Summary
- Introducing: Gerald Lee Powers.
- Stepping into the world on September 22, 1954.
- Passed away on April 12, 2025.
- Guilty of murder and armed robbery.
- Method of murder: shooting.
- Shannon Sanderson, aged 25, was the victim.
- The crime took place on April 19, 1996.
In the spring of 1996, a bright young woman found luck in a Mississippi casino, walking away with several thousand dollars. Tragically, that luck ran out all too soon when she was murdered. The investigation quickly pointed to Gerald Lee Powers as the prime suspect in this chilling case. Years after this senseless crime, justice was served as Powers was sentenced to death.
Gerald Lee Powers conviction
It has been nearly three decades since the chilling crime, yet the question lingers in many minds: where is Gerald Lee Powers now, and is he still alive? The notorious casino murder case spanned for years, ultimately leading to a death sentence followed by a twenty-year prison term. Powers was convicted of felony murder and aggravated robbery. In Tennessee, the courts found Powers guilty of the brutal murder of Shannon Sanderson, a 25-year-old whose life was tragically cut short. That fateful night, after an evening spent at Sam's Town Casino in Tunica, Mississippi, she was followed by Powers. The investigation revealed a horrific series of events: the kidnapping, robbery, and murder of Shannon Sanderson at the hands of Gerald Lee Powers. In court, the severe nature of the crime, with its aggravating circumstances, was laid bare, sealing Powers' fate with a death sentence.
The suspect filed an appeal after his conviction in the casino murder case
Gerald Lee Powers faced the verdict of a Shelby County jury, which found him guilty of first-degree felony murder and aggravated robbery. For these offenses, he was sentenced to death for the murder and an additional 30 years in prison for the robbery. Determined to fight back, Gerald Powers exercised his right to appeal in the casino murder case. He contested the jury's conviction, pointing out several concerns, including the court's decision to allow his wife to testify against him. In September 2001, he brought forth seven issues in his appeal. The Court of Criminal Appeals stood firm on the death sentence but showed some leniency by reducing the aggravated robbery sentence from 30 years to 20 years. As a result, the case automatically advanced to the Supreme Court of Tennessee. Once there, Gerald reiterated similar arguments, striving for justice. Despite his efforts, the Supreme Court endorsed the decision of the lower court, leaving him with the death sentence and a 20-year term for the kidnapping, robbery, and murder of Sanderson. On January 6, 2003, the Supreme Court delivered its decision. Faced with a 3-2 split, the justices maintained the ruling of the Court of Criminal Appeals. The Tennessee Supreme Court announced, The death sentence for Gerald Powers, convicted of killing a Memphis woman in 1996, was upheld on Monday in a close 3-2 vote, with significant debate over whether his wife’s testimony should have been admitted.
The victim played blackjack and won $5K before she was kidnapped and killed
The investigation into the chilling murder at the casino uncovered that Gerald Powers was present at Sam's Town Casino when Shannon Sanderson triumphed with a $5,000 win, shortly before her tragic death. On that fateful evening of April 18, 1996, Shannon stepped into the Tunica, Mississippi, casino with high hopes. Initially, she was supposed to visit the lively venue with her husband, Robert. However, an argument changed her plans, and she ventured out solo. Ensuring her children were safely with their grandparents, Shannon left home around 6:30 PM, making her way to Sam's Town. Throughout the night, Shannon immersed herself in blackjack, and luck was on her side as she pocketed $5,000. After exchanging her chips around 3:00 AM on April 19, 1996, she was chaperoned by a vigilant security officer to her car, clutching her winnings in crisp $100 bills. As the night of gambling came to a close, Shannon headed back to pick up her children from her grandparents, unaware that Gerald Powers was following her every move.
The young woman was kidnapped, murdered and left in an abandoned house
The grim investigation that led to first-degree murder charges against Powers revealed that he was at Sam's Town Casino during the fateful night and early hours of April 18 and 19, 1996. Surveillance cameras caught a man in white tennis shoes, glancing towards the blackjack table where the victim was engrossed. Sanderson left the table, and the man trailed behind her. Court documents disclosed that Powers shadowed Shannon Sanderson in his wife's maroon Chevrolet Beretta. Sanderson was on her way back to her former father-in-law's house, intending to pick up her children. Her father-in-law, Edward Holland, recounted how the barking dogs woke him around 4:45 AM on April 19, 1996. The CCTV caught both Sanderson and her attacker at the casino in Tunica, Mississippi, on the night of April 19. Initially, Holland spotted Sanderson near her car. When he went outside post heated voices—believing it was her arguing with her estranged husband—he found her car still there, but she was not. A neighbor corroborated hearing a scream and a thud, observing someone near her car, later moving something to the back seat before driving away. The autopsy report detailed that Sanderson suffered severe facial injuries from a brutal blow. Tragically, her life was cut short by a single gunshot wound to the right side of her head. Court documents depict the harrowing truth: after kidnapping Ms. Sanderson from Memphis, Gerald Powers took her to an isolated house in Mississippi, where she was fatally shot. Her decomposed remains were uncovered by law enforcement on May 9, 1996.
Gerald Powers told his wife he won big at a casino but in the end admitted to the crime
When they found the victim, her jewelry and personal belongings were gone, including the money she'd won at the casino. Then, weeks passed, and on May 22, 1996, in Hebronville, Texas, a border patrol team spotted a maroon Chevrolet Baretta behaving strangely. Inside was Gerald Lee Powers. He attempted to resist with a knife, but officers soon had him in custody. Gerald’s wife, Sharon Powers, took the stand against him in the casino murder case. That morning, April 19, 1996, Gerald returned home, bragging about a big win at the casino. Sharon found this curious, especially as she noticed the sudden cleanliness of their maroon Chevrolet Beretta. Adding to her suspicions, Gerald was behaving oddly, court documents revealed, describing him as anxious and constantly peering through the blinds. Fearing an affair, she pressed him for answers. Her persistence paid off, and he confessed to the crime.
Gerald Lee Powers passed away at 70
Earlier this year, the mystery surrounding whether Gerald Lee Powers was still alive was finally solved. After spending 26 years on death row, Gerald's journey ended this spring when he passed away at the age of 70. The cause of his death remained under wraps, leaving questions lingering in the air. The Tennessean reported that Gerald Lee Powers took his last breath on Saturday, April 12, 2025. His attorney, Amy Harwell, revealed that he battled metastatic cancer. Despite this revelation, the Tennessee Department of Corrections chose not to announce a specific cause of death. Harwell expressed deep frustration, highlighting a grave oversight: Mr. Powers endured the ravages of advanced cancer without receiving the medical care he desperately needed. The lack of treatment led to unimaginable suffering. His family, his dedicated visitor, and his legal team are heartbroken over this profound loss.
Gerald Lee Powers obituary and aggravating circumstances
Even though Gerald Lee Powers has passed away, the public remains deeply intrigued by the casino murder case. During his trial, three aggravating factors were scrutinized: a past conviction of violent crimes, committing murder to evade arrest or prosecution, and committing murder during a kidnapping. When examining Powers' criminal case, the Tennessee Supreme Court upheld his death sentence. They confirmed that the evidence for these three aggravating factors in the murder of Shannon Sanders was overwhelmingly clear and that they far outweighed any mitigating factors.
