Customer Reviews

Murder in Mayberry: Greed, Death, and Mayhem in a Small Town

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I received this book in the mail yesterday and stayed awake until 3 am to finish it. What a fascinating story! We usually read the headlines and experience the media frenzy when a crime occurs and then pick up the story again when the accused finally comes to trial. "Murder in Mayberry" gives us a behind-the-scenes view of the drama in between.

As I read this book, I got a real feeling for the realities of a murder investigation from the point of view of the victim's family. I was completely engrossed from the shock of the murder to the horrible realization that a beloved family member was the murderer and then through the struggle to bring the murderer to justice. (I learned a lot about the problems of extraditing criminals from Costa Rica in the process, too).

I really admire the way the author manages to keep the melodrama to a minimum while still managing to convey the real feelings of herself and her family throughout the 4 year ordeal.

"Murder in Mayberry" is a great read. I recommend it wholeheartedly.

Murder in Mayberry is the newest title from New Horizion Press's Real People / Incredible Stories series. Concerned family discovered the body of Ann Branson on January 12, 2003. The wealthy widow had last been seen at church the night before. The crime scene was surprisingly clean, despite the extreme violence evidenced on the corpse. Nothing seemed to be missing from the house, despite jewelry, furs and rumors of hidden money. There had not been a homicide in a decade in the small town of Madisonville, Ky and family members had doubts about the small town's police department's ability to process and solve the crime. Ann's nephew Jack Branson was especially troubled. His background as a federal agent gave him knowledge of what should be happening to the investigation...and also made him more concerned that Madisonville police might not be preserving evidence or following leads. No one in the small town was prepared for what the evidence revealed. Ann's killer was a family member. Police methodically compiled evidence, Jack hired a private investigator, and the killer manipulates family and friends to stay free. In the four years it took to bring this person to trial, Jack and his wife Mary, struggle with family suspicion, betrayal by family aiding the killer, the emotional and financial strain of the investigation and the loss of a beloved woman. Before the killer finally faces justice they have fled the country, been profiled several times on America's Most wanted and been added to the FBI's Top Ten Most Wanted list.

What makes Murder in Mayberry especially compelling is Jack and Mary tell the story. Ann never had children of her own and had treated Jack as if he was her own son. After her murder, he felt an obligation to use his skills and connections as an agent to help bring her killer to justice. The story is a testament to the doggedness of a small town police force, the determination of family and exposes the cost to the forgotten victims of a violent crime, the family left behind.

I am a resident of Madisonville, KY, and I had known Ann Branson. I also know Jack and Mary, the authors of the book. I thought the book was very well written, in content and in detail. I commend Jack and Mary, I am sure it was difficult to put all of this in writing, but they did a very commendable job. Once you start reading this book you don't want to put it down. I highly recommend this book as a very intriguing work that captures the author and her husbands deep love for Mrs. Branson. Our prayers go out to them and thank them for sharing such a personal part of their lives with their readers.

Nancy and Murf Adams

An account of how a family member can be so greedy and overcome by vanity that he murders a generous aunt could have been fascinating. Unfortunately the authors of this book manage to shine little light on the motivation for the murder and little light on the family dynamics which created a fertile soil for the behaviour manifested by the murderer. There were references to these issues but little flesh. Instead the authors tell us far too much about how grief stricken they were and far too much about what a talented investigator Jack Branson was. The story was far too much about the authors and frankly those know it alls got boring after a while. The writing style verged on the histrionic and there were too many reference to Jack Branson's set jaw or other signs of supoposed stoicism! Their patronising of the investigators went too far and no wonder they weren't told everything. It was difficult to not speculate on whether being from another branch of the family, the writers weren't playing out subterranean family dramas by engaging in self righteous finger pointing.

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 was absolutely a fantastic read! My initial interest in the book was based upon knowing the authors, somewhat knowing the elegant lady who became the tragic victim and the setting being that of my hometown and home church. However, I quickly realized that this was a page turner of a book filled with detail and intrigue. The family dynamics were heavily, but tastefully, woven throughout the book. The description of the impact that the addiction of gambling had on the murderer, the family and ultimately my hometown was compelling. Could your hometown be next? This is a must read book.

[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 is, indeed, a "page turner"; especially for anybody (like myself) who followed the actual crime story as it unfolded. Mary and Jack have taken us "behind the scenes", so to speak, and filled in the gaps that media reports didn't include.

Thank you for sharing this tragedy from your vantage point as family members.

I am originally from Kentucky so this book really hit home. I read the book and immediately made sure all of my doors and windows were locked. You can never really trust anyone anymore.

This book was well written and a real page turner. I am selective about what I use my time to read, but this is one read I would not miss!

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.