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Title: Murder in Mayberry: Greed, Death, and Mayhem in a Small Town
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Manufacturer: New Horizon Press
List Price: $24.95
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| Murder in Mayberry: Greed, Death, and Mayhem in a Small Town by New Horizon Press When Murder occurs in a small town | | If a murder occurs in New York, Detroit, or Baltimore...it's a sad but true fact that most of the citizens are not going to be affected. But when Murder occurs in a small town...it is another story entirely. "Murder in Mayberry: Greed, Death, and Mayhem in a Small Town" is the tale of Madisonville, Kentucky and the brutal slaying of Ann Branson - and how the murderer was a quiet townie just like the rest of them - church going, helpful, just like them. The FBI has to dig through these charades and go through the deep, dark secrets of a small town to find who was responsible for Mrs. Branson's death. "Murder in Mayberry: Greed, Death, and Mayhem in a Small Town" sounds like fiction, but is in fact a true story, and is highly recommended for community library collections with a nod to True Crime. | | Murder in Mayberry: Greed, Death, and Mayhem in a Small Town by New Horizon Press Murder in a Small Town | The family of Ann Branson, a wealthy widow and businesswoman, is shocked when she is brutally murdered in January, 2003. They can't imagine how anyone could do this (she was stabbed over 90 times) to an elderly woman. When it begins to look like the murderer may be a family member the family is torn even further apart. Some members want justice, other members don't believe the police have the right killer and help the accused hide. Justice in this case will have a high price.
"Murder in Mayberry" is a fascinating true crime book. It is written by Marie Kinney Branson and Jack Branson, which is a unique viewpoint. Jack Branson was not only Ann Branson's nephew, but also a (now retired) U.S. Treasury Agent, who was able to look into the case differently than most people. In fact, the investigative parts of the book are the strongest and most fascinating elements. All of it is interesting reading - from the way the local police bungled the initial investigation to the hiring of private investigators to the efforts to get the case featured on "America's Most Wanted" to tracking the suspect who had fled to Costa Rica. At times the case was handled so badly it's a miracle the murder was ever solved.
Another strong part of the book is the family dynamics. Money was very important to the Branson family. Ann made her money through Dairy Queen franchises and was quite wealthy. She would lend money to family members, but being a shrewd businesswoman, she kept track of all the money she lent, a fact that led to her untimely death. Money lingers in the background throughout the book. The authors claim not to be rich but things like fast cars and frequent vacations are a regular part of their lives. This isn't a criticism - it helps describe the family dynamics even more. And, of course, the book is a story of how murder can tear a family apart, especially when the killer is a member of the family. Reading about the different reactions of family members when they realize who the killer is (or in some cases falling into denial) is heartbreaking, as is the motive for the murder. Since the authors are related to the killer, they give a rare insight into a killer's life not always found in true crime books.
"Murder in Mayberry" is a fascinating look at murder in a small town.
| | Murder in Mayberry: Greed, Death, and Mayhem in a Small Town by New Horizon Press The inclusion of so much minute detail makes what could have been a great story average | This book is a strong argument for the premise that relatives of murder victims are too involved to write effective descriptions of the crime and the actions against the perpetrator. Ann Branson is a wealthy widow in the small town of Madisonville, Kentucky, a generally peaceful town and most of her relatives live nearby. Murders are a rare occasion in that area and the police are inexperienced in investigating them.
When Ann is brutally murdered by having her head caved in and then being repeatedly stabbed after her death, it shakes up the town. The authors are two of her relatives and they describe the crime, the aftermath, their feelings, and their desire to find and apprehend the culprit and how her violent death altered their lives.
The situation is further complicated when it becomes clear that the murderer is one of the family, a man with enormous charm and a serious gambling addiction. Once it becomes clear that he is probably guilty, it creates problems because the man's father still defends his son, even after the murderer flees the country.
While it was no doubt cathartic for the authors to write the book, their intimate involvement leads to the inclusion of detail that makes the book dull and boring. This can be summed up in the description of the testimony of the murderer's father. "The defense attorneys scurried to get Earl a bottle of water, and I saw him take only one tiny sip." A large number of pages of minute detail like this could have been removed without any alteration of the story. In my opinion, it would have improved it dramatically as I struggled at the end to maintain my interest.
| | Murder in Mayberry: Greed, Death, and Mayhem in a Small Town by New Horizon Press Well written account replete with local color | [Although the details in a true crime book are known, I want the potential reader of this review to BEWARE of possible SPOILERS!]
The perp here is Russell Winstead, age about 40, height six foot one, weight probably about 180 pounds. He has all the makings of a classical sociopath, but as yet nobody knows it because he hasn't really stepped over the line. He's charming to women. He has an indulgent father in Earl Winstead, and an even more accommodating rich aunt named Ann Branson. Why he needs to be indulged is because of his gambling addiction. He tried NASCAR racing. He liked the rush but he didn't have the talent. Then he discovered blackjack and saw himself as a professional gambler. He loved playing the role of the high roller, getting comp'ed, having a casino limo pick him up, flashing Bengies all over the place, impressing cocktail waitress, etc. Only problem was Russell Winstead was a loser.
So one night, the night of January 12, 2003 to be exact, he goes once more to the well that is 86-year-old Ann Branson for another "loan." He's already in debt to her for maybe $70,000 and apparently she refuses. In a rage, he chases her down the basement stairs and crushes her skull with a blunt instrument and then goes on to stab her some seventy or so times.
Enter Mary Kinney Branson, wife of Ann Branson's other nephew Jack Branson, then a US Treasure Special Agent, now retired. He's about the same height as Russell, but there the similarities end. Where Russell is reckless and uncaring about other people, Jack is careful and very caring. Where Russell fails and needs propping up, Jack succeeds. Where Russell is vain about his looks and worries about a growing bald spot, Jack is modest and his hairline is not receding. So in a sense this is a story about the contrasting lives of these two men.
Mary Branson tells the story from some distance because she is not a blood relative, and as she says, in Madisonville, Kentucky, "blood matters." (Note that, as in "The Andy Griffith Show" and "Mayberry RFD" there is no actual Mayberry. The "Mayberry" in the title is a state of mind. Call it the mind and the lifestyle of a small town in America.)
What sets this true crime story apart from many others I have read is the fact that Mary, through her husband Jack and his connections, and through her being a member of the family and the community, is in an enviable (if that's the right word) position for getting the true milieu of the story. Furthermore, since she is a veteran writer of children's stories, you can be sure that her prose is clear, readable, and without any four-letter words. What I found most fascinating and what kept me turning the pages were the many lifestyle details that Mary Branson gives of the people involved and the portrait she paints of the small town life and its values--not to mention how she also reveals herself, sometimes inadvertently. I'll just mention the nearly constant eating out at fast food establishments!
Here's an example of Mary Branson at her most vivid: The trial has begun and she's watching. She writes, "Once, I'd walked into our family room to find our three-year-old grandson, Taylor, holding his eyelids open as he watched a cartoon on television. I asked what he was doing and he said, `I'm keeping my eyes from blinking. This is my favorite part of the cartoon, and I don't want to miss even one second.'"
Mary explains, "That's how I felt as David [the prosecutor] presented the prosecution's case. After being information starved for so many years, I was scooping up every crumb that came my way." (p. 256)
Like her husband Jack, Mary looks before she leaps and she doesn't make rash statements. Consider the case of Ann Branson's housekeeper, Judy, as an example of the care that Mary has taken in weaving this story.
Judy believed that one of two persons other than Russell committed the crime. She insisted on that from the beginning, even going so far as to make some very questionable testimony at the trial, seemingly in an effort to protect Russell. Was she too, like some other women in the story, charmed by Russell? Mary Branson does not say. What she does instead is report the questionable testimony, and note that through it all Judy remained friends with Russell's father, Earl, who incidentally (or not so incidentally) was the executor of Ann Branson's estate.
Here's another example: on page 272 Mary Branson notes that local cop Captain Randy Hargis was initially in charge of the investigation, and had been a "longtime friend of Russell. The two had played softball together and ridden four-wheelers." Then she adds:
"Hargis testified that his primary reason for inviting Ben Wolcott to join the investigation was to give the Madisonville Police Department access to the Kentucky State Police crime lab and other resources."
Mary Branson is not saying directly that Hargis wouldn't or couldn't be objective in handling the case (or that he's lying). She is merely pointing out softly the potential conflict of interest.
Here's some local color near the end: "Thirty miles away in Madisonville, the verdict was announced on the radio a little before 11:30 a.m. Someone who'd just heard the verdict stepped inside a local bank and called out: "'Guilty!' Everyone knew immediately what he meant. Customers and employees applauded."
| | Murder in Mayberry: Greed, Death, and Mayhem in a Small Town by New Horizon Press Murder in Mayberry: Greed, Death, and Mayhem in a Small Town | This book definitely served the purpose for which I bought it. It was definitely clearly written and was true to form in regard to the actual events that took place in this very tragic crime. After reading this book, one could quickly tell that the author definitely did his/her homework (research) in regard to its accuracy. Another great advantage the authors had was that they were related to the poor victim who was featured in this book. The text was also well written and the illustrations that were used effectively coincided with it. Anyone who is interested in local history and who-done-it type of publications will certainly enjoy reading this particular book. Those who were well acquainted or knew the poor victim would perceive this book as one that they must read to become even more acquainted with the case. Anyone who reads my review can certainly tell that I thoroughtly enjoyed this book.
Sincerely, Timothy D. Williams | | Murder in Mayberry: Greed, Death, and Mayhem in a Small Town by New Horizon Press Product Description | When small-town police officers come upon a murder scene in which the victim is a prominent millionaire with multiple blows to the head and nearly 100 stab wounds, they're in unfamiliar territory. Throw in lies, gossip, greed, international extradition struggles, and a conflicted federal agent, and the result is Murder in Mayberry. Lifting the veil on a picket-fenced, Bible Belt town, this chilling drama reveals a tale of secret lives and drug addiction, and is both an involving true crime story and the story of the author’s emotional journey from normal life to life turned upside down. |
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