CENTENNIAL — Matthew James Watkins was sentenced to 48 years in prison Tuesday for stabbing his wife more than 30 times with three weapons.
Arapahoe County District Judge Michael Spear gave Watkins, 41, the stiffest penalty he could for second-degree murder in the death of Cora Watkins, who was 31 when she was killed.
Watkins originally had been charged with first-degree murder, which carries a sentence of life in prison without parole.
However, a jury could not reach a unanimous decision on that charge and so on March 17 found him guilty of the lesser charge.
On Tuesday, two jurors told the judge that Watkins should spend the rest of his life behind bars.
“We, as a jury, failed,” said juror Kelli Hayes, shaking as she read from a statement. “I feel we didn’t do our job. Justice wasn’t served for Cora Watkins.”
No one spoke on behalf of Matthew Watkins at Tuesday’s sentencing hearing. Several family members of the couple’s children did write letters for the judge to consider during sentencing.
Watkins, who did not testify at his trial, was convicted of stabbing his wife to death in their Aurora home in January 2008 after an argument. The couple’s two young children, Jimmy, then 5, and Mary, then 3, were at home at the time of the killing. Jimmy witnessed the stabbing.
“This was a heinous murder with two children in the house,” prosecutor Vicki Klingensmith said during the hearing. “There needs to be a punitive sanction for the defendant.”
After the verdict, public defender Jennifer Ahnstedt would not say whether she would appeal the sentence. But during the hearing, she asked for leniency, noting that Watkins had a history of mental-health issues and alcohol abuse.
She also pointed out that Watkins took responsibility for the killing by turning himself in to police.
“He did what he could to shelter the kids from the scene,” Ahnstedt said.
Watkins did not speak on his own behalf, only saying that he was remaining silent on the advice of his attorney.
Judge Spear noted that Watkins could have stopped stabbing his wife and yet continued the attack with three weapons.
His children may never get over what happened, Spear said. Both are living with a family member.
“I can only hope that with therapy they are receiving that they can get over this,” the judge said.
Carlos Illescas: 303-954-1175 or cillescas@denverpost.com
