Deadly Sleepwalking

The Case Of Scott Falater

By: Tan Sri Son | 30/07/2025

The Case of Scott Falater: Sleepwalking, Murder, and the Question of Responsibility

The story of Scott Falater is one of the most infamous and unsettling cases in modern criminal history, where the boundaries between consciousness, culpability, and medical mystery were put under a microscope. Known widely as “the sleepwalking killer,” Falater’s trial in the late 1990s raised profound questions about whether a man could commit a brutal murder in an unconscious state and whether the law could accept such a defense. The case is both a true-crime tragedy and a haunting exploration of human psychology, medical science, and the complexities of the justice system.

Background of Scott Falater

Scott Falater was born in 1958 and grew up in the Midwest. By most accounts, he was a quiet, intelligent, and deeply religious man. He worked as an engineer for Motorola in Phoenix, Arizona, and was devoted to his family and faith. A practicing Mormon, he was described by friends and colleagues as mild-mannered, polite, and nonviolent.

He married his high school sweetheart, Yarmila, and the two had built a seemingly stable family life together. To outsiders, they were the picture of suburban respectability: hardworking, active in their church, and raising two children. Yet on the night of January 16, 1997, the Falater household became the scene of a horrific tragedy that would forever challenge notions of trust, marriage, and the human mind.

The Night of the Murder

On that winter night in Phoenix, Scott’s neighbors heard disturbing noises coming from the Falater home. Alarmed, one neighbor looked over the fence and saw a terrifying scene: Scott was standing over his wife, repeatedly stabbing her. The neighbor later testified that he saw Scott push his wife’s body into the family’s swimming pool and then walk away.

When the police arrived, they found 44-year-old Yarmila floating lifeless in the backyard pool, having suffered 44 stab wounds. Blood was splattered across the yard, the walkway, and inside the home. It was an act of violence completely out of character for the man who had always been considered gentle and reserved.

What made the case even stranger was Scott’s own reaction. When confronted, he seemed disoriented and confused. He admitted to the crime but insisted he had no memory of it. According to Scott, he had been sleepwalking during the murder and only awoke to the horrific reality once police arrested him.

The Sleepwalking Defense

From the start, Scott’s legal defense was based on the claim that he was not conscious during the killing. Sleepwalking, or somnambulism, is a parasomnia in which individuals perform actions while in a sleep state, ranging from simple walking to more complex behaviors. Historically, there have been rare documented cases of violent actions committed by sleepwalkers, but the phenomenon remained poorly understood.

Scott’s lawyers argued that he had been under extreme stress at work and within his personal life, which could have triggered a violent parasomniac episode. They emphasized his lack of motive, history of nonviolence, and confusion upon waking. To support the defense, expert witnesses in sleep medicine were called, some of whom acknowledged that violent acts during sleepwalking, while extremely rare, were scientifically possible.

However, prosecutors countered with a chilling narrative. They argued that the sheer brutality and methodical nature of the crime made it impossible for it to have been unconscious. Scott had stabbed his wife dozens of times, dragged her body outside, held her head underwater, and then meticulously hid the bloody clothing and weapon in his car. To the prosecution, these actions demonstrated awareness, planning, and intent—far beyond the scope of unconscious sleepwalking.

The Trial and Conviction

The trial captivated national attention. The idea that someone could commit such a gruesome act while unconscious challenged not only legal definitions of intent but also the public’s sense of safety. If Scott was telling the truth, it meant that anyone could become capable of unthinkable violence while asleep.

The jury was not convinced by the sleepwalking defense. They believed the number of stab wounds and the concealment of evidence pointed to deliberate murder rather than involuntary action. In 1999, Scott Falater was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Psychological and Medical Questions

The case of Scott Falater continues to be debated in both medical and legal circles. Sleep experts remain divided. Some argue that complex violent acts can occur during sleepwalking, citing other rare cases where individuals committed assaults or homicides without conscious awareness. Others maintain that the extensive sequence of actions Scott performed was simply too coordinated and sustained to have been done unconsciously.

The trial highlighted the limitations of medical science in explaining sleep disorders. Sleepwalking is still not fully understood, and while stress, genetics, and sleep deprivation are recognized triggers, predicting or proving violent behavior during such episodes remains nearly impossible.

Legacy of the Case

The Falater case remains one of the most famous examples of the “sleepwalking defense.” It has been featured in documentaries, television series, and academic studies, often cited as a landmark case where law and medicine clashed. Beyond its legal implications, it also underscores the terrifying potential of the unconscious mind.

For many, the tragedy is most deeply felt in the loss of Yarmila, a beloved mother and wife whose life was violently cut short. Her death serves as a reminder that beneath the sensationalism of trials and medical debates, real human suffering lies at the heart of the story.

Conclusion

The story of Scott Falater is both tragic and unsettling. Whether he was a cold-blooded killer or a man trapped in the throes of a parasomniac nightmare may never be fully known. What is clear, however, is that the case blurred the line between criminal intent and unconscious behavior, forcing society to confront uncomfortable questions about accountability and the mysteries of the human mind.

The Falater case remains an enduring example of how little we truly understand about the brain, consciousness, and the fine line that separates waking life from the shadows of sleep.

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