Judge grants motion for mental evaluation for Kyle Seeley

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LAUDERDALE COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) — A Lauderdale County Judge has granted a motion for a mental evaluation of a man accused of attacking his entire family with a machete in May of 2021, according to online court records.

The motion, granted on July 12, will allow Kyle Seeley to undergo a complete mental examination prior to trial.

A hearing held in April granted a transport order for Seeley to be taken to the mental evaluation.

Seeley, who faces six attempted murder charges after court records say he attacked his brother, parents and his three young children with various weapons – including a machete.

On the day of the attack, Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton said the 34-year-old barricaded himself in a building behind the home where the attack happened. Florence Police Department’s SWAT team had been on the scene trying to convince him to surrender, but he wouldn’t respond to the officers.

SWAT officers put gas into the building and Seeley tried to run, Singleton said. Deputies and Florence police officers tackled him in a pasture behind the building and took him into custody.

Singleton said they were investigating the motive behind the attack, but said there were some “family dynamics” that could have been factors. Seeley’s parents also were at the home at the time, and his father was the one who took the machete away from him, Singleton said.

Kyle Seeley, machete attack suspect, in custody — *Kyle Seeley being taken into custody.*

Along with the attempted murder charges, Seeley was charged with first-degree arson and aggravated child abuse at the time of his arrest.

A virtual arraignment hearing was held in September 2021, where Seeley entered a plea of “not guilty” to his charges by reason of mental disease or defect.

In June 2022, the State responded to the motion for a mental exam, saying they did not oppose an evaluation to determine his mental status at the time of the alleged offense. In their response, the State said they don’t believe Seeley was suffering from a mental disease when the crime was committed.