Travis Rodrigues, who confessed to killing his 18-month-old daughter, Kytana Ancog, on Feb. 4, 2021, refused to participate in a court hearing Thursday to determine whether he is mentally fit to stand trial for second-degree murder, the second time he has defied the court’s order to appear.
Oahu Circuit Judge Christine Kuriyama said the court was informed Rodrigues would not go to a Halawa Correctional Facility hearing room to participate in the hearing, which was held via video teleconferencing. Kuriyama waived his presence and rescheduled the hearing for Nov. 1, noting that one of the doctors had not completed her report yet.
Rodrigues’ case has repeatedly stalled, in large part due to the defendant himself. He was indicted Feb. 17, 2021, and pleaded not guilty to the murder charge March 18, 2021. On Aug. 2, 2021, his lawyer asked the judge for a mental health evaluation.
However, on March 3, examiners were unable to render an opinion because Rodrigues refused to cooperate in the evaluation.
On May 19, Rodrigues refused to be taken to the hearing room at Halawa, where he is being held awaiting trial. A hearing rescheduled for July 14 was continued to Thursday.
It is unclear whether Rodrigues’ refusal to appear or to cooperate in the evaluation is due to a mental condition or is perhaps a tactic to delay trial or have his case dismissed.
Rodrigues told police he hit his daughter in the face, shook her, then squeezed her against his chest until she lost consciousness. His friend Scott Michael Carter was charged with hindering prosecution after Rodrigues claimed Carter removed a duffel bag containing the child’s lifeless body, allegedly telling Rodrigues he would take care of it.
The toddler’s body has not been found.
A judge dismissed Carter’s case because the state had taken too long to bring it to trial, violating his right to a speedy trial, but left the door open for prosecutors to refile the case.
Carter was released Aug. 24, and the state has not refiled charges against him.
