FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA) – The trial of Jermard Lewis, a 32-year-old Fort Wayne man accused of murdering Kroger employee Perla Nieto, began Wednesday in Allen County.
Lewis is charged with murder in connection with the fatal stabbing of 59-year-old Perla A. Nieto at the Waynedale Kroger on December 7, 2023.
According to court documents, Lewis entered the store shortly after 11 a.m., approached Nieto from behind while she was working in the self-checkout area, and began viciously stabbing her. The attack continued as he dragged her to the ground, repeatedly stabbing her until she was fatally wounded.
Detectives quickly identified Lewis through store surveillance footage and eyewitness reports. Police found him sitting in a car outside his residence and took him into custody without incident.
Court records reveal that Lewis confessed to the stabbing, claiming he was angered by the way staff had treated him during a visit just 35 minutes prior to the attack. He had allegedly made threats to employees before initially leaving the store.
Within weeks of the killing, Lewis filed a notice of an insanity defense and underwent a court-ordered mental health evaluation. He was later deemed competent to stand trial in September 2024.
The trial was originally scheduled for March, but was postponed due to conflicts with another murder case.
The tragic killing of Perla Nieto, a beloved employee, shocked the Waynedale community and prompted an outpouring of grief and support for her family.
