Competency hearing set for Vossen after evaluation declares him unable to assist in his defense against murder charge in 1974 Willmar homicide

Apr. 13—WILLMAR — A competency evaluation of the man charged in a 1974 Willmar homicide has found that he is unable to assist in his defense, and the court has set a competency hearing on the matter.

Algene Vossen appeared Monday afternoon before Eighth District Judge Stephen Wentzell for a review hearing of his Rule 20.01 competency evaluation. The proceeding was held via Zoom video conferencing software.

The evaluation by the court-appointed forensic psychologist Dr. Tricia Aiken declared that Vossen does not have the capacity to engage with his lawyer with a "reasonable degree of rational understanding," according to Judge Wentzell.

"(Aiken) is of the opinion that Mr. Vossen suffers from mental or cognitive impairment to the extent that it renders him unable to understand the nature and consequences of the proceedings against him to assist properly in his defense," Judge Wentzell said in court.

Kandiyohi County Assistant Attorney Kristin Pierce objected to the evaluation and requested a competency hearing. She said the state is looking into hiring its own evaluator to address Vossen's mental and health concerns.

Vossen's lawyer, Kent Marshall, of Barrett, said in court that the defense would also look into hiring its own independent evaluator.

Judge Wentzell scheduled a competency hearing for June 18.

Competency evaluations are considered confidential and are not available to the public normally.

Judge Wentzell originally ordered the evaluation in January after Marshall raised concerns about Vossen's mental health.

"I do have concerns about his ability to consult with me about this case," Marshall said in court in January. "I have attempted to do that on a number of occasions."

Vossen, 79, is charged with second-degree murder in the 1974 killing of Mabel "Mae" Agnes Boyer Herman in Willmar. He was charged last year after a Willmar Police Department cold case team was able to connect Vossen to the homicide after matching his DNA with a sweater Herman was wearing the night she was killed.

Read more of the West Central Tribune's coverage of Algene Vossen in the Mae Herman homicide.

A Willmar native, Vossen was living in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, when he was arrested in July. He was booked into the Kandiyohi County Jail in September following extradition proceedings and made his first appearance in Kandiyohi County. He was held on $1 million bail.

Vossen was released from jail in October of 2020. He was hospitalized in St. Cloud from Oct. 17 to Oct. 27 for medical treatment. He was then released into the care of his niece in Des Moines, Iowa, to seek medical treatment for various mental and physical disabilities, including dementia.

According to a letter from Marshall to the court, Vossen started chemotherapy April 10 and is recovering from hernia surgery which has triggered hemophilia.

"The home health nurse and bath aide are still coming on a weekly basis and his niece continues to assist him with getting up and down from his chair, into bed and things of that nature. Mr. Vossen is absolutely not capable of caring for himself," Marshall wrote in the letter.