The preliminary hearing for Jamie Jovin Poindexter, accused of murdering a University graduate student in April, was postponed on July 12, pending decisions about his ability to stand trial.
At the request of the defense attorney, the Albemarle County General District Court ordered 18-year-old Poindexter to undergo a psychiatric exam to determine whether he is competent to stand trial.
Poindexter is charged with capital murder in the death of 28-year-old Alison Meloy, who was a graduate student in the University's government department.
If convicted he may face either life without parole or the death penalty.
According to the commonwealth attorney's office, the study conducted by the University Institute of Law, Psychiatry and Public Policy found Poindexter was incapable of assisting his attorneys in his defense.
But only a judge can decide whether Pointdexter is competent to stand trial.
"The evaluation has been completed but the results are still under consideration," said Public Defense Attorney Jim Hingeley.
The commonwealth attorney's Office also must decide what action it will take in light of the results of the study.
Commonwealth Attorney James Camblos said his office has considered several courses of action, including requesting a second evaluation or a hearing with a judge.
July 26 has been set as a tentative deadline for the commonwealth attorney's office to assess what action it will take.
A specific deadline has not been set for a decision in the case.
Poindexter, Meloy's next-door neighbor, was arrested shortly after her body was found in her townhouse apartment at 2117 Commonwealth Drive on April 25.
She had been stabbed 15 to 20 times.
Albemarle police discovered Meloy's body after an individual who knew Meloy reported that she had been missing from work for several days.
She worked as a teaching assistant for Larry J. Sabato, a government and foreign affairs professor, in his Introduction to American Politics course.
Meloy also was a researcher at the Sorenson Institute for political leadership.
Her powder-blue 1996 Nissan Sentra, missing at the scene, was found several days later in the 300 block of Greenbrier Drive, a half-mile from her home.
A man identified as Shane Barbour originally led police to Poindexter as a suspect. According to a police affidavit, Poindexter confessed to Barbour and another man.
A 16-year-old from Waynesboro also was charged in the case with serving as accessory after the fact.
Police have not released his name because he is a minor.
To honor Meloy, the University will plant a dogwood tree on the Lawn and place a plaque on Cabell Hall near the new tree.
In addition to the memorial on the Lawn, the government department has renamed its annual award for outstanding teaching assistants the "Alison J. Meloy Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award."
"We wanted to remember her and her very strong performance as a teaching assistant," said Jeffrey Legro, acting chairman for the government and foreign affairs department.
The Lawn memorials will be paid for by a fund that the government and foreign affairs department created.
Any money left over from the memorial fund will be put toward the new award in Meloy's name.
Any person wishing to contribute to the fund should make checks out to the Department of Government and Foreign Affairs (For Meloy Memorial) and mail them to: Alison Meloy Memorial Fund, Department of Government and Foreign Affairs, University of Virginia, P.O. Box 400787, Charlottesville, Va. 22904.
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