Forest Park husband under arrest on murder charge in wife’s stabbing death

FOREST PARK, Ohio (WXIX) - A Forest Park man is under arrest on a murder charge in connection with the stabbing death of his wife in their home last month.

Wilford Jenkins III, 48, caused the Oct. 25 death of his wife, Huletta Jenkins, 47, by stabbing her multiple times at their home in the 400 block of Bessinger Drive, according to an affidavit filed in Hamilton County Municipal Court.

The couple was found with stab wounds and Huletta was pronounced dead at the scene, Forest Park police said at the time.

Wilford was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center where he remained until he was released Monday.

He was arrested on the murder charge by an agent with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and booked into the jail Monday afternoon.

In his first court appearance Tuesday, the judge set his bond at $250,000.

Wilford’s mug shot shows he has stitches from injuries to his neck, but police told FOX19 NOW last month his wounds were self-inflicted.

Wilford was a prison guard for the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction and a correction officer for the Butler County Sheriff’s Office, according to representatives for both agencies.

He worked at the Lebanon Correctional Institution in Warren County until he resigned in February 2019, ODRC spokeswoman JoEllen Smith said.

Then, Wilford joined the Butler County Sheriff’s Office until December 2020.

The officers were initially dispatched after a man called 911 claiming to be Wilford’s friend.

According to a recording of the 911 call, the friend said a “babbling,” nonsensical Wilford had called him saying he’d just stabbed himself in the chest.

The friend told the call taker he didn’t believe Wilford had a history of suicidal behavior but that Wilford had “been experiencing mental health problems off and on for the last month.”

The friend also told the call taker Wilford lived in the home with his wife and their two sons, both in their 20s.

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