CENTENNIAL — An Arapahoe County jury found Matthew James Watkins guilty of second-degree murder in the death of his wife Cora.
The verdict was a partial victory for the defense, as Watkins had been charged with first-degree murder and faced a possible life in prison without parole if convicted of that charge.
He now faces up to 48 years in prison. District Court Judge Michael Spear will decide the sentence at a later date.
“Yes. We’re pleased,” said public defender Jennifer Anstedt.
Watkins was found guilty of stabbing his wife, Cora, to death in January 2008 after an argument. The couple’s two young young children were in the home at the time of the killing.
Aurora police investigators say Watkins admitted to them he killed his wife. But defense attorneys suggested that Watkins was not thinking rationally when Cora Watkins was murdered and have argued he was not competent to stand trial.
The jurors deliberated for about eight hours over two days.
