Niles murder suspect found incompetent to stand trial

NILES — A St. Louis, Missouri man accused in the 2023 murder of a Niles man has been found incompetent to stand trial.

Jamie Phillip Perry, 29, was found to be incompetent to stand trial by Judge Smith last week in Berrien County Trial Court. The judge had ordered Perry’s forensic examination back in January after he had previously been bound over for trial on four felony charges including open murder.

Berrien County Assistant Prosecutor Kate Arnold said Perry had been evaluated at the forensics center and found to be incompetent. She said he is now waiting for placement at the center in order to get treatment to become competent. The matter will be reviewed periodically in coming months, she said.

Perry faces four felony charges in connection with the Sept. 30 shooting death of Luke James Botica, 28, of Niles. He is charged with open murder, being a felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. The shooting took place at Botica’s home in the 1200 block of North 12th Street in Niles.

A preliminary hearing held last fall included testimony from two witnesses. One witness was at the home at the time of the shooting and said that the dispute between Perry and Botica was over drugs and money. The witness said that Botica told him that Perry owed him money and was going to help Botica start a marijuana grow operation.

The forensic exam was requested in January by Perry’s attorney, Berrien County Chief Public Defender Scott Sanford. Sanford had taken over the case last fall after Perry had fired his first attorney and represented himself for a short time.

Perry remains in jail in lieu of $2 million cash or surety bond.

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