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Seattle Post-Intelligencer Seattle A young man accused of killing the son of a King County sheriff's deputy was found mentally fit for trial Friday, a ruling that brought relief to the victim's family. Nikolay Sloboda, 20, is charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of Michael Behm, 18. The young man's mental state has been in question for much of the past three years; he's been found unfit for trial several times. In King County Superior Court, Judge Paris Kallas found that while Sloboda has suffered from paranoia, delusions and other mental problems, he is now able to understand the charges against him and rationally help his attorneys. Behm's mother, sister and brother said they were glad Sloboda would finally stand trial. His mother, Debbie Lewis, said three years "is too long" to wait for justice. "It's pretty emotional," said Behm's sister, Kristen Kerns, 31. "It's just good to know we can move forward and put this part of it behind us." Investigators say Behm and a friend were driving near the south edge of King County on March 7, 2004, when Sloboda challenged them to a street race. The two raced and then pulled over and began fighting. Sloboda is accused of stabbing Behm, then chasing him down to stab him at least two more times. Behm's father, also named Michael, has been a King County sheriff's deputy for about 18 years.
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