CENTENNIAL — The trial of a man accused of stabbing his wife to death while his young son watched in 2008 got underway Tuesday with opening statements.
Matthew James Watkins faces a charge of first-degree murder in Arapahoe County District Court. He is accused of killing his wife, Cora Watkins, after an argument over a piece of furniture in January 2008 at their home on South Helena Street. Their two young children were home at the time.
Aurora police investigators say Watkins admitted to them he killed his wife. But defense attorneys suggested Tuesday that Watkins was not thinking rationally when Cora Watkins was murdered and have argued he was not competent to stand trial.
A friend of Watkins’ who was at the couple’s home before police arrived testified Tuesday that Watkins was “polite” when he called 911. He also was fine when he called his mother afterward and before police arrived, the friend said.
The trial is expected to last about seven days.
Carlos Illescas, The Denver Post
