What’s next for the Kentucky woman accused of killing, cooking mother?

KENTUCKY (FOX 56) — In a pretrial hearing on Monday, 32-year-old Torilena Fields was granted a psychiatric evaluation, leaving questions as to where this case stands.

Fields faces several charges stemming from the October 2024 death of her mother, Trudy, including murder, torture of a dog or cat, and abuse of a corpse.

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Kentucky State Police troopers discovered the grisly scene on Brierly Ridge Road after two men came to do some work for Trudy, and instead found body parts and a bloody mattress behind the home. Court documents elaborate on the scene inside, where authorities found the dog’s body and parts of Trudy’s in a large pot inside the “still warm” oven.

“You kind of hope it’s something that where she’s not in her right mind, something you want her to be out of her mind and to explain what caused this,” Olivia Brock, Fields’ cousin, said.

As of a Monday order, court proceedings have been halted depending on the results of a psychiatric evaluation.

Her defense, Laura Fitzer, filed a motion for a “psychiatric competency evaluation” on Sunday stating that her client cannot “appreciate the nature and consequences of the proceedings” or to participate in her defense.

Fitzer alluded to the day of and before Fields’ arrest as evidence of her mental state.

“The day prior to the incident, witnesses saw the defendant attempting to “cast spells” on them,” she wrote. “When the police came on the scene after the body was found, the Commonwealth alleges the Defendant did not exit the home voluntarily, was seen speaking ‘gibberish’ and attempting to cast spells on the robot deployed by the special response team.”

The evaluation will be held in person by a psychiatrist. Fitzer noted the evaluation being in person is important as “some of the ways in which the Defendant’s possible mental illness manifests, requires the evaluator to see the Defendant’s conduct and mannerisms.”

Family members told FOX 56 in October 2024 that Fields was involved in a motorcycle accident while she lived in California that potentially caused brain damage. She’d only been home in Robertson County for a few months.

“It was a surprise to all of us that she was back here, and we think that Trudy was trying to help her with whatever she had going on mentally,” Olivia said.

Further, Fitzer noted that Fields had been found incompetent to stand trial for charges in California at some point in 2024. Court documents note that these records are confidential.

“Though the Defendant does not wish for this evaluation, Counsel is required to request this evaluation,” Fitzer wrote.

However, the final decision lies in the court.

“A court can find incompetency, even if the experts find someone competent,” she emphasized.

According to Kentucky law, depending on the results, the case may never go to trial.

“No defendant who is incompetent to stand trial shall be tried, convicted, or sentenced so long as the incompetency continues,” the statute reads.

Therefore, if the court finds Fields incompetent to stand trial but there is a “substantial probability” of improvement, the court can commit her to a treatment facility for 10 days. At that time, another competency hearing will be held, per Kentucky law.

If she’s found incompetent to stand trial without the possibility of improvement, the court can initiate involuntary commitment.

A hearing has been scheduled for July 14, but for now, the trial is on hold.

If Fields is found competent, court proceedings will continue as scheduled.