Man charged in killing of former KU soccer player found not competent to stand trial
The man charged in the killing of 25-year-old Regan Noelle Gibbs, a former University of Kansas athlete, was found not competent for trial.
A Douglas County judge ordered Chad Marek to undergo further mental evaluation during a hearing Thursday. He is scheduled to be back in court Aug. 30 for a status hearing on his treatment progress.
Prosecutors have charged Marek with first-degree murder in the death of Gibbs. Police found Gibbs mortally wounded the evening of May 16 at the apartment they shared in the 2500 block of West 6th Street. She was declared dead at the scene. Police have said domestic violence was “being investigated as a contributing factor.”
Her mother, Kristen Gibbs, and four younger sisters spoke at a news conference in Lawrence shortly after her death.
Kristen Gibbs said she watched in frustration as Marek reportedly became more controlling of her daughter. She alleged he manipulated her through faith.
Regan Gibbs, who grew up in Washington, came to Lawrence to attend KU and was a goalkeeper on the women’s soccer team. She also volunteered at a homeless shelter in Lawrence. She earned a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science in 2019.
She worked in behavioral health at a hospital in Phoenix after graduating and planned to attend a physician’s assistance school to help people experiencing homelessness and mental illness. She moved back to Lawrence last fall.
