Overview
- A Circuit Court judge accepted a plea that included a not criminally responsible finding and ordered Anthony Lechner committed to a Maryland state psychiatric hospital, effectively closing the criminal prosecution.
- The case stems from the Sept. 29, 2025, death of 56-year-old Kimberly Lechner at the couple’s home in Monkton and Anthony Lechner was arrested and charged with first-degree murder that day.
- Court and charging records say Kimberly’s brother tried to stop the attack, disarmed Anthony, and police found Anthony covered in blood saying he did not remember what happened.
- Prosecutors told the court they agreed with the NCR finding, but family members objected that they were not allowed to see the doctor’s report that informed the ruling and some immediate relatives did not attend the hearing.
- Under Maryland’s NCR process, commitment focuses on psychiatric treatment with periodic reviews rather than a standard prison sentence, meaning the hospital will control decisions about treatment and future release.