Judge: Defendant in guitar killing fit to stand trial

A 53-year-old Morgan City man, charged with second-degree murder in the August 2013 beating death of a 57-year-old man with an electric guitar, was found capable of proceeding to trial after a sanity hearing Wednesday.
Keith Allen Murphy, 53, of Morgan City, had a sanity hearing in 16th Judicial District Court where Judge Ed Leonard determined Murphy is able to stand trial, according to St. Mary Parish Clerk of Court records.
On Aug. 15, 2013, Morgan City police received a report of a possible homicide on Clements Street in Morgan City. Police discovered Robert Michael Gasek, 57, unresponsive on a couch inside his home. He had allegedly been struck in the head with a guitar, according to an affidavit.
Police located Murphy at the Clements Street home sitting on the front steps. Murphy said he had been responsible for Gasek’s death. Gasek was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police saw an electric guitar resting against the couch with what appeared to be blood on it. Investigators noticed that Gasek’s face appeared to have received blunt trauma.
Murphy told police that he struck Gasek in the head with a guitar after having an argument with Gasek about tuning the guitar.
Murphy further said that he had recently been released from Fairview Treatment Center for substance abuse. He moved in with Gasek on Clements Street until “he could get back on track and move back in with his wife.,”
Murphy said Gasek had been “rude to him and berating” him for a few days before his death.
Gasek had allegedly asked Murphy’s wife for $20 while Murphy was in treatment, but she refused. Since that time, Gasek had had a “chip on his shoulder” and was being rude to Murphy’s wife, according to Murphy.
Murphy was tired of hearing Gasek’s rude comments.
On Aug. 14, 2013, the two men had been drinking beer when Gasek told Murphy to tune the guitar “in a berating manner.” Gasek tuned the guitar at which time Gasek strummed the guitar and said Murphy didn’t know how to tune it.
Murphy said Gasek tossed the guitar bask at him. At that point, Murphy began to strike Gasek in the face with the guitar. After two blows to the face Gasek fell on the couch and appeared to still be breathing. Murphy repositioned Gasek on the couch and left the home after seeing Gasek had stopped breathing.
Murphy said he went for a walk to try to clear his head and eventually walked back to the Clements Street home. Murphy then called his wife and told her what he had done.
Murphy then walked across the street and told a neighbored what had happened and to call police. Murphy was arrested Aug. 15, 2013, and charged with second-degree murder.
In a December 2014 sanity commission report, Dr. F.H. Metz found that Murphy suffered from schizo affective disorder and bipolar disorder, according to court records. However, Metz determined Murphy was able to understand the nature and seriousness of the second-degree murder charge and was able to maintain a consistent defense.
Murphy’s trial date is set for March 14, 2016.

This story was written by Zachary Fitzgerald of The Daily Review staff. Reach him at zfitzgerald@daily-review.com.