On the evening of September 25, 2009, a 40-year-old male, Robert Watkins of Seaford, Delaware, traveled with a friend to Magnolia with what they believed was the intention of purchasing a dog. The 40-year-old male and his companion parked outside a house in the London Village neighborhood and remained seated in their car as they awaited the transaction.
Unbeknownst to them, the meeting was a setup that would quickly turn fatal.
As the 40-year-old male and his friend waited, 21-year-old male Jermaine M. Zachary of Dover entered the back seat of the vehicle. At nearly the same time, another unidentified male approached from outside, brandishing a handgun. The armed man pointed the weapon at the pair, demanding money. In the ensuing chaos, the 40-year-old male attempted to drive away from the house. In that moment, the assailant fired, striking Robert Watkins, the 40-year-old male, fatally in the chest. The suddenness of the violence left no opportunity for rescue, and the life of Robert Watkins ended before he could escape.
For three years, the investigation into the death of the 40-year-old male remained unresolved, with few public developments. In October 2012, Delaware State Police reopened the case with new leads. Jermaine M. Zachary, by then 21 years old, was arrested after reporting to his probation officer. Authorities charged the young male with second-degree murder and attempted robbery for his alleged role in the events that led to the death of the 40-year-old male. Investigators described Zachary as a direct participant in the attempted robbery, present in the back seat of the victim's car when the fatal shot was fired by the unidentified gunman.
Held on a $302,000 cash bond, the 21-year-old male faced the justice system for his part in a crime that stunned the quiet community of Magnolia. While his arrest marked progress, the identity of the man who actually pulled the trigger remained unresolved. Authorities did not publicly name the shooter, and no additional arrests were announced, leaving the family of the 40-year-old male without complete closure. The story of Robert Watkins, a 40-year-old male whose life ended in sudden violence, continues to echo through the uncertainty of unanswered questions and the partial justice of a single arrest.
