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The brutal stabbings of a 66-year-old local businessman, Jerry Wheeler, within his home led to a surprising turn of events as his next-door neighbor became the main suspect in the murder case.
Jerry Wheeler was in the middle of his dinner preparation when he was allegedly fatally stabbed by Sahara Fakhir, a resident of River Run Drive, Douglasville. Jerry's son, Deputy Michael Wheeler, turned up at the house to find his father's body wrapped in a rug while the house was reportedly covered in blood stains.
The episode from Season 26 of Snapped which covers the Wheeler murder case re-airs on December 4, 2023, at 7 p.m. EST on Oxygen exclusively. The synopsis reads:
"When a beloved family man is found brutally murdered in his home, authorities must follow a trail of clues that exposes a strange and unlikely killer guided by gluttonous urges that led to murder."
Who was Jerry Wheeler? Details explored
Jerry Franklin Wheeler was 66 years of age when he was stabbed to death in his Chattahoochee Drive home in Douglas County on June 19, 2023. Wheeler was born to the late Roy Wheeler and Edna Kennedy Wheeler McWhorter on February 2, 1947, in Carrollton, Georgia. He was married to Jean Gay Wheeler and the couple had a son together named Michael Wheeler. Jerry was known to be a person who liked socializing with people and someone who valued family time.
Jean Wheeler, his wife of 42 years, was out of town when Jerry was stabbed to death. Jerry was a beloved person in the community who owned Lee Road Auto Service being a self-employed automobile mechanic. According to his obituary, Wheeler was a Baptist by faith.
Jerry and Jean's son Michael was a Deputy Sheriff at the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. Wheeler, a local businessman, was close to his son and the two often had lunch together where Jerry cooked for Michael. Jerry Wheeler was allegedly cooking dinner for himself when he was fatally stabbed in his Chattahoochee Drive home in Douglasville.
What happened to Jerry Wheeler?
Michael Wheeler had called his father's office phone and swung by his residence upon receiving no answers to his calls. Michael entered the home to find his father, Jerry Wheeler, reportedly tripped over an object in the living room to find his father wrapped in a rug.
The Douglas County Sheriff's Office received a call from one of their officers, Michael, at 2 p.m. on June 19, 2013, requesting an ambulance to his parents' house. Jerry was close to quite a few officers at the Sheriff's Office who often visited him.
The first responders at the crime scene found an excessive amount of blood at the crime scene which was contrary to Michael's belief that his father may have passed away due to natural causes. The officers also found turnip greens on the stove upon arrival, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The crime scene allegedly indicated a violent struggle beside the house being in a disorganized state. According to Greg Ashcraft, the Douglas County Sheriff's Lieutenant, who spoke to Oxygen:
"There was blood on the walls and on the floor. We had blood on the fireplace and on some other items that was scattered through the house. From our experience, you know, a natural death doesn't leave that amount of blood."
Per Douglas County Sentinel reports, a footprint left behind at the crime scene was eventually matched to that of Jerry Wheeler's next-door resident, Sahara Tabriz Fakhir. Sahara Fakhir was arrested on July 16, 2013, while still on probation from her previous sentence for failing to pay fines for a ticket. According to police reports and WSB-TV, Michael Wheeler had tried to serve probation warrants to the defendant two months before Jerry Wheeler's murder.
Fakhir was sentenced to life in prison under charges of murder, armed robbery and burglary. Sahara Fakhir appeared at the courthouse with Allah as her defence lawyer and demanded immediate release stating that the room was cursed.
