Man charged with murder found to be 'extremely dangerous,' admitted to Oregon State Hospital

A 30-year-old man charged in March with murder in the death of a 91-year-old woman at her home on Henderson Avenue has been committed to the Oregon State Hospital after being found unable to assist in his legal defense due to underlying mental health conditions.

Michael Patrick Hill was taken into custody March 7 and charged with first- and second-degree murder, first-degree burglary and unauthorized use of a vehicle in the death of Alta Edith Vasbinder.

Lane County Circuit Court Judge Karrie McIntyre presided over the case in which court documents describe Hill as an "extremely dangerous mentally ill person."

The state filed an order March 21 that eventually found Hill unfit to proceed to trial and requested that he be committed to Oregon State Hospital in Salem.

Further criminal proceedings were suspended when McIntyre formally dismissed the case on Oct. 9. Hill was then officially committed to the jurisdiction of the Psychiatric Review Board at the State Hospital where he will reside for up to one year.

Following the one-year period, Hill could continue to stay at the psychiatric hospital if he is deemed unfit to proceed in trial or be charged again in Vasbinder's death if deemed "fit."

A lengthy history in the criminal justice system

Hill has been arrested nearly 40 times the last 10 years, according to court documents.

A fitness evaluation conducted in October 2020 by the Northwest Forensic Institute states Hill was admitted to Oregon State Hospital four times prior to 2021. He was found unable to aid and assist during each of those trial competency admissions.

Individuals deemed unfit to aid and assist their attorney in their defense but not considered extremely dangerous are released and the cases are dismissed.

Documents from a Multnomah County Circuit Court note Hill has "longstanding diagnoses of schizophrenia and also mild neurocognitive disorder."

Lane County Deputy District Attorney Chris Parosa said the Oregon State Hospital determined in six previous cases that Hill could not be restored to fitness to proceed to trial.

"The reality is we see this routinely," said Parosa. "Mr. Hill's case would be the fifth case where somebody with mental illness who's released from custody ultimately ended up killing somebody in our community."

"As a percentage of cases, it's not many, but five murdered human beings in our community is far too many," said Parosa.

When a person is deemed unfit to proceed in trial, there are generally two options for restoration and rehabilitation, he said.

"They are going to either be placed in community restoration, which is the local program that's designed to assist them with their needs, or if there isn't sufficient resources within the community to deal with them, ultimately they'll be sent to Oregon State Hospital," Parosa said.

The investigation into Vasbinder's death

According to a probable cause statement from Springfield Police, Vasbinder's daughter found her dead in the bathroom with severe head trauma and multiple stab wounds. A witness reported having seen a "suspicious male" enter the residence.

The man was described to police as white with thin stubble hair, wearing a dark jacket, dark pants and carrying a yellow-colored bag. The man also was seen driving away from the mobile home park in Vasbinder's 2012 Chevrolet Impala.

The Impala was found in the 1000 block of Linda Lane in Springfield when a resident notified police that his driveway was blocked by a car with the lights on but nobody in the vehicle. Police could not locate the keys.

Detectives found a Lane County Jail property bag outside the car that contained documents in the name of Michael Patrick Hill. According to Lane County Jail records, Hill had been released from jail on charges of first-degree burglary in Cottage Grove the day before Vasbinder's body was found.

As officers searched for Hill, a resident reported a man captured on home surveillance approaching their front door, peering into windows and attempting to open the door.

Officers located Hill walking in the 5400 block of Main Street wearing a dark jacket, dark pants and carrying a yellow bag.

He was wearing the same clothes he was photographed wearing when he was released from Lane County Jail and they appeared to be covered in what looked like dried blood. Officers also reported finding a Chevrolet key and key fob in Hill's pockets.

"When asked if he was at Alta Vasbinder's residence, why he was driving her car or any other critical details of this case, Hill simply stated he didn't remember those details, insinuating he wasn't involved," the probable cause statement said.

Hill said in an interview with police that the blood on his clothing and hands was from "fresh air and soap."

The Oregon State Police Crime Lab located a carbon copy of a Lane County Jail inmate property sheet in the name of Michael Patrick Hill under Vasbinder's body when they went to move it from the home. The receipt was dated March 5 from Cottage Grove Police who had arrested Hill for burglary.

Cases dismissed, predicted run-ins with the law

The Northwest Forensic Institute's fitness evaluation describes Hill's potential for future involvement with the legal system.

"He will likely have a worsening in his psychosis, which will likely at some point lead to another contact with police and the legal system and possibly getting readmitted for trial competency restoration," said the report. The evaluation suggests Hill should be committed through the civil commitment process.

The Oregon Health Authority describes civil commitment as a process in which a judge decides whether a person is alleged to be mentally ill should be required to accept mental health treatment.

The evaluators noted Hill had not been convicted for many of his previous arrests due to his symptoms of mental illness.

Previous arrests included charges such as unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, recklessly endangering another person, strangulation, burglary, theft, assault, criminal mischief, trespassing, interfering with public transit, kidnapping and failure to perform the duties of a driver.

The evaluators "strongly recommended" Hill be monitored, given his psychiatric history and difficulty maintaining safe behavior in the community.

Since the evaluation was released in 2020, Hill was arrested and arraigned on charges nine times, six of which were in Lane County.

Haleigh Kochanski is a breaking news and public safety reporter for The Register-Guard. You may reach her at HKochanski@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Springfield murder suspect admitted to Oregon State Hospital