Man gets life term for killing co-worker
Peter Atem was convicted in stabbing death of father of three
NORRISTOWN >> As he learned he’ll spend the rest of his life in prison, a Lansdale man showed no emotion and provided no explanation for his decision to fatally stab his co-worker during an altercation at a Franconia meat packing plant.
Peter Jok Atem, 33, of the 300 block of Cannon Avenue, a Sudanese refugee who came to the U.S. in 2000, did not address the Montgomery County courtroom when given an opportunity on Friday and appeared expressionless as Judge Gail A. Weilheimer sentenced him to life imprisonment.
The punishment was sealed at the time of a jury’s June conviction, a mandatory term given Atem was convicted of first-degree murder, which is an intentional killing, in connection with the 8:08 a.m. Feb. 18, 2015, stabbing death of his co-worker, 25-year-old Danny Vazquez, of Philadelphia, at the MOPAC Rendering plant in the 700 block of Souder Road, Franconia.
“Mr. Atem, I, like all of us, recognized the horrific childhood you had. It is one no one should endure,” said Weilheimer, referring to testimony
“Mr. Atem, I, like all of us, recognized the horrific childhood you had. It is one no one should endure. But your actions cannot be excused.” — Montgomery County Judge Gail A. Weilheimer
about Atem’s difficult upbringing in a war-torn land. “But your actions cannot be excused. Those actions have changed forever the lives of the Vazquez family and your life.”
Members of Vazquez’s family sobbed uncontrollably as they expressed their anguish.
“You took a very loving, humble family member from all of us. The day you decided to play God and take my brother’s life… you took a huge chunk of mine,” Jason Vazquez, Danny’s older brother, addressed Atem. “I hope God has mercy on your soul because I have no mercy for you.”
The victim’s fiancée, Johely Vazquez, said she and the couple’s children, ages 3, 7, and 10, are experiencing difficult times since Danny’s murder.
“All they wish for is for daddy to be home,” Johely choked back tears as she recalled her children’s heartache. “Me and the kids will always miss Danny’s kisses and hugs.”
Victor Vazquez said he thinks about his brother Danny each day and he’s still haunted by one question, “Why?”
“I just ask why? Why did you have to take him from us?” Victor Vazquez pleaded through sobs as he held his hand to his heart and addressed an expressionless Atem. “Why? You could have taken another route. I know it’s not right, but I just can’t forgive you.”
Assistant District Attorney Alec O’Neill said the case is “a tragedy on every level,” referring to the “heinous” murder of Vazquez, but also recognizing Atem’s tragic childhood.
“At the end of the day, nothing ever came out, nothing was ever offered as any kind of excuse or justification for this,” O’Neill said. “As the victims said there are no words at this point for how everybody feels. But the law is what it is and for this heinous a crime the penalty is life.”
During the trial, defense lawyers Benjamin Cooper and Megan Schanbacher argued Atem suffered active symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, which affected his state of mind at the time of the altercation with Vazquez, due to traumas he experienced as a child refugee in Africa.
At trial, a defense psychiatrist testified Atem was separated from his family at a young age during the conflict in Sudan, was in a refugee camp in Ethiopia and later fled Ethiopia to Kenya, witnessing numerous atrocities along the way, before he resettled in the U.S. in 2000 with the help of a church organization and was placed with a foster family in Lansdale.
Patricia Schuler, Atem’s onetime foster mother, wept openly Friday as she expressed shock about the fatal incident.
“I cannot believe this happened. I don’t know Peter to be that way. This is unbelievable to me. Peter is a nice person. He is a good person. He’s been dealt this life sentence since the age of 5,” said Schuler, whose poignant request to hug Atem before she left could not be granted under strict courtroom rules.
However, in what became a battle of experts at trial, another psychiatrist testifying for prosecutors opined that Atem, while he had a challenging childhood, was not suffering symptoms of posttraumatic stress at the time of the killing and was able “to formulate and carry out intentional behaviors.” By convicting Atem of the most serious murder-related charge, jurors rejected defense pleas for a conviction of one of the lesser charges of either voluntary manslaughter or third-degree murder. Voluntary manslaughter is a killing that occurs when there is an unreasonable, mistaken belief that one’s actions are justified, while third-degree murder is a killing committed with malice.
O’Neill and co-prosecutor Heather Hines argued Atem, who stabbed Vazquez nine times in the neck, chest and arm, had the specific intent to kill Vazquez and sought a firstdegree murder conviction.
At trial, O’Neill argued Atem’s intent was evident in his actions — showing up at the plant on a day he was not supposed to be there, walking to a locker without clocking-in to retrieve his personal butterfly-style knife, walking to the rendering filter room where Vazquez was working and initiating a fight with Vazquez. Witnesses testified the altercation occurred after Atem entered the filter room, approached Vazquez, who was seated in a chair, and “started roughing him.”
Vazquez, according to testimony, asked Atem the reason for the attack and threatened to go to a supervisor’s office and report it. A short time later a witness heard Vazquez scream and turned to see Atem stabbing an unarmed Vazquez.
But defense lawyers suggested Atem did not have specific intent to kill and that Atem “misunderstood the situation” during the altercation with Vazquez, and believed he was acting in self-defense, although that belief was unreasonable.
A specific motive for the killing was not revealed during the trial. Multiple people who worked at the plant testified they never witnessed any animosity between Atem, a 10-year employee, and Vazquez, a four-year employee, while on the job.
However, testimony revealed there were rumors that a prank, played by the victim, may have precipitated Atem’s brutal attack. Employees told authorities that Vazquez pulled a chair out from under Atem at the plant on Feb. 17, nearly causing Atem to fall, according to investigators.
Following the prank, Atem allegedly told Vazquez, “I’m going to get you for that,” according to the arrest affidavit filed by county Detective John Wittenberger and Franconia Detective Sgt. George H. Moyer III.
Prosecutors alleged Atem used a personal butterflystyle knife with a 4.5-inchlong blade to stab Vazquez. Testimony revealed company policy prohibited workers from carrying personal knives at the plant.
The investigation revealed after the attack Atem walked to a shed near the filter room and stabbed himself in the neck.
Detectives testified they found a note with Atem, which read:
“YOU THINK YOU CAN DESTROYED (sic) MY LIFE IN FRONT OF MY FAMILY, FRIENDS AND THE ALL WORLD AND LIVED. WHEN YOU SET OUT TO DESTROYE (sic) PEOPLE LIFE FOR NO REASON YOU MAKE SURE THEY DEAD, SEE YOU IN HELL. LIFE FOR LIFE.”
“All they wish for is for daddy to be home. Me and the kids will always miss Danny’s kisses and hugs.” — Johely Vazquez, fiancee of murder victim Danny Vazquez