Cherokee County Man Convicted of Wife’s Murder, Sentenced to Life in Prison

A Cherokee County man found guilty of murdering his wife has been sentenced to life in prison. Charles Terry Collins, 71, was convicted of malice murder, felony murder, family violence, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony following a six-day trial in January. Superior Court Judge Shannon Wallace handed down the sentence of life imprisonment along with an additional five-year term. Collins was arrested on July 24, 2023, after deputies responded to his home in Canton. Upon arrival, they discovered Collins holding a Smith & Wesson .38 special revolver and the lifeless body of his wife, Deborah Sherry Collins, 64, who had sustained a gunshot wound to the neck. Collins asserted that he shot his wife in self-defense after she threatened him with a knife. However, evidence presented during the trial demonstrated that she was not wielding a weapon at the time of the murder. Collins made no efforts to administer aid or contact emergency services immediately following the incident. The ruling marks the conclusion of a tragic case that has left a community in shock.