Killer Minds: Serial Killers & True Crime Murders

Episode: UNCONSCIOUS KILLER: The Sleepwalker Murder Pt. 2
Date: October 30, 2025
Hosts: Vanessa Richardson & Dr. Tristin Engels

Episode Overview

Part two of the “Sleepwalker Murder” examines the 1997 case of Scott Falater, a well-respected family man accused of brutally murdering his wife, Yarmila. Falater maintained he had no recollection of the crime, claiming he was sleepwalking at the time. The episode dissects the trial, diverging expert testimony, psychological underpinnings of parasomnia-related violence, and the still-chilling implications for the boundaries of human consciousness. Dr. Engels provides in-depth forensic and psychological analysis throughout, grappling with the blurred line between uncontrollable actions and cold-blooded intent.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Crime Scene and Arrest

• Timeline and Evidence:

  • Police responded after neighbor Greg Coons reported seeing Scott drown Yarmila in the backyard pool ([04:21]).
  • Yarmila was found with 44 stab wounds—her official cause of death: "multiple stab wounds with drowning" ([09:59]).
  • Police discovered a blood-soaked T-shirt, jeans, socks, a garbage bag of gloves and boots, plus a hunting knife in Scott’s car trunk.
  • Scott, in police custody, was confused and grief-stricken, insisting he had no memory after going to bed at 10 pm ([07:01]).

• Psychological Processing:

  • Dr. Engels explains that if Scott truly learned of his wife’s murder upon arrival at the police station, his reaction (distress, denial, disorientation) would align with someone in acute shock and dissociation ([07:01]).
  • Discusses why Scott might not have immediately disclosed his parasomnia: stigma, shame, denial, concern for children, or possibly strategic self-preservation ([08:14]).

2. Sleepwalking and Violence: Medical Feasibility

• Complexity of Acts:

  • Dr. Engels details the high threshold for proving a murder was committed during an episode of sleepwalking (non-REM parasomnia) ([11:44]).
  • Requires a documented history, consistent witness reports, a sleep study, absence of motive, and timing that fits typical sleepwalking profiles.

• Expert Testimony and Forensic Analysis:

  • Prosecution’s expert: Scott’s actions (performing at least 65 distinct movements, changing clothes, bandaging his hand, quieting the dog, stashing evidence) were far too complex for classic sleepwalking ([20:02], [21:10]).
  • Dr. Engels: Some sleep disorder cases do feature complex, even coordinated actions, but the purposeful, sequential behaviors in this crime—especially destroying evidence—indicate judgment inconsistent with automatism ([23:21]).

3. The Trial: Prosecution vs. Defense Narratives

• Prosecution’s Storyline:

  • Prosecutor Juan Martinez depicted Scott as methodical and goal-oriented, taking steps to hide evidence rather than as an unconscious victim of sleep ([15:46]).
  • Struggled to assign a compelling motive—leaned on minor marital struggles, which were undermined on cross ([24:59]).

• Defense’s Counterargument:

  • Brought in sleepwalking history—testimonies from Scott’s mother and sister, and cellmates recounting Scott’s parasomnia episodes in jail ([24:59], [31:50]).
  • Experts like Dr. Janet Tatman and Dr. Roger Broughton (from the precedent Canadian Parks case) explained how Scott's pre-sleep focus on the pool filter, routine behaviors, and reactions to being startled by Yarmila fit with parasomnia ([26:30], [27:23]).
  • The defense emphasized examples where sleepwalkers completed complex actions and cited Scott’s habitual storage of clothes/tools as evidence he mimicked his routines, not criminal concealment ([27:23], [28:29]).

• Dueling Experts & Bias:

  • Both sides presented highly credentialed, opposing experts—Dr. Engels notes this is routine, and much hinges on clarity, confidence, and potential bias in testimony ([29:42], [30:41]).

4. Genetics and Sleep Disorders

• Scientific Testimony:

  • Neuroscientist Dr. Rosalind Cartwright explained Scott and his children had a hereditary sleep transition defect, common in familial parasomnia ([33:52], [34:46]).
  • Dr. Engels: While these disorders do run in families, there’s no single genetic test, so claims likely stem from behavioral and sleep histories ([34:46]).

• Legal Implications:

  • Familial evidence increases plausibility but does not prove Scott was asleep when he killed Yarmila ([36:06]).

5. Scott’s Testimony and “Non-Insane Automatism”

• Scott’s Own Words:

  • Scott addressed the court for two hours, expressing confusion and devastation, and explained his journey toward accepting the sleepwalking explanation after a clinical sleep study ([37:04]).
  • Sleep study confirmed reduced slow wave activity, consistent with a predisposition to parasomnia ([37:04]).
  • Diagnosed with “non-insane automatism”—not a medical diagnosis but a legal term for involuntary acts without mental illness ([39:00], [40:06]).

• Emotional Impact:

  • Scott’s emotional expression and display of grief, especially toward his children, resonated in the courtroom but could not sway the verdict ([41:07]).

6. The Verdict and Aftermath

• Jury’s Decision:

  • After a highly publicized six-week trial and eight hours of deliberation, the jury found Scott guilty of first-degree murder ([41:54]).
  • Letters from children, friends, even Yarmila’s mother contributed to the judge sparing him the death penalty—Scott received life with no parole ([41:54]).

• Current Status:

  • All appeals have been denied; Scott remains incarcerated, focusing on anti-recidivism and professional development programs ([44:01]).
  • Children have gone on to successful lives, but the lasting tragedy for the family remains ([44:41]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Vanessa Richardson:

  • “What if the mysteries of your mind were deeper and darker? What if it wasn't just unhealthy habits you had to confront, but deadly deeds?” ([00:46])

• Dr. Tristan Engels:

  • “If he truly did not remember anything because this did occur during an act of sleepwalking, then he just woke up to a real-life nightmare. Clinically, you can expect acute disorientation, denial, derealization and emotional numbing in response to a shock like this.” ([07:01])

• Dr. Tristan Engels (on sleepwalking violence):

  • “It is certainly possible for someone to commit a violent murder while sleepwalking, but it’s rare, especially like this … there’s a very high bar for medical corroboration.” ([11:44])

• Vanessa Richardson:

  • “Everyone knew him as a devoted, God-fearing family man … It didn’t make sense that he would kill her.” ([13:06])

• Dr. Tristan Engels (on expert testimony):

  • “Conflicting expert testimony isn’t unusual. It forces judges and juries to weigh methodology, bias, and interdisciplinary evidence rather than accept a single narrative.” ([29:42])

• Dr. Tristan Engels:

  • “Having family members who share a sleepwalking vulnerability helps the defense because it makes the claim probable. … But simply having a predisposition does not mean that it will develop. It’s multi-factored.” ([36:06])

• Scott Falater (via Vanessa):

  • “It wasn’t until I got the test results that I finally believed I had killed my own wife in my sleep.” ([37:45])

• Dr. Tristan Engels (on non-insane automatism):

  • “It’s a legal-medical concept … to describe the conduct a person did but did not control or intend because their body or brain acted automatically. … It’s distinctly different from an insanity defense.” ([40:11])

• Vanessa Richardson, epilogue:

  • “If it’s true that Scott was asleep when he killed his wife, it means the boundary between our waking selves and our unconscious minds might be thinner than we ever believed. Or that monsters can exist anywhere, whether we realize it or not.” ([44:41])

Important Timestamps

• [04:21] — Description of the night of the murder and evidence found
• [07:01] — Dr. Engels on Scott’s possible psychological response to shock
• [11:44] — The uncommonness of sleepwalking-violence and legal hurdles
• [15:46] — Overview of the prosecution’s narrative at trial
• [20:02] — Greg Coons’ testimony and prosecution’s behavioral arguments
• [21:10] — Prosecution’s sleep expert deconstructs the likelihood of sleepwalking defense
• [23:21] — Dr. Engels critiques the prosecution’s expert analysis
• [24:59] — Defense team assembles evidence of Scott’s parasomnia
• [27:23] — Dr. Tatman explains how Scott’s focus before bed fits sleepwalking science
• [28:29] — Dr. Broughton testifies to complex actions in sleepwalkers
• [29:42] — Dr. Engels on conflicting expert testimony and bias
• [34:46] — Dr. Cartwright’s genetic argument & Dr. Engels’ analysis
• [36:06] — Impact of familial predisposition on legal plausibility
• [37:04] — Scott’s testimony and results of his sleep study
• [40:11] — Dr. Engels clarifies “non-insane automatism”
• [41:54] — Verdict, mitigation, and sentencing
• [44:41] — Epilogue: where the family is now, Dr. Engels’ reflections

Tone and Analysis

The episode pairs methodical narrative storytelling (Vanessa) with rigorous forensic and psychological breakdowns (Dr. Engels). Both hosts maintain a respectful, inquisitive approach, balancing empathy for the tragedy with skepticism of easy explanations. The tone shifts between suspenseful recounting, clinical objectivity, and philosophical rumination on the limits of self-control and legal accountability.

Conclusion

This in-depth episode unpacks one of the most perplexing modern murder defenses, illustrating how the dark recesses of the unconscious mind can intersect with the law—and tear families apart. It invites listeners to ponder whether we truly know what we’re capable of, awake or asleep, and what justice means when biology and intent collide.

For more chilling psychological true crime, follow “Killer Minds” every Monday and Thursday.