GUILTY PA - Stephanie Tyminski, 29, beaten to death in her Scranton apt, 9 Dec 2014

Stephanie Tyminski, 29, died of blunt force trauma to her head and her neck, Lackawanna County Coroner Tim Rowland said after an autopsy...

Police were called to Valley View Terrace around 10 a.m. by maintenance workers at the Scranton Housing Authority-operated complex who had not seen Ms. Tyminski “for a day or so and were concerned about her,” the chief said.

The maintenance staff let officers into the apartment, where the victim’s body was found in her bathroom.

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Newswatch 16 found Scranton police detectives along Leggett’s Creek near Rockwell Avenue where construction crews are replacing a bridge. Officers canvassed 200 yards along the creek looking for evidence. Detectives wound up in this area of the city Tuesday night after they discovered a suspect in the case may have taken a cab to this location.

Police said they found a piece of evidence that may be related to the homicide victim.

Police say Stephanie Tyminski, 29, was found dead one week ago inside her apartment at Valley View Terrace in south Scranton.

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Scranton police have a person of interest in last month’s killing of a 29-year-old city woman.

The person is incarcerated in a locked facility, said Police Chief Carl Graziano. He would not say why the person is incarcerated or provide further details because the investigation is ongoing.

Police are still waiting for lab results on forensic evidence collected during the investigation into the death of Stephanie Tyminski.

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A murder suspect from Scranton was back in court Friday. His case has been on hold for almost a year...

We now know the case will go forward. A Lackawanna County judge decided that Thornton is competent to stand trial for the murder of Stephanie Tyminski...

Thornton's preliminary hearing has not yet been scheduled.

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Detective Michael Schultz testified today that Mr. Thornton was obsessed with Ms. Tyminski and unhappy that she always rebuffed his advances. On Friday, witnesses said they heard Ms. Tyminski scream from the hall between the apartments, saw Mr. Thornton in the hall moments after the scream and saw two fake fingernails belonging to her next to his apartment door and blood on hall walls...

After today’s hearing, deputy sheriffs returned Mr. Tyminski to the county prison where he is being held without bail. No trial date is set.

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OkieGranny said:

http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/judge-sends-homicide-case-to-county-court-for-trial-1.2045719

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Mr. Thornton, who has displayed erratic behavior at several court hearings, was initially found incompetent to stand trial and was ordered to a psychiatric hospital for treatment. He was re-evaluated and Judge Margaret Bisignani Moyle ruled him competent following a hearing in May.

Christopher Osborne, one of Mr. Thornton’s attorneys, said his client’s mental health again deteriorated while at the Lackawanna County prison, prompting him to seek a new examination.

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Judge James Gibbons, assigned to preside over the homicide trial, recently granted the motion. Mr. Osborne said Dr. Richard Fischbein, who did the previous evaluations, was scheduled to meet with Mr. Thornton on Tuesday.

First Assistant District Attorney Gene Riccardo said the new development may delay Mr. Thornton’s trial, which was set to begin May 15, dependent upon Dr. Fischbein’s findings.

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A trial for the man accused of killing a Scranton woman two years ago likely will be delayed again because a doctor determined him incompetent, the defense attorney said.

Joseph Thornton, 28, could regain competency with treatment, his lawyer, Christopher Osborne, said.

“I will be filing motions shortly,” Mr. Osborne said.

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Joseph Thornton is charged with criminal homicide for the 2014 killing of Stephanie Tyminski, 29, who was found beaten and strangled inside her Valley View Terrace apartment that December.

He’s been incarcerated at Lackawanna County Prison since.

While there, he’s been involved in a number of incidents. Two led to criminal charges of assault by prisoner and aggravated assault. Preliminary hearings on those counts were held Friday before Magisterial District Judge Joanne Corbett.

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A court-appointed psychiatric expert previously determined Thornton, who has a long history of mental illness, is competent to assist his defense if he takes his medications. He has refused to do so, however.

At a brief hearing Tuesday before Judge James Gibbons, Christopher Osborne, one of Thornton’s attorneys, said Thornton also refuses to meet with him.

Addressing Thornton directly, Gibbons stressed the importance that he take his medications.

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Attorneys Christopher Osborne and James Elliott filed court papers Monday that notify Lackawanna County prosecutors they want to present the defense for their client, Joseph Thornton. They must get court approval to do so, however, because the deadline to file pre-trial motions expired.

Thornton, 29, is scheduled to go on trial Aug. 22, for the death of Stephanie Tyminski.

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A hearing in Lackawanna County Court on several motions, including an insanity defense, filed by attorneys for Joseph James Thornton, 30, was continued Tuesday after they raised concerns that their client still may be incompetent even after forced psychiatric medication, said District Attorney Mark Powell following a closed-door talk with the defense and Judge James Gibbons.

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The judge must decide whether Thornton can stand trial.

“That will have to happen in an expedited fashion,” Powell said, explaining that a trial is set to begin Aug. 22, and the judge must rule by then.

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