When a June 10 headline shook the community—Selby Minner, beloved blues musician and cultural icon, found dead—the shock reverberated through Rentiesville and far beyond. The one arrested for her murder was her own brother, Louis Carl Guenther, 68.
Now, in September—more than three months later— grief-stricken fans wonder what’s happened to Guenther.
Charges & court procedures
Gunther is formally charged with first-degree murder with deliberate intent under Oklahoma law. The court documents indicate that on June 9, armed with a hammer, he allegedly attacked Selby. Deputies found him covered in blood at the nearby Honey Springs Battlefield later that morning, and he led them to the crime scene.
His initial June 12 court appearance resulted in a not guilty plea, and he was remanded to the county jail. No bond was set. Attorneys requested a competency evaluation to determine whether Gunther can stand trial.
In Oklahoma, according to state law, once competency is in question the court halts all proceedings and orders a psychological review by licensed forensic evaluators.
What next?
Currently, Gunther remains held without bond at the McIntosh County Jail, awaiting a competency hearing set for 9 a.m., Oct. 1.
Should he be found incompetent to stand trial, state law stipulates he will be transferred to a certified forensic facility—most likely the Oklahoma Forensic Center in Vinita.
The center is Oklahoma’s only inpatient forensic facility, offering evaluation, treatment, and restoration for pretrial defendants and others adjudicated Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity/ Mental Illness. Life there includes structured therapy, psychiatric evaluations, medication management, recreational therapies, and a scaleddown version of daily routines—aimed at restoring mental stability.
How Long?
State law does not specify a rigid timeline for detention at the center. As patients remain under treatment and periodic evaluation, the court must check regularly to determine if competency has been regained. If restored, trial proceeds. If not, the court must consider civil commitment or other measures.
Human cost: Understanding “out of his mind”
Mental illness is a terrible affliction, often misunderstood, feared, and stigmatized. When someone is truly “out of their mind,” should empathy replace judgment— because a broken mind still belongs to a human being?
