New Jersey driver sentenced to 40 years for murder of girlfriend

A New Jersey truck driver was sentenced to 40 years in prison on Thursday for the murder of his girlfriend over two years ago. 

48-year-old Matthew Sidney Watley was sentenced on Thursday, November 20th to a maximum of 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to second degree murder on October 21st. 

According to The Frederick News-Post, officers form the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office responded to a welfare check at the Costco distribution center on Intercoastal Drive in New Market, Maryland early on September 24, 2023. Security personnel at the business reported a truck driver behaving erratically and damaging his truck’s interior, as well as screaming at the truck, disconnecting the trailer, and dragging it haphazardly several feet. 

When police arrived, they found Watley to be incoherent and uncooperative. Watlry refused to turn off his truck, but police deflated his tires and placed stop sticks in an attempt to prevent him from leaving. Instead, Watley drove over the stop sticks and drove further into the parking lot of the distribution center. 

When police finally removed Watley from the vehicle, they found blood all over his clothes, prompting a search of the truck cab. Officers soon found Watley’s girlfriend, Candice Thompson, face down deceased inside of the cab with multiple stab wounds. Her cause of death was later identified as blunt and sharp force trauma. 

Investigation revealed that Watley and Thompson were in a relationship and had a history of domestic violence. 

“What a tragic loss of life,” Frederick County State’s Attorney Charlie Smith said in the press release. “My heart goes out to the family. Domestic violence homicides are becoming epidemic in our country. These violent offenders need to be treated harshly at the outset before they go on to take the life of their intimate partner.”