The charge of first-degree murder brought against a South Kitsap woman believed to have staged her late husband’s suicide was dismissed in Kitsap County Superior Court Oct. 13 due to a diminished mental state.
Police arrested 70-year-old Colleen Jean Bergeron (Woodruff) Nov. 16, 2022, weeks after her husband, William Bergeron, was found dead in their Manchester home. She had walked to a neighbor’s residence Oct. 27 to report that her husband had shot himself in the head, leading the neighbor to place a 911 call.
Police found William’s body with a gun in one hand and also discovered a suicide note, pieces of evidence that police later suspected were forged by his wife. Home security camera footage allegedly show her entering the room with the gun used in the crime, among other details also used against her.
However, her ability to stand trial was in question for months, leading the defense to file a motion Oct. 6 to rule her incompetent and, therefore, dismiss the case.
“Mrs. Bergeron has been evaluated by three experts—all who have concluded that she is not competent due to dementia,” attorney Jeniece LaCross says in court documents.
Judge Tina Robinson granted the motion from the defense due to the likelihood that Bergeron would not be able to comprehend and stand trial.
Three medical competency evaluations between Feb. 1 and Sept. 27 note the worsening mental condition of the suspect. One noted increased paranoia preventing Bergeron’s transportation to court, stating that “it seems Ms. Bergeron’s cognitive stability is deteriorating quickly while incarcerated, as psychosis and mood lability can accompany cognitive deficits/dementia.”
State evaluations came to similar conclusions—one done at the county jail and the other at Western State Hospital after she was admitted Aug. 7 for a 90-day period of competency restoration. The reports stated that while dementia is not reversible, the conditions of being incarcerated could be having a heightened effect on the symptoms.
The Oct. 5 report provided in court records indicated that Bergeron’s condition had deteriorated further since her admission and that she had also been treated with blood thinners after developing deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary emboli.
