Shivangi Sinha
In July 2003, Tabatha Bryant was discovered dead in her Penfield, New York home, having suffered both gunshot and stab wounds. The most startling aspect was that her husband had been present in the house at the time but claimed he hadn’t heard anything unusual. Despite initial suspicions, there was no concrete evidence linking him to the crime, and the investigation stalled. It wasn’t until authorities broadened their inquiry that new leads began to emerge. The case is explored in detail in ‘A Rendezvous With Death.’
Tabatha Bryant Was Shot to Death While Her Husband Was in the House
On October 8, 1976, Virginia Hentges and Carroll Leroy Bassett welcomed their daughter, Tabatha Marie Bassett Bryant. She shared a deep bond with her sister, Samantha Bassett and they were not just siblings but best friends throughout their childhood. However, life changed early when their parents separated, and their mother later remarried. With the birth of her two younger brothers, Chris and Cyril Winebrenner, Tabatha took on a nurturing role. She was a caring and devoted older sister, always looking out for them. When Chris passed away, it was quite a tough time for the family, but they banded together and helped each other get through it.
Tabatha was known for her creative flair and she graduated from Greenwood Central School in 1994 with flying colors. She eventually began working at M&T Bank and later became a legal assistant to Kevin C. Bryant, a well-established attorney. Over time, their professional relationship turned into a romantic one, and the two got married on December 26, 1997. They settled in Penfield, New York, and soon started a family with the birth of their sons, Kevin C. “KC” Bryant II and Steven B. Bryant. From the outside, their life appeared stable and thriving. With a successful career, a growing family, and a beautiful home, it seemed Tabatha was living the life she had always envisioned.
That’s why on July 14, 2003, when Kevin dialed 911 to report that Tabatha had been shot inside their home, it came as a complete shock. Police responded swiftly and discovered a gruesome scene. 26-year-old Tabatha had suffered a gunshot wound to the eye from a .22 caliber firearm and had also been stabbed several times in the neck and upper body. She was pronounced dead at the scene, prompting authorities to immediately begin an intensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding her murder.
Tabatha Bryant’s Marriage Raised Questions About the Motivation for Her Murder
Kevin Bryant quickly became the primary suspect in the investigation. Several red flags caught the attention of law enforcement. For one, he claimed to have been inside the house reading at the time of the murder but insisted he hadn’t heard anything unusual. They also scrutinized his 911 call, noting how composed he sounded, which seemed inconsistent with the situation. During his police interrogation, however, his demeanor shifted noticeably and he appeared agitated and defensive. Further probing into the couple’s relationship revealed deeper issues. Friends alleged that Kevin and Tabatha frequently visited strip clubs together and sometimes engaged in intimate encounters with others, and that she was not very happy with the arrangement.
Some acquaintances of the couple also told investigators that, around January 2003, Tabatha had formed a close relationship with a man named Keith Cromwell. It was a development that reportedly did not sit well with Kevin. According to court records, by June of that year, he had hired a private investigator to monitor the suspected affair and allegedly threatened Tabatha with divorce. Out of concern that she might lose custody of her children, Tabatha ended the relationship. Still, investigators lacked any direct physical or circumstantial evidence tying Kevin to her murder. As the investigation deepened, police began examining the family’s internal dynamics more closely.
Tabatha Bryant’s Killers Were Arrested After One of Them Confessed to the Police
After the death of her brother Chris Winebrenner, Tabatha Bryant had grown emotionally close to her stepbrother Cyril Winebrenner. At one point, she invited him to move in with her family, and Kevin even gave Cyril a job as a clerk at his law firm. After living with Tabatha and Kevin for about six months, Cyril began a relationship with a woman named Cassidy Greene, but allegedly, Tabatha strongly disapproved of it. She became increasingly upset over what she believed was the couple’s involvement in drug use and even accused Cassidy of stealing from the household.
Tensions escalated, and shortly before the murder, Tabatha told both Cyril and Cassidy to leave the home. As the investigation progressed, police arrested Cassidy on unrelated drug charges and brought her in for questioning about the homicide. Within a few hours, she confessed to being the getaway driver in the murder. She alleged that Cyril was the one who had committed the actual killing and claimed that Kevin had promised them approximately $5,000 to carry out the crime. After a search of Cassidy’s house, the police found a gun that matched the shell casings that had been collected from the crime scene.
Kevin Bryant Passed Away While He Was Incarcerated, Cyril Winebrenner is Still Behind Bars and Cassidy Greene is a Free Woman Today
In August 2003, Kevin Bryant was arrested and charged with orchestrating the murder of his wife, Tabatha Bryant. His stepbrother, Cyril Winebrenner, was also indicted on first-degree murder charges and taken into custody. Cyril eventually pleaded guilty and received a life sentence without the possibility of parole. In 2004, Kevin was also convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. Cassidy Greene, who had admitted to being the getaway driver, was found guilty of first-degree manslaughter and sentenced to 15 years. She was paroled in December 2015 and completed her sentence in July 2018. She has maintained a low profile since. On July 28, 2019, Kevin died of natural causes at age 67 while incarcerated at the Five Points Correctional Facility in Romulus, New York. Cyril Winebrenner, now 44, remains incarcerated at Green Haven Correctional Facility in Stormville, New York, and will spend the rest of his life behind bars.
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