Suspecting his client might be incompetent to stand trial, an attorney has requested proceedings be suspended in the case against Brandon Henslee, a Cambria man charged with murdering his half brother.

Henslee, 22, was set to appear in court Monday for a preliminary hearing. But his attorney, Fred Foss, declared doubt this week regarding Henslee’s mental competency. As a result, all proceedings are suspended until receipt of a doctor’s report Nov. 21.

Henslee is charged with murdering Tyler Hanks, 20, in August. According to police reports, Hanks suffered several stab wounds and blunt force trauma before his body was dumped in a wooded area near his home.

In a restraining order filed in 2011, Sheri Grayson, the mother of both the victim and defendant, wrote that one of her sons was mentally ill, although she did not specify which one.

If Henslee’s competency is disputed, a separate trial can be held to determine whether he is able to assist in his defense. If he’s declared incompetent, he would be sent to a mental health facility to receive treatment until he is deemed competent to stand trial.