Teenager Treated for Mental Illness Facing First Degree Murder

A Utah teenager who was recently treated for mental illness at the State Hospital is now facing first degree murder charges.

Robbery turned deadly

19 year old Joshua David Canfield was arrested back in March of 2014 for first degree murder of a 58 year old woman in Toquerville Utah. Detectives suspected that Canfield was burglarizing the home when he encountered the resident who lived there and shot her to death. He was detained after officers arrested him with a vehicle belonging to the victim.

Mentally sick teenager locked in solitary confinement

Canfield who was a minor at the time was determined to be incompetent to stand trial because of his mental instability and numerous attempts to take his own life. He was sent to the Utah State Hospital for seven months of treatment. Unfortunately, this much needed treatment was after he had already endured a year long stint in solitary confinement courtesy of the Washington county jail. Once he was finally treated the issues plaguing him, Canfield was deemed competent to stand trial; he plead guilty to the almost two year old charges that included first degree murder.

First degree murder

Canfield was charged with first degree murder and first degree aggravated robbery, both of which carry sentences of five years to life in prison. These were accompanied by a few second-degree felonies for the theft of items from the deceased including a car and a gun. 19 year old Canfield will likely not see freedom until he is nearing his 40’s. It is plausible,  had he been treated prior to the crime for his mental illnesses, his life and the life of his victim may have been spared.