A 21-year-old American Fork man who is accused of killing his 5-month-old son in April will face a competency hearing in August, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.

Joshua Petersen’s attorney says his client may be suffering from a mental disorder that is preventing him from understanding the charges against him. Petersen is charged with first-degree felony aggravated murder for the April 5 slaying of Ryker Petersen.

In a filing with the Fourth District Court, the attorney argued that Petersen had asked more than 10 times for the judge to grant home confinement instead of requiring him to remain at the Utah County Jail during court proceedings.

Petersen had made a slew of odd requests, according to the filing, such as wanting the judge to allow his father to “trade places” with him or to be given “lashes” or a whipping in order to be released from jail. Petersen has also expressed a desire “to be put to death” when told about the penalties.

The judge agreed to schedule a competency hearing on Aug. 5. Prosecutors have yet to decide whether they will pursue the death penalty against Petersen.

On April 5, American Fork police received a call that a baby had been shot at 582 N. 500 East. They arrived a few minutes later to find Ryker Petersen with a single gunshot wound in his forehead. He was taken by ambulance to the American Fork Hospital and was then transported by medical helicopter to Primary Children’s Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Petersen had intended to turn his rifle on himself, but a family member stopped him, police said.

During an April hearing for Petersen, AFPD Sgt. Gregg Ludlow said Petersen took his baby to the basement, laid him on the couch, loaded a single round into a .22 caliber rifle and shot the infant in the forehead.

“Petersen advised he has been planning to kill the child for about a month and that Friday was the day that he was going to do that,” Ludlow said.

Danny Crivello can be reached at crivello@citizen.af or via cell at 801-477-6397.

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