Joseph Alan Sarmiento leaves the Luzerne County Courthouse on Tuesday. Ed Lewis | Times Leader
WILKES-BARRE — Believing “demons” killed his girlfriend Helena Johnson inside a Hazle Township motel room, Joseph Alan Sarmiento was convicted of third-degree murder but mentally ill.
Luzerne County Judge Michael T. Vough issued his verdict Wednesday morning after a non-jury trial held earlier this week.
Sarmiento, 40, testified in his own defense Tuesday claiming the Red Carpet Inn on North Church Street in Hazle Township was haunted and “demons” killed Johnson, 38, on June 4, 2021.
In leading up to and throughout the trial, Sarmiento’s attorneys – John Donovan and Cheryl Sobeski-Reedy, argued their client was mentally incompetent producing medical opinions from psychiatrists Dr. Richard E. Fischbein and Dr. Michael E. Kessler. Fischbein and Kessler opined Sarmiento suffers from delusional thinking, delusional disorder and psychotic illness.
Sarmiento opted for a non-jury trial resulting in state prosecutors – deputy attorneys general Brian M. Zarallo and Rachael Coleman, withdrawing a first-degree murder charge.
Pennsylvania State Police at Hazleton charged Sarmiento, of Quakertown, with fatally beating Johnson inside their motel room they reportedly rented for at least one month.
Video footage showed Sarmiento and Johnson entering their motel room but Sarmiento was the lone person who exited on June 4, 2021.
Sarmiento testified he drove to New York to speak with his father after an argument with Johnson and when he returned on June 5, 2021, he found Johnson deceased in the bathtub and called 911.
Forensic pathologist Dr. Charles Siebert testified Johnson died from blunt force trauma as she suffered multiple blows to her head causing a brain bleed. Seibert estimated Johnson was struck at least 10 times in her head.
Zarallo and Coleman introduced pictures of Sarmiento’s swollen hands during the trial indicating the injuries were caused by assaulting Johnson.
Sarmiento testified he suffered injuries to his hands when he repeatedly punched a cinder block wall to release stress after arguing with Johnson.
Sarmiento further testified Johnson was “resurrected” on July 15, 2021, and he saw her twice while he was jailed at the county correctional facility, including speaking with her through the toilet system of the facility.
Vough scheduled Sarmiento to be sentenced May 1.
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