Son charged in murder of ex-Knaus Berry Farm owner found competent for trial  

The man accused of killing his mother, one of the owners of South Florida’s iconic Knaus Berry Farm at the time, is competent to stand trial, a judge ruled Wednesday.

Travis Ray Grafe, 43, is facing charges of second-degree murder and aggravated battery on an elderly person in connection with the February 17, 2023 attack on his parents, Rachel Knaus Grafe and Herbert Grafe, at the family’s home in southwest Miami-Dade.

Police said Rachel Knaus Grafe was found unconscious on the ground in a pool of blood and later died from her injuries. Her husband, Herbert, was hospitalized with head injuries.

Grafe’s competency was questioned since records show he suffered a severe brain injury more than three decades ago, and several doctors believed he may not be mentally fit to face a jury.

Dr. Ralph Richardson, who evaluated Grafe last year, testified that the defendant’s mental impairments including impulsivity, poor judgment, and difficulty focusing are direct consequences of that old brain injury caused by an accident when he was a teen.

“Mr. Grafe’s impulsivity, inability to stay on task for extended periods of time, decision making and judgment errors that are all consequence of his brain injury, my opinion and suggestion to the court and following my January assessment was that Mr. Grafe was incompetent to proceed,” Richardson said.

It was also revealed in court that years ago, a judge appointed Rachel Grafe as her son’s legal guardian after determining that he had “substantial brain damage as a result of injuries to the head resulting in impaired judgment, lack of impulse control, and mental disorder resulting from head trauma.”

In interviews with investigators after the attack, Grafe admitted to beating his mother because she was his legal guardian and he didn’t want her to be anymore, according to an arrest report.

Doctors testified that Grafe’s behavior during evaluations has raised serious concerns about his ability to understand and participate in court proceedings. They described him as impulsive, easily distracted, and prone to making inappropriate sexual remarks and self-incriminating statements.

“There is nothing that could be done to Travis that would make him different or improve . There is not therapy, no mediation that would change that behavior,” said Dr. Valdez, another doctor who evaluated Grafe.

Behavior experts said those patterns suggest Grafe may not be capable of controlling himself in court or fully comprehending the complexities of a trial.

Some doctors recommended that he be sent to a hospital for treatment instead of proceeding to trial.

On the other hand, one doctor believed his brain injury was moderate.

On Wednesday, Judge Laura M Gonzalez-Marques ruled Grafe will stand trial.