Man pleads guilty to murder of girlfriend

SANDUSKY — Brandon Michael Twarek, 30, entered into a plea deal Friday morning at Erie County Common Pleas Court.Twarek, wearing a green suicide smock, in a clear voice answered only "yes" or "yes sir" during the hearing and admitted guilt to one charge of aggravated murder for the stabbing death of 22-year-old Karen Holmes on Nov. 25.Twarek during his 240 days at the Erie County Jail has repeatedly made suicide threats and exhibited bizarre behavior for which he has been taken to the hospital for evaluations, Erie County Sheriff Paul Sigsworth said.Holmes' sister and mother spoke during the hearing.Jessica Zufall was composed as she spoke of her sister being ambitious, smart and beautiful "on the inside as well as the outside" but carrying a dark secret of years of repeated physical abuse and manipulation at the hands of Twarek who would monitor her phone calls and emails."He stripped her of her identity. All she could say was how she hated herself. She struggled to go to sleep because her nightmares were real," Zufall said saying her sister admitted when she went to bed she could still feel Twarek's hands pinning her down.Holmes finally broke from Twarek."She was finally free and said she could feel the sun on her face," Zufall said.Zufall spoke to Twarek."I hope every time you close your eyes you see her face, what it looked like lying in blood in your bedroom," Zufall said.Twarek blinked repeatedly, tears in his eyes.The night before Holmes was killed, the sisters shared a quiet evening. She had been accepted to a new school to become a registered nurse. She spent time with her niece. "I overheard her say she was thankful for her family. I didn't know that was the last time I heard from her," Zufall said.Holmes left early in the morning to go to training to be a home aide for hospice. She, however, met up with Twarek before work under the guise of picking up pictures and a guitar that belonged to her recently deceased father. Twarek kept those items to continue to control Holmes, her sister said. Twarek then drove to his apartment and repeatedly stabbed Holmes.In the courtroom Friday, Twarek heard from Holme's mother, Cecelia. "I struggle to understand why he had to do it. He stole her future. There may be justice but it can never bring Karen back to us," she said.Judge Roger Binette sentenced Twarek to life in prison with parole eligibility after 20 years. Twarek cried.In exchange for the plea deal, the state dropped two other counts of murder, felonious assault and kidnapping which would have all been merged together in sentencing, Erie County Prosecutor Kevin Baxter said..Original post:SANDUSKY — Brandon Michael Twarek, 30, entered into a plea deal at 10 a.m. today at Erie County Common Pleas Court.Twarek admitted guilt to one charge of aggravated murder for the stabbing death of 22-year-old Karen Holmes on Nov. 25.Judge Roger Binette sentenced Twarek to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 20 years.Brandon Twarek (Erie County Jail photo)