Victims were in town for a major auto auction when investigators say they were shot outside a rental home.
KISSIMMEE, Fla. — The criminal case against a man accused of shooting three tourists outside a Kissimmee rental home has slowed as a judge orders a psychiatric evaluation after the defendant refused to appear in court, raising questions about whether he is mentally fit to face trial.
Authorities say the shootings happened Jan. 17 in a residential area near Kissimmee, a region that draws millions of visitors a year. Investigators have described the attack as random, with no known link between the suspect and the men who were killed. Now the case has entered a procedural stage that can reshape the timeline: determining whether the defendant understands what is happening in court and can work with his lawyer.
Deputies say the three victims were staying at a short-term rental on Indian Point Circle when they were shot outside the home. The men were identified as Robert Kraft, Douglas Kraft and James Puchan, who traveled to Central Florida for the Mecum Auto Auction. Sheriff Christopher Blackmon said after the arrests that investigators found no conflict between the victims and the neighbor accused of killing them. He called it a random act and said the suspect lived next door, meaning the victims were attacked in the place they likely thought was safest: the home they rented for their trip.
Investigators quickly focused on Ahmad Jihad Bojeh, 29, and arrested him in Osceola County. In the early days, deputies said they were processing the scene and speaking with witnesses in the neighborhood as they tried to reconstruct what happened. A neighbor later told reporters the violence was unsettling because it took place in a public, open setting near homes, echoing fears residents often express after sudden gun violence. Blackmon told the public there was no ongoing threat once deputies took Bojeh into custody, but the triple killing still left families and visitors asking how it could happen in the middle of a neighborhood.
As the investigation moved into court, prosecutors initially treated the case as one involving the highest level of homicide. Later, prosecutors filed paperwork charging Bojeh with three counts of second-degree murder, while leaving open the possibility that a grand jury could consider first-degree murder. The charging step matters because it frames what prosecutors must prove and what penalties might apply if the case reaches a trial. Prosecutors have described the evidence review as careful and ongoing, while law enforcement officials have publicly used words like premeditated when talking about the killings.
Another issue soon rose to the surface: Bojeh’s past contact with the criminal justice and mental health systems. In 2021, he was arrested in connection with a shooting at a Wawa in Kissimmee. Authorities said shots were fired at vehicles in a way that appeared random, and a man was injured. In that earlier case, Bojeh was later found not guilty by reason of insanity. Such rulings can lead to conditions in the community, including outpatient treatment requirements and bans on weapons. The earlier case is now being revisited in public discussions because it involves the same defendant and similar allegations of sudden, unexplained gunfire.
The court fight over Bojeh’s current case sharpened on Feb. 18, when he was supposed to appear for a hearing where he could have entered a plea. Instead, the judge told the courtroom that Bojeh refused transport from the jail. Assistant State Attorney Peter Donnelly said the refusal also affected earlier attempts to evaluate Bojeh’s mental health. Donnelly told the judge that doctors were unable to evaluate him because he would not get up. Donnelly argued that the court needs a fast determination, saying officials must decide whether Bojeh is truly incompetent and needs restoration in a state hospital, or whether he is capable of participating but refusing anyway.
Public defender Alesha Smith asked the court to order a competency evaluation and warned against a broad order to force Bojeh into court. Smith said such a step could cause emotional or psychological harm, depending on what is behind the refusal. She argued the court should decide transport and attendance issues as they arise, rather than issuing a sweeping directive. The judge declined to issue a blanket order requiring that Bojeh be brought to every hearing by force, but agreed to appoint a psychiatrist to examine him and set a future hearing to address his mental health status.
The competency issue could decide how, and even whether, the case moves forward in the near term. A person can be charged with serious crimes and still be found incompetent, meaning the court cannot proceed to trial until competency is restored. If a defendant is found incompetent, the typical path involves treatment designed to restore the ability to understand court and assist counsel. The criminal case is put on hold during that time. The pause can be short or long depending on the person’s condition, treatment response and the court’s review schedule.
At the same time, competency does not decide guilt or innocence. It is a gatekeeping step meant to protect the fairness of the process. Prosecutors often worry about long delays because evidence and witness memories can fade over time, while families may feel they are being asked to wait without answers. Defense attorneys often emphasize that pushing ahead with a defendant who cannot understand the process risks an unjust outcome and can lead to reversals later. Judges must weigh those competing concerns while following the law on mental health evaluations.
In the Kissimmee case, the stakes reach beyond the courtroom. The three men killed were visitors, not residents, which means the impact rippled back to their home communities in the Midwest. The victims traveled for a public event and stayed in a rental home, a common pattern in the tourist economy around Orlando. The killings also added pressure on local officials to explain how public safety systems work when a person has a documented history of serious allegations and mental illness findings. Some residents and observers have questioned whether earlier monitoring and treatment conditions were strong enough, while mental health providers note that confidentiality rules limit what can be said publicly about any one patient.
Investigators have not announced a motive, and law enforcement has repeatedly said there was no known relationship between Bojeh and the victims. That lack of motive can become a central question for prosecutors at trial and for families seeking closure. It can also shape future policy debates in the region about firearms access, court-ordered treatment and how agencies track compliance with release conditions. Those broader discussions are likely to continue as the case moves through hearings and as more court records become public.
The next major milestone is expected in April, when Bojeh is scheduled for a hearing on his mental health status. The psychiatrist’s findings will help the judge decide whether the case returns to a normal criminal track or shifts into competency restoration. If Bojeh is found competent, the court can reset plea and arraignment steps and move toward pretrial motions. If he is found incompetent, the court could order placement in a state facility and schedule periodic reviews, leaving the homicide case paused until doctors say he can participate.
Author note: Last updated Feb. 19, 2026.