HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — A woman from Henderson County has been sentenced to serve up to 13 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in connection to a stabbing death that occurred just over a year ago in Laurel Park.
Vanessa Annalee Ledbetter, 39, of Laurel Park, appeared in Henderson County Criminal Superior Court on January 27, where she pled guilty to second-degree murder for the killing of her boyfriend, 58-year-old Robin Arnold Bracken. Superior Court Judge William Stetzer presided over the case.
According to court records and the investigation, Ledbetter and Bracken had a turbulent and volatile relationship. On January 7, 2024, law enforcement and emergency responders were called to 16 Lake Drive after a neighbor reported a domestic dispute. Upon arrival, they found Bracken unresponsive and bleeding from a stab wound in his back. He had staggered from the bathroom of their shared apartment to a common area, asking for help before succumbing to his injuries.
Investigation revealed that Bracken was unarmed and there was no physical altercation at the time of the stabbing. Ledbetter later admitted to stabbing Bracken, stating she acted out of fear for her safety.
As a result of the guilty plea, Ledbetter was sentenced to a minimum of 124 months (10 years) and a maximum of 161 months (13 years) in the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Doug Mundy.
