West Roxbury murder/rape suspect ordered back to Bridgewater for more observation

A judge today ordered Nathurlon Munnerlyn, charged with raping and then murdering a man in a West Roxbury housing complex in November, to remain in Bridgewater State Hospital for observation, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office reports.

Munnerlyn, 39, has been at Bridgewater since his arrest in November for the stabbing murder of Brian Sweeney, 40, in an apartment at 34 Temple St. Part of the observation is to determine whether he is able to stand trial.

In an indictment last week, a Suffolk County grand jury added aggravated rape to the murder charge.

According to the DA's office:

Boston Police investigators recovered Sweeney’s phone at the scene and found a record of an incoming call from Munnerlyn at about 3:00 am. When detectives went to interview the defendant, he allegedly told them in a post-Miranda statement that he had stabbed Sweeney. Bradley told the court that Munnerlyn made admissions regarding a sexual assault and gave a description of the number and location of stab wounds consistent with the victim’s injuries. Investigators took Munnerlyn into custody and executed a search warrant on his residence, recovering bloodstained clothing and shoes.

Munnerlyn is due back in court on April 3, the DA's office reports.