Cherokee Man Accused Of Fatally Shooting Wife, Charged With Murder

EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this story citing an external media source was published Monday. This story was corrected Tuesday to reflect the incident did not lead to a standoff, per the sheriff's office.

CANTON, GA — A 70-year-old man accused of fatally shooting his 63-year-old wife Monday in unincorporated Cherokee County is being charged on suspicion of murder.

According to the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office, deputies and Holly Springs police officers were called around 2:30 a.m. to Raven Drive.

When authorities arrived, the armed man confronted them at the front door of the home, according to the sheriff's office.

Authorities said the man was repeatedly told to drop his gun, but the man went back into the home and eventually walked out the back door before being arrested and taken into custody without incident.

Deputies then found a woman dead on the floor inside of the home with a gunshot wound, authorities said. She was identified as Deborah Collins. A motive in her death is unknown.

The armed man was identified by authorities as her husband, Charles "Terry" Collins. He was charged on suspicion of felony murder, malice murder, aggravated assault and aggravated battery.

Collins is being held at the Cherokee County Detention Center without bond. The case remains under investigation.