Morgan D. Notestine, the Saginaw County man who was found not guilty by reason of insanity in the gruesome 2018 killing of his roommate, will spend at least another year receiving psychiatric treatment at Caro Center Psychiatric Hospital. This decision comes after a judge denied his most recent petition for discharge, reaffirming that Notestine remains under judicial oversight and institutional care for the foreseeable future.

The ruling was issued in February 2024, after Notestine, through his legal counsel, formally petitioned the court seeking release from inpatient treatment. The court reviewed the petition alongside psychiatric evaluations, legal arguments, and public safety concerns before ultimately deciding that continued hospitalization was necessary. His treatment will be reassessed in February 2025, as part of an annual review process mandated by law.

Notestine, now in his early 30s, was found not guilty by reason of insanity in March 2021 following a bench trial presided over by Judge Trice. The charges stemmed from the November 2018 murder of 66-year-old Wayne E. McComb, who was Notestine’s roommate at a residence on 1085 W. Moore Road in Spaulding Township. In a shocking act of violence, Notestine fatally stabbed McComb and then mutilated his body, cutting out his heart. The gruesome details of the killing shocked the local community and drew regional media attention.

During his 2021 trial, expert testimony convinced the court that Notestine was legally insane at the time of the killing. The judge concluded that Notestine lacked the mental capacity to understand the nature or wrongfulness of his actions. As a result, he was acquitted of the open murder charge, which encompasses both first- and second-degree murder, under Michigan’s insanity defense statute. Under the protections of the U.S. Constitution’s Double Jeopardy Clause, Notestine cannot be retried for the same offense, even if he is later found to be legally sane.

Since his acquittal, Notestine has been committed to Caro Psychiatric Hospital, where he undergoes ongoing mental health treatment. Under Michigan law, individuals found not guilty by reason of insanity are subject to periodic reviews to determine whether they continue to meet the criteria for hospitalization. Each year, a judge must evaluate whether the individual poses a significant risk to themselves or others, and whether their mental illness necessitates continued inpatient treatment.

In the February 2024 hearing, despite Notestine’s attorney arguing that his client had made progress and could be safely treated on an outpatient basis, the court found otherwise. Medical professionals and state-appointed evaluators provided testimony indicating that Notestine continues to exhibit symptoms that require close supervision and structured care within a secure facility.

As it stands, Notestine’s next court evaluation is scheduled for February 2025, when a judge will again review his case, assess his psychiatric status, and determine whether release—or some form of conditional discharge—is appropriate. Until then, he will remain in the custody of the state at Caro Psychiatric Hospital.

The case continues to highlight the complex intersection of mental illness, criminal justice, and public safety. While Notestine was not convicted in the traditional sense, his confinement under the state’s mental health laws ensures that any potential risk he may pose is subject to careful and continuous judicial scrutiny.

Would you like a timeline of key events in this case?