In the early morning hours of July 24, 2023, the quiet of a home on Raven Drive in Cherokee County was shattered by a fatal gunshot. Inside, 63-year-old Deborah Collins was found on the floor with a gunshot wound to her neck. She was pronounced dead at the scene. When deputies from the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office and officers from the Holly Springs Police Department arrived at the residence around 2:30 a.m., they were met at the front door by Deborah's 70-year-old husband, Charles
“Terry” Collins, who was holding a Smith & Wesson. 38 special revolver.
Officers repeatedly demanded that Charles drop his weapon, but he initially retreated into the house before eventually surrendering without incident at the back of the home. He was then taken into custody. Charles Collins was subsequently charged with murder in connection with his wife's death. He initially claimed that he had shot his wife in self-defense, alleging that she had threatened him with a knife. However, investigators at the scene noted that while a knife was found in Deborah's hand, it was not covered in blood, unlike other objects near her body. Further investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation found no discernible fingerprints on the knife.
The prosecution argued that the scene was staged to look like self-defense. Instead of calling 911 or rendering aid to his wife after the shooting, Charles Collins called his son and told him he had shot her. In October 2023, a grand jury indicted Charles Collins on charges of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.
During his six-day trial in January 2024, the prosecution presented over 300 exhibits and called 21 witnesses to testify. The jury deliberated for less than three hours before finding Charles Terry Collins, then 71, guilty of all charges. The district attorney stated that it was clear to the jury that he had acted out of anger, not fear. On February 2, 2024, Charles Collins was sentenced to life in prison plus five years. In November 2025, the Georgia Supreme Court upheld his murder conviction, denying his motion for a new trial.
