Naman Shrestha
Anna Mae Branson was a successful and popular businesswoman in Madisonville, Kentucky. So, when she was found dead in January 2003 in her house, the entire community was shocked to its core. Since foul play was noticed by the police, they launched an investigation, which led them to a perpetrator with a gambling addiction and a double life. The entire case and the investigation that ensued, including an international manhunt, are explored in a detailed manner in the episode titled ‘Gambler’s Debt’ of CBS’ ‘Harlan Coben’s Final Twist.’
Anna Mae Branson Was Found Dead in the Basement of Her Madisonville Residence
On November 30, 1917, Anna Mae “Ann” Winstead was born to Ivy Ernest Winstead and Jessie Manora “Nora” Adams Winstead in Hanson, Kentucky. She grew up in Madisonville alongside her siblings — Elcie Ree Winstead, Iva Ray Winstead Branson, David Leon Winstead, Sarah Grace Winstead, Earl Winstead — and several half-siblings, too. In 1935, she tied the knot with Carroll Gooch Branson, to whom she stayed married until his tragic passing in 1994. Over the years, she had become an integral part of the community as she had founded the town’s first Dairy Queen.
Anna’s business earned her millions of dollars over the years, with her Dairy Queen becoming a local teen hangout spot. The multimillionaire businesswoman was known for her generosity and glamor as she used to lend money to people in need. Several years after her husband passed away, she got engaged to a retired eye surgeon named Dr. Bob Fenneman in the early 2000s. At the time, Anna was looking forward to her second marriage with Bob, but fate intervened. On the morning of January 13, 2003, when Bob visited her house in Madisonville and nobody answered the door, he notified her brother, Earl. Bob also called the police and requested a wellness check on his fiancé.
When the authorities arrived at her residence, they found her remains in the basement. Upon inspecting her remains, the detectives noticed about 97 stab wounds and multiple defensive wounds on her body. The 85-year-old businesswoman was also severely bludgeoned on the head. The investigators inspected the crime scene and didn’t notice any sign of forced entry. The autopsy revealed that she was killed between 7 and 7:30 pm on January 12, 2003. Thus, a homicide investigation was launched immediately in order to get to the bottom of the case.
The Killer Took Anna Mae Branson’s Life Over a Gambling Debt
As part of the investigation, the detectives dug deep into Anna Mae Branson’s fiancé, Dr. Bob Fenneman, who was eventually cleared as a suspect. They also suspected a couple of men to be involved in the murder, but they were also cleared after a polygraph test and verifying a solid alibi. The investigation took a turn for the better when the police received an anonymous call, which led them to Anna’s nephew, Russell Winstead. The tipster told the detectives that Russell, a coal mine worker, had a gambling addiction and owed Anna a significant amount of money. Upon searching Anna’s house again, they confirmed that Russell owed her approximately $100,000, as indicated in her ledger. As they dug deeper into the suspect’s life, they learned that he had lost thousands of dollars in gambling.
Thus, the police brought Earl in for questioning. During the interview, he maintained his innocence and claimed that he was at home with his wife. Although his wife confirmed his story, she was shocked when she learned about his gambling problem and the fact that he was having an affair with a casino waitress. Thus, Earl’s wife reached out to the police and claimed that he had coerced her into providing an alibi for him. She told the detectives that he hadn’t returned home until later on the fateful night. The investigators also found the suspected murder weapon hidden under Russell’s mattress. Armed with sufficient evidence against him, the authorities went to take him into custody, only to find out that he had fled the country.
Several months later, the authorities located him in Costa Rica after featuring him on ‘America’s Most Wanted.’ Since the extradition between the US and Costa Rica is complicated, the authorities hatched a plan for his arrest. In the meantime, Russell’s father, Earl, had been sending him money so that he could lead a comfortable life in Costa Rica. Thus, Earl was convicted of seven counts of hindering apprehension and ordered seven years of probation. Finally, in 2005, Russell was arrested at a casino in Costa Rica and extradited to the United States. However, they could not seek the death penalty in the case.
Russell Winstead is Currently Incarcerated at a Kentucky Prison Facility
In February 2006, Russell Winstead pleaded not guilty to killing Anna Mae Branson, his 85-year-old aunt, and decided to take matters into the court. More than a year later, his trial commenced in July 2007. The prosecution accused the defendant of killing Anna after she refused to grant him more money for his gambling debt. The defense argued that Russell was innocent and had nothing to do with the murder of the businesswoman.
Ultimately, the jury deliberated and reached a final verdict. In August 2007, Russell was convicted of murder and first-degree robbery in connection with Anna Mae Branson’s killing. He was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole for the murder conviction and an additional 20 years for the robbery conviction. As of today, 60-year-old Russell Earl Winstead is serving his sentence at Little Sandy Correctional Complex in Sandy Hook, Kentucky, with his parole eligibility date scheduled for April 2030.
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