A 37-year-old woman charged with murder in the death of an elderly woman pleads not guilty by reason of insanity Wednesday.
Sarah Richards of South Thomaston is accused of strangling and beating 83-year-old Helen Carver to death in Carver's Owls Head home on Feb. 21.
Richards pleaded not guilty in May to murder and theft.
According to the Courier-Gazette, following a phone conference Thursday that included Justice Bruce Mallonee, prosecutors and Richards' attorney Jeremy Pratt, Pratt reportedly said Richards would enter a plea of not criminally responsible by reason of insanity at a hearing scheduled for Wednesday.
Richards has been held without bail at the Knox County Jail, since she was arrested Feb. 22.
Richards previously told police she was at Carver's home the night of Feb. 21 to shovel snow and that Carver was OK when she left, but later told police that when she went inside the house, Carver was already dead, according to the report.
She then said that when she went inside, Carver "came at her," upset about a stolen debit card. She admitted to attacking Carver and hitting her in the head with an unspecified tool.
The trial is expected to take place in August 2020.