Competency exam ordered for Wisconsin man who killed 5

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MILWAUKEE (AP) — A competency exam was ordered Friday for a Milwaukee man charged with killing five of his family members, including four teenagers.

WITI-TV reported that Christoper Stokes, 43, made his initial court appearance Friday — he was wheeled into a virtual courtroom, where his attorney told the court commissioner on teleconference that he has competency issues.

Prosecutors say Stokes killed his family on Monday, then called police and said, “I just massacred my whole family.” He’s charged with five counts of first-degree homicide and with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The complaint said Stokes identified himself on the 911 call and said the gun was upstairs, and he was sitting outside on the steps. He called 911 a second time and confessed again, the complaint said.

When police arrived at the house, Stokes was on the steps. When an officer asked Stokes if he had heard any shots, he responded, “Yeah, I didn’t hear them, I did them,” according to the complaint.

The victims were ages 14, 16, 17, 19 and 41. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said Monday that a young child was found alive in the house. The motive for the killings is unknown.
Stokes is due back in court on June 11.