Alleged confession by Sugar Notch matricide suspect can be used at trial

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WILKES-BARRE — An alleged video recorded confession by Erik Michael Watkins, charged in the beating death of his mother in Sugar Notch in 2020, can be presented to a Luzerne County jury, President Judge Michael T. Vough recently ruled.

Watkins, 42, is scheduled for a jury trial in September on an open count of criminal homicide in the death of Patricia Watkins, 60, inside 301 Maffett St. on Dec. 13, 2020.

An autopsy revealed Patricia Watkins died from multiple traumatic injuries and suffered a number of broken bones in her face, neck and rib cage. Her body was found inside a tub, court records say.

Watkins’ attorney, Mark Bufalino, challenged the alleged confession his client provided during an interrogation with state police troopers Caroline Rayeski and A. J. Oliveri just hours after Patricia Watkins’ body was found.

During a suppression hearing held May 30, Bufalino argued investigators ignored Watkins’ mental health when Watkins claimed he was hearing voices, and further ignored Watkins’ request to see a doctor. Bufalino claimed the interrogation should had been immediately stopped.

Vough determined troopers Rayewski and Oliveri “conducted themselves appropriately” during the 1 hour, 20 minute interrogation and provided Watkins a break and a cigarette.

At no time during the recorded confession, Vough ruled, did Watkins request a lawyer despite being given his Miranda rights when the interrogation began.

Bufalino did succeed in having a 2009 temporary protection-from abuse order Patricia Watkins had obtained against Watkins suppressed from trial.

Court records say Watkins told investigators he “smoked some week,” fell asleep and awakened “hearing voices” and a “higher power” told him to attack his mother.

Watkins first attacked his brother, Jeremy Brodbeck, as Brodbeck and Patricia Watkins barricaded themselves in a small bathroom.

Jeremy Brodbeck jumped out a window and ran for help as Patricia Watkins was killed in the bathroom, court records say.