Officers say the suspect barricaded himself upstairs after a shooting call on Sycamore Street.
SANDUSKY, Ohio — A woman died after being shot inside a Sandusky home Feb. 4, and police arrested her husband after he barricaded himself on the second floor with a knife, authorities said. The suspect was later charged with murder and jailed as investigators continued to piece together what happened.
The shooting drew a fast law enforcement response and quickly became a standoff scene, according to police statements and reporting by local outlets. The case matters to the community not only because of the homicide but because it involves an alleged domestic violence killing and leaves children and relatives scrambling in the aftermath. Officials have released only limited details, and they have not publicly described a motive or what led up to the gunfire.
In a press release summarized by a Toledo television station, Sandusky police said officers were dispatched to Sycamore Street at 5:38 p.m. after reports of a shooting. When they arrived, police said, they encountered Jerry Watkins with a knife. Investigators said he retreated to the second floor and barricaded himself inside a room. Inside the home, officers found a woman suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, police said. She was taken to a local hospital, where she died.
Another local report identified the victim as Rolanda Perry-Watkins, 32, a mother of six, and described family members arriving at the scene after learning she had been shot. Police have not consistently released the victim’s name in all public statements reported by area outlets, and one television report said the name had not been released at the time of its publication. Family members said the woman was shot three times, matching details reported by other outlets about the number of gunshot wounds.
Authorities said Watkins was taken into custody after what police described as a brief standoff. A Cleveland television station reported Watkins was treated at a hospital for self-inflicted injuries before he was released into custody. Police have not said what those injuries were or when they occurred. Officers did not publicly describe whether they used force to end the standoff or whether Watkins surrendered.
Police identified the suspect as Jerry Watkins III, 37, and said he was charged with murder. Public jail information reviewed by local outlets shows he was being held in the Erie County Jail. A police release reported by WTVG said Watkins was expected to appear in Sandusky Municipal Court the day after the shooting. Prosecutors have not publicly outlined potential additional charges, and court filings detailing the allegations were not immediately available in the public summaries carried by area news organizations.
Investigators also have not publicly said whether any children were inside the home at the time of the shooting, whether there were witnesses, or what evidence was recovered at the scene beyond the reported gunshot wounds and the knife police say Watkins had when officers arrived. Police have not released the type of firearm used or said whether it was recovered. Authorities also have not publicly confirmed whether they had been called to the home before for domestic disturbances.
Family members told a Cleveland-area station they knew the couple had marital problems, but they said they did not believe it would escalate to a fatal shooting. The victim’s sister, Anita Perry, described racing to the scene after getting a call from a niece and then shifting her focus to protecting and gathering the children. She said she wants answers about what led to the killing but is concentrating on the children and on keeping them together.
The relatives’ grief has played out in public spaces tied to the justice system. The family held a balloon release at the Sandusky Justice Center and said the gathering was meant to honor the victim and show the children they are not alone. Perry publicly thanked police, emergency medical crews and others who responded. She also said the family started raising money to help with the cost of caring for the children left behind.
Police said the investigation was continuing, and no further public details have been released about what detectives believe happened in the minutes before the gunfire. The next milestones in the case are expected to come through court proceedings, including the initial appearance in municipal court and any later hearings where prosecutors could outline evidence and seek continued detention. Investigators could also release additional information if they believe the public can help clarify the timeline.
For now, the case remains centered on what officers say they found when they arrived: a woman with multiple gunshot wounds inside the Sycamore Street home, and a suspect upstairs who had barricaded himself with a knife. Authorities say the suspect is in custody as detectives and prosecutors work toward the next steps.
Author note: Last updated February 13, 2026.