A 21-year-old man accused of stabbing his mother and aunt and torching a Kailua house while the two were inside was determined yesterday to be mentally competent to stand trial on murder charges.

Circuit Judge Virginia Crandall found Micah White fit to face trial, based on an agreement by city prosecutors and the defense attorney that three court-appointed mental health professionals found him able to assist in his defense and that he understands the criminal proceedings.

Crandall's ruling clears the way for White's trial, which is scheduled to start the week of Aug. 1.

White is accused of stabbing his mother, Kerry White, and his aunt, Sharon White, 58, and setting his family's Kainui Drive home on fire April 5, 2004.

Although the panel members found White fit to stand trial, the three also found that he suffers serious mental problems and falls under the state's definition of legal insanity. The three experts said White talked about vampires; one expert said White thought the two women were vampires.

Three said White could not discern right from wrong, and two also said he could not conform his conduct to the law.

White is expected to seek an acquittal by reason of insanity. If thus acquitted, he likely would be committed to the State Hospital as a danger to the community.

If convicted of first-degree murder — the murder of more than one person — White would face a mandatory life term without possibility of parole, the state's harshest sentence.