David Gengler of Lakeview — who faces a number of charges stemming from the alleged beating, rape, torture and robbery of a female victim last year — will undergo another set of psychological evaluations, according to an announcement made during a session of Baxter County Circuit Court Thursday.
The 55-year-old Gengler has already been through evaluations coordinated by officials at the Arkansas State Hospital to determine his fitness to proceed. The results are sealed, but since the case has proceeded since the results were received, it can be assumed that he was found fit to stand trial and to accept criminal responsibility for his acts.
The first evaluations were done by Dr. Stephen Nichols in Fayetteville. The new examination will be done by Dr. Raymond Molden in Little Rock, who was specifically selected by the defense. He will be paid by the Arkansas Public Defender Commission.
Gengler is represented by Deputy Public Defender Mark Cooper.
Cooper told Judge Gordon Webb at an earlier court session that the defense might challenge the findings of the original evaluation.
Gengler was initially charged with kidnapping and five counts of first-degree battery in the spring of 2016, with the more serious charges of rape and aggravated robbery filed later.
His problems with the law began when Baxter County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a residence along Greenwood Avenue in Lakeview on May 24th of last year and found a badly beaten female victim. Gengler and the then 57-year-old victim shared the residence, according to investigative records.
The victim was lying on the floor by the front door of the residence. At the time of the incident, Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery said that the victim had marks on her wrists and appeared to have been bound for days. She also had numerous other injuries, including what appeared to be cigarette burns.
Investigators reported finding blood splattered on the walls of the residence and a large amount of tape with hair stuck to it on the bathroom floor. A knife and bloody cigarette butt were also found.
The victim was able to make a 9-1-1 call requesting assistance. The victim requested an ambulance but was initially hesitant to say why one was needed. She eventually told the 9-1-1 dispatcher that she feared “he will kill me.”
Gengler told investigators that the victim was bipolar and that “she falls all the time”. He has denied inflicting the injuries, holding the woman against her will or having forced sexual relations with her.
All activity in the case will again stop until the defense-requested evaluation is completed.
Gengler has been in the Baxter County jail since his arrest on his original charges on May 24th last year.
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