SUGAR NOTCH, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A man has been sentenced after police say he brutally killed his mother in Luzerne County back in 2020.
Tuesday morning Erik Watkins changed his plea to guilty for criminal homicide of the 3rd degree in the death of his mother 60-year-old Patricia Watkins. Judge Vough accepted the plea and Watkins was immediately sentenced.
On December 13, 2020, Patricia was beaten to death in her Sugar Notch home on Maffett Street by her son, Erik Watkins, investigators stated.
Patricia Watkins
Watkins had just moved back in with his mother and brother. He told police Patricia had taken him to a methadone clinic and he smoked marijuana before falling asleep. Watkins then told officers that he was "hearing voices" and that a "higher power" told him to attack his mother.
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According to the affidavit, Patricia’s other son, Jeremy Brodbeck, heard a loud bang downstairs and saw Erik on top of their mother on the couch beating her face.
The criminal complaint stated when Pennsylvania State Police arrived Erik told them "I know who you are and I know what you want," that’s when he reportedly screamed, "She is dead, my mom is dead, I killed her."
Patricia’s body was found in a bathtub on the first floor of the home and her face was so severely injured that she was barely recognizable.
Wakins was sentenced to 180-480 months (15-40 years) in prison with time served.
