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Trebilcock found "not responsible" for murder of young Sherrill girl

By WKTV News

Story Created: Feb 14, 2012 at 7:50 AM EDT

Story Updated: Feb 14, 2012 at 2:00 PM EDT

UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) - A verdict was returned just before Noon on Tuesday in the bench trial of David Trebilcock, the man accused of stabbing his girlfriend's six-year old daughter to death in their Sherrill home over the Summer.

Trebilcock was found "not responsible due to metnal disease or defect." He was facing charges of second-degree murder, second-degree assault, and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon due to insanity. Judge Michael Dwyer, who proceeded over the trial, said Trebilcock has been "determined "mentally incapable of knowing what he did the day of the crime."

Trebilcock's defense attorney said that Trebilcock was not aware of his actions that day, claiming that he was under the illusion that the young girl, Lauren Belius, was "the anti-Christ" and that "God told him" to kill her.

Lauren's mother, Allison, says she awoke that morning to the screams of Lauren coming from her bedroom. Allison says that when she ran to her daughter's room to see what was wrong, she found it barricaded with a dresser. Forcing her way into the room, she said she found her boyfriend, David Trebilcock, stabbing the girl to death.

Last week, a computer forensics expert took the stand, saying he found Google searches and e-mails on Trebilcock's computer containing words related to religion and law enforcement. Those findings reiterated what was stated earlier last week by other investigative witnesses.

A psychiatrist last week took the stand, testifying that Trebilcock suffers from schizophrenia.

Trebilcock will return to prison where he will undergo further psychiatric evaluations and later transferred to a psychiatric institution. He will re-appear before Judge Dwyer in one year to determine at that point if he is mentally competent or not.

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