Reading man called police 11 hours after killing wife, investigators say
May 6—A Reading man accused of killing his wife in their home attacked her with a knife late Monday, then passed out, awakening nearly 11 hours later Tuesday morning to find her dead, according to court papers available Thursday.
Jose M. Torres, 51, told police that he didn't recall what happened after he blacked out Monday about 10 p.m. in his home in the 1400 block of Wayne Street, according to the probable cause affidavit filed by Reading police.
He said that when he awoke his wife, Patricia A., 44, was dead on the living room floor, police reported.
It was unclear what time Torres awoke, but investigators said he called police from the first-floor bathroom about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, saying he had killed his wife.
Torres was committed to Berks County Prison without bail following arraignment Wednesday night before District Judge Andrea J. Book in Reading Central Court. Torres faces charges of first-degree murder, for which there is no bail in Pennsylvania, along with third-degree murder, aggravated assault and relate counts.
According to investigators:
Jose Torres told a police dispatcher that he had killed his wife. When the dispatcher asked how he had killed her, he replied, "With a knife."
Police found Jose Torres in the first-floor bathroom, his clothes saturated with blood. He was detained.
Patricia Torres was found dead on the living room floor with a stab wound to her chest and a large wound to her neck.
Officers found two knife handles with broken blades on the floor near her. A kitchen knife about 8 to 10 inches long with blood residue on the blade was found just outside the front door.
Criminal Investigators Daniel Cedeno and John McKeever interviewed Torres that day. It was unclear where the interview took place.
He said he came home from work Monday and started to cook dinner. His wife was expected to arrive home late from work. It was unclear when she arrived, but Jose Torres said that about 10 p.m. they argued and he became angry.
He said he held her by the neck and at some point got a knife from the kitchen. He said he didn't recall what happened before he passed out. He said he called police because he needed to face the consequences of the assault.
The arraignment was delayed for a day because he was taken to Reading Hospital for unspecified treatment.
