Suspect in Creighton baseball coach’s murder found competent to stand trial

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - After he was declared mentally unfit for trial several times, the suspect in the 2021 murder of Creighton Baseball Director Chris Gradoville can now stand trial.

The ruling filed in Douglas County court Wednesday comes two months after Ladell Thornton had been declared mentally incompetent for the fifth time: twice in 2022, and three times this year, most recently in May.

During prior evaluations, the judge found there was a substantial chance Thornton would become competent within a reasonable amount of time. According to Wednesday’s filing, the court made the ruling after an evaluation by two psychologists.

Thornton is due back in court on Sept. 5 for a pretrial hearing but will remain at Lincoln Regional Center pending the results of an additional evaluation about whether he qualifies for an insanity defense, according to court documents filed Wednesday.

He may still be eligible for an NRRI defense, pending the results of an evaluation by a private entity, the release states.

Gradoville was found shot to death at a house west of 61st and Pratt streets in September 2021. He was Thornton’s landlord.