Naman Shrestha
When Susan Winters turned up dead in her house out of the blue, the entire community was rocked to its core, while her loved ones were taken over by grief and shock. While the authorities initially ruled her death a suicide, further investigation uncovered some disturbing and unexpected secrets. In the episode titled ‘A Cool Desert Morning’ of NBC’s ‘Dateline,’ the murder case as well as the investigation that ensued are explored in a detailed manner. The documentary also features exclusive and insightful interviews with Susan’s loved ones and the officials directly or indirectly linked to the case.
Susan Winters’ Death Was Initially Considered Suicide
On March 14, 1966, Susan Arlene Winters was born to Danny and Avis Winters in Altus, Oklahoma. Her loving parents raised her in a supportive and caring household alongside her older brother, Christopher Winters. Susan graduated from Blanchard High School in 1984 before majoring in Political Science at the University of Oklahoma. By 1990, she also earned a law degree from the same university. For a while, Susan practiced law in Oklahoma City and worked in the Clark County District Attorney’s Office. After another brief private stint, she also served as a part-time judge.
By 1995, Susan had divorced her first husband and was in a relationship with Dr. Gregory Brent Dennis, who had also emerged from a divorce himself. In August of the same year, they tied the knot surrounded by their loved ones. Within seven years of their marriage, the couple became parents twice by welcoming two adorable daughters — Avis Elle and Anna “Dani” Danielle — into the world. Apart from being a doting mother to her daughters, she was also an avid runner who loved nature, animals, reading, and watching movies. Being quick-witted and kind-hearted, Susan was known to be a loyal friend and loved spending time with her loved ones.
Working as a lawyer for the family business, Winters Restaurant Group, her life was tragically cut short, leaving her family and friends distraught. On the morning of January 3, 2015, Gregory had to make a 911 call after finding his wife unresponsive. When the emergency responders arrived at the Winters residence in Henderson, Nevada, they found her dead in bed. Despite inspecting the house, the authorities could not find any evidence of foul play, so eventually, her death was deemed to be a case of suicide. The cause of her death was revealed to be poisoning from ingesting antifreeze and painkillers.
Susan Winters’ Parents Insisted on Digging Deeper Into the Case
When the police first talked to Susan Winters’ husband, Gregory Brent Dennis, he claimed that she had gone to bed at 9 pm the previous night, and when he woke up in the morning, she was dead. He also told them that his wife was suicidal and might have consumed antifreeze. Meanwhile, Susan’s parents, Dan and Avis Winters, never believed that she could have taken her life, as she had two daughters to take care of, and suspected their son-in-law to be involved in the death. Apparently, the marriage between Susan and Gregory was far from smooth. In 2013, they reportedly separated for a while and even contemplated divorce. With the help of some counselling, they were able to reconcile. So, to find out the truth, her parents hired a retired FBI special agent and licensed private investigator.
The private investigator reportedly followed the suspect on 15 different days between January and March 2015, during which he met with a convicted cocaine dealer named Jeffrey Crosby at The Orleans Hotel regularly. Some more such investigations were conducted between August and September of the same year. Upon interviewing Susan’s friends, the authorities also learned about the possibility of Gregory being gay or having an affair at the time of the murder, about which the deceased woman had confronted him. Soon after her demise, he also reportedly transferred thousands of dollars from her joint bank account with her parents into his account.
Evidence Hinted at the Fact That the Killer Led a Shady Double Life
More incriminating evidence against the psychologist came to light when the authorities took a closer look at the phone and computer records. Contrary to his claims of being asleep on the fateful night, the records showed that he was trying to get access to Susan’s bank account. Not only that, he also had a text conversation with Jeffrey, whom he met, before returning home by 3:30 am. Around 5:30 am, Gregory talked over the phone with his cocaine dealer again and researched the effects of antifreeze on the computer. With enough evidence against him, the police arrested him on February 2, 2017, around 7:30 am near his house, and charged him with one count of murder with a deadly weapon. However, he posted his $250,000 bail and remained free until his trial.
Nearly five years later, on January 4, 2022, Gregory entered an Alford plea, which meant he pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in connection with his wife’s death but still maintained his innocence. As part of the plea deal, he also agreed to a three-to-10-year prison sentence. Finally, on May 10, he was sentenced to 3-10 years in prison for his crimes. The following year, he was also found liable for Susan’s untimely and tragic demise in civil court, for which he was ordered to pay her family over $1 million.
Read More: Danny and Avis Winters: Where Are Susan Winters’ Parents Now?
