Pittsburgh vacant church fire suspect undergoing competency evaluation

It's been two weeks since a massive fire engulfed a vacant church atop Pittsburgh's Mount Washington neighborhood, and the person charged in connection with the blaze was scheduled to appear in municipal court on Tuesday. 

But Colton Normand remains in the Allegheny County Jail under psychiatric observation and is still not talking to investigators. 

The 23-year-old from Boise, Idaho, has remained a mystery to police since their arrest on the scene of the spectacular fire. After rushing past firefighters to a church window at the height of the blaze, police took Normand into custody, where Normand said they wanted to see the flames close-up and gave a false name. 

According to the arrest report, police had found Normand squatting in the building days before and have charged them with a host of counts ranging from obstruction to defiant trespass. They are now a suspect in the fire itself but have refused to answer questions since the arrest.

On Tuesday in court, Normand's public defenders were granted a continuance of the public hearing. Normand, who did not appear, remains under psychiatric observation and has yet to be evaluated on whether they are competent to stand trial. 

According to the police report, Normand has a "history of violent tendencies." Police in Boise have an outstanding warrant for assault and battery and resisting arrest in connection with an incident there back in January, and Normand had been missing ever since. 

A nationwide online advocacy organization seeking to locate and assist missing persons described Normand as an endangered autistic adult. In a post in early February, the organization True Crime Sisters advises Normand "may be especially vulnerable" and "may not recognize danger or be able to advocate" for themself. If they are deemed not competent to face charges here, a judge may need to put Normand in a mental health facility for a time. 

Meanwhile, investigators are trying to determine the origin of the fire and whether it was intentionally set or accidental. Police are also trying to determine if there were other squatters in the building at the time. There have been more recent reports of squatters in the charred remains of the building, which is now slated for demolition. 

A new hearing is scheduled for Aug. 4, but it is unclear if Normand will be cleared to appear in court at that time.