him over for trial. She also plans to hear jurisdictional arguments then.

Meanwhile, she’s ordered Driver to appear at the competency evaluation hearing at the request of his own lawyers who say they must ensure all his rights are protected.

Lyon County District Attorney Stephen Rye said in Aug. 4 filings he didn’t object to a district court hearing “for the limited purpose of determining competency to proceed.” A hearing date hasn’t been set.

Driver faces six charges in addition to first-degree murder, including sexual assault, robbery and destroying evidence.

Prosecutors maintain he can be tried in Lyon County on all charges because he kidnapped Irion from a Walmart there before he shot and buried her “all as one continuous course of conduct.”