A Sycamore man accused of beating his parents to death in September has refused to come to court for his past three hearings, court records show.

Kevin Schmidt, 35, hasn’t been arraigned yet on his first-degree murder charges after authorities alleged he killed his parents, mother Holly S. Schmidt, 59, and father, Gary A. Schmidt, 60, during an attack at their home on Sept. 28, 2025.

The Schmidts were well-known and liked in the community by loved ones, neighbors and colleagues. Holly Schmidt was a longtime educator in Sycamore School District 427, and Gary Schmidt was a master carpenter.

Schmidt’s defense lawyer, public defender Chip Criswell, said he’s raised a question about his client’s apparent fitness for trial.

Records show he raised that doubt on Dec. 10, 2025, the first time Schmidt apparently refused to come to record, according to filings. Schmidt again refused to come to court for hearings scheduled on Dec. 18 and Jan. 12, records show.

When reached this week, Criswell said it’d be improper, therefore, to arraign his client if he’s ruled as unfit for trial.

An arraignment is when a person accused of a crime enters an initial plea – guilty or not guilty – which informs what direction proceedings continue in court. It’s typical for arraignments to occur shortly after an arrest, since the hearings include a judge advising a person on their official constitutional rights and what their charges are.

A determination on Schmidt’s fitness hasn’t yet been made by a judge.

But Criswell was granted permission to obtain a number of Schmidt’s personal medical records as proceedings continue, according to court filings.

During Schmidt’s initial court appearance, Criswell had argued that his client had a history of mental illness and had spent time in behavioral health facilities.

Authorities with the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office alleged Schmidt confessed to the killings, according to court records filed shortly after Schmidt’s arrest last fall. Police believe the Schmidts were killed sometime the evening of Sept. 29, records show.

Deputies found Holly and Gary dead inside their home in the 1300 block of Oakland Drive in Sycamore from apparent blunt-force trauma. Kevin Schmidt was charged Sept. 30, 2025, with four counts of first-degree murder in his parents’ killings, according to court records. If convicted of the deaths of both his parents, he could face a life sentence.

Police alleged Schmidt recounted in great detail how he began plotting his parents’ violent killings the night of Sept. 28, fearing they would “hold him hostage or kill him,” according to DeKalb County court records. His father had taken away some car keys, and Schmidt told deputies he interpreted that “as an act of aggression,” according to records.

Schmidt is expected to appear for a status hearing at 9 a.m. on March 2 in front of Circuit Court Judge Philip Montgomery. He’s being held in DeKalb County Jail without release as of Monday.