Edgewood Man Charged w/Harming His Grandparents Will Undergo Fitness Exam

Mark Sigrist, the Edgewood resident who is charged with attempted murder for allegedly injuring his grandparents early this week, will be examined as to his fitness.

The 39-year-old Sigrist, who is also charged with aggravated domestic battery, was arrested Monday after his grandmother went to a neighbor's house and reportedly told the neighbor her grandson had killed her husband. 

However, Sigrist's grandfather, 83-year-old Kenneth Baker of Edgewood, did not die and is a patient at HSHS St. John's Hospital in Springfield.

Effingham County State's Attorney Bryan Kibler said authorities were told Sigrist, for some reason, became upset with his grandmother, 80-year-old Nancy Baker of Edgewood, and began striking her with a cutting board. When Kenneth Baker intervened, Sigrist struck him with the cutting board. When the board broke, Sigrist grabbed a knife and began stabbing his grandfather in the head. That's when Nancy Baker went to the neighbor's house for assistance. Nancy Baker is still a patient at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana.

Kibler told Judge Allan Lolie during a Thursday morning court hearing that Sigrist's family has indicated Sigrist has mental health issues and has dealt with schizophrenia, also sharing that Sigrist has undergone mental health treatment on numerous occasions.

Judge Lolie directed that psychologist Dr. Jerry Boyd examine Sigrist. At the same time, Lolie set bond for Sigrist at one million dollars.

The attempted first degree murder counts are Class X felonies, punishable by six to 30 years in prison. The aggravated domestic battery counts are Class 2 felonies, punishable by up to three to seven years in prison, although probation or conditional discharge are also sentencing options.

Sigrist is due back in court on Tuesday morning at 10:00 for his first appearance with his counsel, Public Defender Scott Schmidt.