The 74-year-old man suspected of murdering his wife remains in the Colorado Mental Health Hospital in Pueblo (CMHIP) as the case stalls.

James Beeker appeared virtually in front of Douglas County District Judge Ryan Stuart Monday morning, dressed in civilian clothes and donning a gray beard and glasses. Beeker’s defense attorney, public defender Emily Valdez, spoke for him.

The morning meeting was supposed to be an arraignment — where a defendant pleads guilty or not-guilty, and a trial date is typically set — after Beeker’s April 4, 2024 arrest by the Parker Police Department, but the defense asked to push back the hearing due to an ongoing report.

According the Valdez, the report could lead to a productive conversation with the 23rd Judicial District Attorney’s Office, possibly leading to a “resolution in this matter.”

While Valdez did not mention what the report entails, Beeker will remain CMHIP until his new arraignment date on Nov. 17.

Due to Beeker remaining at the mental health hospital, the report is likely regarding Beeker’s competency to stand trial. Beeker’s mental health had been in question since the incident occurred.

Beeker was arrested on suspicion of the first-degree murder of his wife, 78-year-old Angel Beeker, at their Wheat Grass Circle home in Parker. The arrest came a day after police responded to the residence for a call regarding “psychological issues,” according to arrest records. 

Police first responded to the couple’s home around 12 p.m. April 3, 2024 after Angel told a friend to contact the police due to Beeker having a psychological episode. Upon arrival, police found the house in disarray with a “substantial amount of supplements/medications” scattered around the home, according to records. 

The friend told officers Beeker had been released from a psychiatric facility on April 2 and was supposed to remain on a mental health hold until his assisted living placement was ready.

The next day, a wellness check was called in after the assisted living home could not reach the couple. Around 2 p.m., police found Beeker sitting in his car near the home with blood on his clothing.

“I think I killed her,” Beeker told an officer, according to the affidavit. “I hit her in the head with a hammer … I guess I need to go to jail.”

Officers forced their way into the house and found Angel dead with head trauma. A sledgehammer with possible dried blood was located in the garage. Beeker was taken to a hospital for evaluation before being booked into the Douglas County Detention Facility.

The friend who had called police the day before said Beeker’s mental state had worsened in recent months. She said he had been controlling and argumentative with Angel but had never been physically violent.

Detectives later tried to interview James. While he could identify himself and knew where he was, he said he did not understand why he was under arrest and claimed no memory of the incident.

Legal experts say such cases can be challenging to prosecute. Attorney and 9News legal analyst Scott Robinson told The Denver Gazette last year that many crimes require proof of intent — something difficult to establish if a defendant suffers from dementia or memory loss.

“Competency to stand trial is the first question prosecutors ask,” Robinson said. “Our legal system really is not equipped to deal with defendants who have dementia.”

If found incompetent, James could be placed under psychiatric care at the state hospital in Pueblo rather than face trial.

That decision is seemingly underway, though the state of Colorado only has the capacity to treat 516 people — an issue that has slowed down competency evaluations in the past.