LEBANON, Tenn. (WTVF) — A family is sharing the life of a woman they say always put others first — while hoping her death can help save someone else.
Lebanon Police say 68-year-old Jeri Matthews was shot and killed inside her apartment on June 20. Her husband, 57-year-old Jerry Matthews, was arrested at the scene and charged with criminal homicide.
To her children, Jeri was more than a mother. She was the center of their family — fiercely loving, deeply compassionate, and always putting everyone else first.
"Everyone was a friend," one family member said.
She loved her pets, cared for her plants, and had a way of making people feel seen.
"She loved people, and she was great with them," a family member said.
Jeri's daughter, Emily Tucker, says after the shooting, Matthews confessed during a phone call with her husband.
"He said, you know, Why would you do this? Why would you do this? And he says, I don't know. I guess I just lost my mind," Tucker said.
The couple met in 2010 and married in 2020. That same year, Jeri's adult children say the couple moved to Middle Tennessee without telling the family. They believe her husband wanted to isolate her from the people closest to her.
Her children say Jeri's kindness and optimism kept her holding on, even as they grew increasingly worried about her marriage.
"He is going to kill her," a family member said.
Last month, they say Jeri finally found the strength to leave what they describe as an abusive relationship.
"She had the house packed, all of her belongings and boxes and getting ready. She was using the time of him being in the hospital to try and escape and get out," a family member said.
The family says they repeatedly called Lebanon Police the day before Jeri was killed because they feared for her safety.
"And we were begging the cops," a family member said.
But the last call was the one they feared most.
"And he said, Yeah, I killed Jeri," a family member said.
Now, through unimaginable grief, her family says they want people to remember who Jeri was — not just how she died.
"She mattered to us, and she was our world," a family member said.
Jeri is one of several women in Middle Tennessee killed by a romantic partner this year. Her family hopes sharing her story will help someone else recognize the warning signs of abuse, ask for help, and find a safe way out before it's too late.
Jeri's family says they are also concerned about their interactions with Lebanon Police, saying they have had limited communication and are questioning the handling of the investigation and crime scene. NewsChannel 5 reached out to the Lebanon Police Department for a response to those concerns but has not yet heard back.
The family has also created a GoFundMe to help with expenses.
This story was reported on-air by journalist Kelsey Gibbs and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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