'Leaves People With A Lot Of Questions': Tulsa Police Note Rise In Domestic-Related Homicides

Tulsa Police are looking for a woman accused of shooting and killing her boyfriend on Wednesday. Police say this these types of crimes are happening more often this year.

Thursday, February 29th 2024, 5:18 pm

By: Reagan Ledbetter

TULSA, Okla. -

Tulsa Police are looking for a woman accused of shooting and killing her boyfriend Tuesday night.

Tulsa Homicide detectives say this is the fifth domestic violence homicide this year, which is half of all the homicides in 2024.

Investigators say domestic violence homicides can be tough to investigate because it's hard seeing someone kill someone they love.

But, it also takes a major toll on families, because oftentimes they have relationships with both the killer and the victim.

Tulsa Police say Kerri Jo Stevens shot and killed her boyfriend Jeremy Wilkes Tuesday night after an argument.

Police say of the 11 homicides in Tulsa this year, this is the fifth one as a result of domestic violence.

They say domestic murders are usually behind murders like fights and robberies.

"Every murder is tough but the domestic homicides take a little bit out of you. It seems a little bit more emotional, and painful for everybody involved,” said Lieutenant Brandon Watkins with Tulsa Police Homicide.

Tulsa Police arrested Dilan Newberry less than a week ago after they say he stabbed his girlfriend Chandra Cole to death in her apartment.

Tulsa Police arrested Chris Morland last month, after they say he murdered his wife Cassidy Ritchie then hid her body in the back of her car and left it on the side of Highway 412.

Police arrested Daquan White in January after they said he beat a four-month-old baby to death.

Investigators say David Blankenship was stabbed to death in January after a domestic altercation.

Police say these types of homicides are especially hard on families.

"They worry there is something they could have done or feel like they could have done more, or they just never saw it coming at all which happens,” said Watkins. "It leaves people with a lot of questions of why somebody would murder someone that they love."

Lieutenant Watkins says the suspects in domestic homicides almost always have a history of domestic violence.

"It is very rare that you see someone who one time in their life flew off the handle and things went too far,” said Watkins.

Two senate bills have been introduced this legislative session.

One would make domestic strangulation an 85% crime and another would create harsher punishments for people who violate a protective order.