Court Accepts ‘Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity’ Plea in Godin case, Then Orders Independent Psychological Evaluations

A follow-up hearing date of April 20th has been set to review the findings of independent psychological evaluations ordered by Circuit Court Judge Dennis Hupp in the wake of a Wednesday, March 4th, plea and motions hearing in the case of Natalie Godin. Originally, it was thought that Godin, 49, would be charged with First Degree Murder in the death of her neighbor, 71-year-old Paul Washington, on April 22nd, 2025.

However, in the wake of additional information on what appeared to be Godin’s declining mental health prior to Washington’s death, the Warren County Commonwealth Attorney’s office has sought to reduce the charge to Involuntary Manslaughter. Discussion of the additional information surrounding the case has indicated that the prosecutor’s office has favored the reduced charge to be more assured of obtaining a conviction. In Wednesday’s hearing, the court accepted entry of a “Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity” plea by Godin to the charge of Involuntary Manslaughter.

RSW Jail mugshot of Natalie Godin upon her April 22, 2025, arrest on various charges related to the death of 71-year-old neighbor Paul Washington. – Photo from RSW Jail website

Legal Variables

Wednesday’s hearing was presided over by semi-retired Warren County Circuit Court Judge Dennis Hupp. Hupp took over the case following original presiding Judge Daryl Funk’s recusal. That recusal came after Judge Funk told the involved parties at an earlier hearing that he would not accept an agreed-upon plea that reduced the charge in Washington’s death from First Degree Murder to Involuntary Manslaughter. That decision appeared to be due to Judge Funk’s interpretation of the Commonwealth’s summary of its evidence accumulated in the wake of Godin’s neighbor, Paul Washington’s death.

And while Judge Hupp accepted the plea to the reduced charge on March 4th, he also expressed some questions about the plea agreement. Following his acceptance of the reduced charge plea, Judge Hupp ordered Godin transferred from RSW (Rappahanock-Shenandoah-Warren) Regional Jail, where she has been held without bond since April 22nd, 2025. That custody transfer is to the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services for independent psychological evaluations. As noted above, the court set a hearing date of April 20th to review those evaluations.

Might those findings again alter the rocky legal terrain of this case? Stay tuned, legal drama fans.

Legal variables, including independent psychological evaluations of defendant Natalie Godin, will be discussed at a scheduled April 20 hearing. Royal Examiner File Photo

Psychological & Health variables

Submitted evidence surrounding the Insanity Plea to the reduced charge states that the accused Godin showed no signs of deteriorating psychological behavior until “a few months before the incident” when Godin started to make “odd internet searches, accused her sister of practicing Wicca*(see footnote), claimed her husband was having an affair, and exhibited other strange behaviors.”

The prosecution has also said the evidence showed that, previous to Washington’s death, the accused and victim had lived as neighbors for some time, with Godin sometimes offering help to the 71-year-old Washington for his physical problems. Washington was described as having been in “frail health” and was required to carry oxygen with him whenever he left his home. One piece of defense evidence is security camera footage showing Godin welcoming Washington into her home that day in a friendly manner.

The day of Washington’s death, it was reported that “Godin’s husband, Michael Lancomb, entered their home to find his wife beside Washington, who was lying on the floor by the foyer, naked and covered with water,” adding that “Washington appeared to be deceased by the time of Lancomb’s arrival.”

Godin was also initially charged with Assault and Battery of a police officer and an Emergency Services staffer, both of whom responded to Lancomb’s 911 call. And while Lancomb was able to call 911, it is also reported that “Godin had forced him out the front door and locked him out of their home.”

There is also some dispute about the sequence of injuries, as to whether Washington’s eyes were gouged out between Lancomb’s 911 call and the arrival of Emergency Services and law enforcement personnel. Also, it could not be determined exactly when water had been forced into Washington’s mouth.

Given the deteriorating mental health argument, it would appear possible that Godin’s defense counsel could argue that Washington suffered some sort of fatal physical breakdown while visiting the defendant, perhaps dying with his eyes open. Might Godin have then taken Washington’s eyes out, fearing that he was staring at her from the “other side”, seeking her to join him in death?

Also, might the undressing and forced water into and on to her neighbor’s body have been an attempt by Godin to revive a dying man?

While the state medical examiner’s office initially ruled Washington’s death a homicide caused by “complications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease during an assault,” it also indicated it could not determine if certain injuries to Washington, prominently the removal of his eyes, as well as the attempt to force water into him, occurred before or after his death.

It appears potential defense arguments of this nature could have been a motivating factor in the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office’s decision to prosecute on the reduced charge of Involuntary Manslaughter, as well as the defense’s plea of “Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity” to that charge.

(Footnote: Wicca: From Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary: “Wicca: a religion influenced by pre-Christian beliefs and practices of western Europe that affirms the existence of supernatural power (such as magic) and of both male and female deities who are inherent in nature and that emphasizes ritual observance of seasonal and life cycles)