HOUTZDALE – An inmate of state prison accused of killing his cellmate, said voices told him to do it.
State police filed charges Friday against Derek Allen Bullard, 34, of the state prison at Houtzdale, of murder in the first degree, criminal homicide, aggravated assault, and strangulation, all felonies, as well as misdemeanor counts of recklessly endangering another person and simple assault.
In the criminal complaint released from District Judge James Glass’ office, police say after killing Roberto Camitan Quevada, 79, on June 15, Bullard went to the dayroom where he talked to other inmates.
He reportedly wrote a note, confessing to the crime and gave it to a nurse.
In an interview with investigators, he said he was locked alone in his cell with the victim whom he described as a “quiet old man who kept to himself.”
Before the murder, Quevada was sitting at the desk writing to the parole board because he was getting out soon, Bullard told police.
The voices told him: “if he would kill Quevada, they would leave him alone,” according to the affidavit.
Bullard reportedly stated he went up behind the victim, wrapped his right arm around his neck and placed him in a chokehold until he was dead. Afterwards, he wrapped him in a blanket and put him into his bunk.
Several of the other inmates told authorities that Bullard mentioned he had killed his cellmate.
A search of Bullard’s recent e-mails, revealed one sent on June 2 with the subject line reading “Contemplating Suicide!”
In the message, he said “I know I don’t want to hurt anyone else but right now I sort of want to take someone with me ‘cause I don’t like being judged by anyone and they are so screw them!”
Bullard was serving a total state prison sentence of 12 to 30 years for aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of a child and terroristic threats from Lehigh County cases in 2013.
Quevada was in prison on charges of rape of a child and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child from Montgomery County. In 2007, he was sentenced to 15 to 30 years, according to online court records.
There is no preliminary hearing scheduled yet for Bullard’s murder case.
