Jail suicide attempt leads to competency evaluation in murder case

A West Jordan woman charged with killing her teen daughter and then shooting herself in an alleged death pact gone wrong will undergo a competency evaluation after again trying to take her own life.

Mary Ethyl Hansen, 53, faces one count of first-degree felony murder in the March death of 18-year-old Virginia Ray Hansen.

On Monday, 3rd District Judge Bruce Lubeck ordered an evaluation of Mary Hansen to see if she is fit to stand trial. The order comes after Mary Hansen attempted suicide Nov. 2 while in the Salt Lake County jail, according to court documents. She was moved to Intermountain Medical Center for six days before returning to the jail.

According to court documents, Mary Hansen on March 22 shot and killed her daughter and then shot herself in the head. The woman, however, was able to drive up her street for help. She reportedly told a neighbor about killing her daughter, and then returned home, where paramedics found her.

Hansen's friends told The Tribune that Mary Hansen had health and financial problems at the time of the shooting.

She is scheduled to next appear in court Jan. 16.

afalk@sltrib.com