Teen charged with murder ruled competent to stand trial

A Middletown teen charged with aggravated murder has been declared competent to stand trial, according to Butler County Court records.

Paul Dillon Craft, 16, will have a jury trial starting on Aug. 27 in Judge Jennifer McElfresh’s courtroom.

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Craft is being held on $1.275 million bond awaiting trial for an alleged robbery gone bad that resulted in the death of a Loveland man in December.

Craft’s case was sent to adult court in January after a juvenile judge found probable cause he committed the crimes. Because of his age and the seriousness of the charges, the case is a mandatory bind over to adult court.

A competency hearing was held July 19, and the evaluation revealed Craft was competent. His attorney, Dennis Adams, did not request a second opinion, according to court records.

Craft has been indicted by a Butler County grand jury on the charges he now faces.

The co-defendant in the case, Keegan Payne, 19, of Yankee Road, has also been indicted by a grand jury for murder, three counts of aggravated robbery and improperly furnishing a firearm to a minor.

Payne’s bond is set at $1.25 million.

Middletown police say Payne and Craft conspired to rob Stephan Cotter, 22.

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