‘There were some concerns regarding time and space ... and how he got to the jail’

A Bellingham man accused of stabbing his mother multiple times, wrapping her in a blanket and leaving her body in Lake Samish in late July was found competent Thursday to stand trial in Whatcom County Superior Court.

Matthew Downey Gregory, 30, is charged with one count of second-degree murder for the death of his 64-year-old mother, Frances Gregory. If convicted, he faces 20 years to life in prison.

Chief Deputy Public Defense Attorney Angela Anderson raised competency concerns regarding Gregory after she noticed he had some confusion about his case. She said in court Thursday that while the doctor at Western State Hospital found Gregory competent, she believes certain issues weren’t addressed.

“I have concerns with the findings of Western State Hospital. At the beginning of our interview, with Mr. Gregory there was some confusion as to who I was, even though Mr. Gregory and I had met several times,” Anderson said. “There were some concerns regarding time and space and where he was at, and how he got to the jail. I think those issues weren’t addressed.”

Anderson said she may seek an expert of her own to do another competency evaluation or may ask Western State to do another evaluation if Gregory decompensates while in Whatcom County Jail. He is currently in jail in lieu of $1 million bail.

Gregory, who has a thin frame and curly brown hair, appeared in court in a black-and-white striped jail jumpsuit. During his hearing, he stood straight with his eyes often closed and his palms at his sides. He did not look at Anderson when she was speaking to him, or at the judge.

After Gregory’s arrest on July 30, his father told investigators his son had been diagnosed with mental health issues, according to court records.

Gregory also pleaded not guilty in court Thursday to his murder charge. Gregory’s jury trial is tentatively set for Oct. 22.

Frances Gregory’s body was found around 10:30 a.m. in the water at Lake Samish on July 29, near the 600 block of North Lake Samish Drive. She was without pants or shoes and her legs were wrapped in a torn goose-down blanket, according to court records. An investigation revealed no evidence of sexual assault, the records state.

Police identified Frances Gregory from her driver’s license, records show.

Whatcom County Medical Examiner Dr. Gary Goldfogel ruled her death a homicide and said she died from cuts to her neck and blunt force trauma to her head. There was also evidence of strangulation, Goldfogel said, and her date of death is unknown. Frances Gregory’s wounds were likely caused by a knife, court records show.

Around 6:30 p.m. on July 29, Matthew Gregory called Bellingham police and said his mother was missing from their Bellingham home. Gregory had also made several suspicious calls to family members about his missing mother, including telling his uncle and father conflicting stories about when his mother had left and where she had gone, court records state.

Later that night, police went to Frances Gregory’s home in the 1500 block of Harris Avenue, where her son Matthew Gregory also lived. Matthew Gregory told officers he last saw his mother the day before, when they made small talk before she left without her purse, cell phone or car, court records state.

While inside the house, officers noticed a dustpan filled with goose-down feathers that were similar to the feathers found in the blanket on Frances Gregory’s body and near the lake. When officers looked in the window of Frances Gregory’s car, they saw feathers and blood stains in the back seat, according to court records. They also found a pair of women’s sneakers on the front passenger floorboard.

Officers found spots of blood inside the house and on the porch when they served a search warrant at the home, records show. A neighbor also told officers they heard screaming the night of July 28, silence and then “multiple thuds that sounded like body blows,” records show.

Officers believe Matthew Gregory killed his mother in their home, and then took her body and dumped it in Lake Samish, according to court records.

At the time of his arrest, Gregory had his mother’s phone and credit card. A receipt showed he had used his mother’s card after her death, and her purse was found in his bedroom closet, records state.

This story was originally published August 23, 2018 at 12:04 PM with the headline "‘There were some concerns regarding time and space ... and how he got to the jail’."