Troy man accused of killing roommate found competent to stand trial

TROY — The Troy man police say killed his roommate, stealing his car and cutting off the victim’s thumb will go to trial.

Sean Higgins, 25, was found competent to stand trial Thursday morning, according to a Miami County Common Pleas Court official.

>>PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Troy man accused of killing roommate pleads not guilty by reason of insanity

Higgins previously pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in May. He was set to have an initial competency hearing in July, but it was rescheduled after his attorney requested a second evaluation.

Higgins was previously indicted by a grand jury aggravated murder, abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence, grand theft of a motor vehicle and receiving stolen property, according to court records.

Higgins was arrested by Troy Police on April 14 after police said he admitted to killing Easton Ho, 25, and dumping his body out of state, according to court records and Troy’s Police Chief. News Center 7 previously reported that police called the killing premeditated.

Ho’s body was recovered in Randolph County near the Greenville Creek in the area of State Route 227 and Greenville Pike on April 15, investigators said. It was the area Higgins told police he dumped it, according to Troy Police Chief Shawn McKinney.

Investigators said Higgins cut “off the dead victim’s thumb and keeping it to access and use the victim’s cell phone” during the crimes. The victim’s cell phone ended up being recovered in a field in Troy.

Since Higgins was found competent, his jury trial is scheduled for November 15 and 16, according to a court official.

Higgins is currently booked in the Miami County Jail where his bond was continued at $1.5 million.

©2022 Cox Media Group