David Gengler of Lakeview — who faces a number of charges stemming from the alleged beating, rape, torture and robbery of a female victim last year — has undergone a second psychological evaluation and the results are expected soon.
Defense attorney Mark Cooper made the announcement during a session of Baxter County Circuit Court Thursday.
The 55-year-old Gengler has already been through one set of evaluations coordinated by officials at the Arkansas State Hospital to determine his fitness to proceed. The results are sealed but since the case has proceeded beyond the point the results were received, it can be assumed that he was found fit to stand trial.
The defense objected to that conclusion and the second evaluation was done by Dr. J. Michael Wood of North Little Rock. He was specifically chosen by the defense as part of its effort to challenge the conclusions reached by Dr. Stephen Nichols of Fayetteville in the first evaluation. The fee for the second evaluation will be paid by the State Public Defender Commission.
Gengler was initially charged with kidnapping and five counts of first-degree battery on June 1st of last year, with the more serious charges of rape and aggravated robbery filed later the same month.
His problems with the law began when Baxter County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a residence along Greenwood Avenue in Lakeview on May 24th last year and found a badly beaten female victim. Gengler and the then 57-year-old victim shared the residence, according to court records.
The victim was lying on the floor by the front door of the house. At the time of the incident, Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery said that the victim had marks on her wrist and appeared to have been bound for days. She also had numerous other injuries — including what appeared to be cigarette burns.
Investigators reported finding blood splattered on the walls of the residence and a large amount of tape with hair stuck to it on the bathroom floor. A knife and bloody cigarette butt were also found.
The victim was able to make a 911 call requesting assistance. She asked for an ambulance, but was initially hesitant to say why one was needed. She eventually told the 911 dispatcher she feared, “he will kill me”.
Gengler told investigators that the woman was bipolar and “falls all the time”. He has denied inflicting the injuries, holding the woman against her will or having forced sexual relations with her.
The victim said Gengler moved into her residence in October 2015 to work as a handyman. She told officers last spring that Gengler had kept her bound for two or three days, taped her in an upright position and punched, beat and kicked her. The victim also alleged that Gengler choked her and burned her with cigarettes.
Baxter County deputies had been to the residence on May 19th to respond to a domestic disturbance. The deputies reported the victim saying she had been in a heated argument with Gengler over his “drinking habits”. She said that Gengler had shoved her during the argument.
Gengler told a different story. He said the argument was about the victim’s gambling and he denied having any physical contact with the victim during the confrontation.
Gengler has been in the Baxter County jail since May 24th of last year with his bond set at $250,000.
A trial date has been set for late January.
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