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Published on January 17, 2025
Cleveland Woman Indicted on Murder and Assault Charges for Fatal Stabbing of BoyfriendSource: Cuyahoga County Jail

A Cuyahoga County grand jury has charged Sandra Sistrunk, 55, with murder and additional counts in the death of her boyfriend, 58-year-old Charlie Willis Jr., who was fatally stabbed in his Cleveland apartment earlier this month. In a report from the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office, the indictment was announced by Prosecutor Michael C. O'Malley, who commended the Cleveland Division of Police for their "quick work in identifying and arresting" Sistrunk. O'Malley expressed his sympathies, saying, "My thoughts and prayers remain with Charlie Willis Jr.'s family and friends during this difficult time."

The fatal altercation between Sistrunk and Willis Jr. took place last Tuesday near East 81st Street and Euclid Avenue. According to the Prosecutor's Office, Sistrunk banged on Willis Jr.'s door around 10:30 a.m., demanding entry. Witnesses heard a verbal argument followed by screams. She then assaulted Charlie Willis Jr., stabbing him multiple times with a filet knife before fleeing the scene.

Charlie Willis Jr. was found unresponsive by a few good Samaritans in the apartment’s stairwell, who quickly called the authorities. The Cleveland Division of Police, along with Emergency Medical Services, responded and, though rushed to a nearby hospital, Willis Jr. was later pronounced dead. After launching an investigation, Cleveland police arrested Sistrunk on the same day of the crime.

Details of the indictment were released today, indicting Sistrunk on two counts of Murder, two counts of Felonious Assault, and one count of Tampering With Evidence. The indictment details evaluated by the grand jury led to Sistrunk's scheduling for arraignment at the Cuyahoga County Justice Center at an unspecified future date, found on the document shared on the Prosecutor's website.