Bruce Foster III, the man who shot and killed two people in February 2025 at a warehouse in New Albany, was found not guilty by reason of insanity by a Licking County judge Wednesday.
Licking County Court of Common Pleas Judge David Branstool delivered the ruling after a five-day trial ended in late August. Foster opted for a bench trial where a judge decides the verdict instead of a jury.
Foster's lawyers argued Foster was mentally ill when he shot and killed Shekhar Chapagai and Kyle Vaver, but never contested that Foster did so.
Branstool said the opinions of two expert witnesses brought by the defense, who were both doctors, helped him decide this case. Branstool was tasked with going through the evidence and arguments to make his decision in lieu of a jury.
"There was no dispute by the parties or by the experts that the defendant suffers from a serious mental disease and was psychotic and delusional at the times these offenses occurred. He had a documented history of serious mental illness, including paranoid schizophrenia," Branstool said.
The judge explained the defense witnesses were more credible. One reason he gave for this was because their evaluations of Foster's mental health began when he was still psychotic and delusional, as compared to the prosecutor's witnesses.
"In my view, (the defense experts') evaluations of the defendant's actions, and his mental illness, and of the systematic delusions he was having, were more complete, more thorough and comprehensive, and their opinions provided a more accurate description of his mental condition at the time of the offenses," Branstool said.
Foster will still be held in custody to be evaluated for whether he needs to be institutionalized.
Before the trial began, Foster was found competent to stand trial. Defense attorneys were tasked with proving Foster had a mental illness or disease or defect, and that he was unable to understand that his actions were wrong.
Chapagai and Vaver were Foster's coworkers at KDC/ONE in New Albany. Four others were injured in the shooting.
Several charges were considered, including aggravated murder and murder, attempted murder and felonious assault.
Foster and KDC/ONE also face a civil lawsuit over the shooting and if it could have been prevented.
