HOUTZDALE – An inmate of the state prison at Houtzdale who claimed voices told him to kill his cellmate, waived his right to a preliminary hearing Friday before District Judge James Glass at the facility.
Derek Allen Bullard, 34, is charged with murder in the first degree, criminal homicide and aggravated assault, all felonies, as well as misdemeanor counts of strangulation, recklessly endangering another person and simple assault.
In the criminal complaint, 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.
The case now moves on to the county court for further disposition.
