Angela McGraw-Hester

Summary

Snapped: Women Who Murder – Episode: Angela McGraw-Hester

Introduction

In this gripping episode of Snapped: Women Who Murder, Oxygen delves deep into the tragic and brutal case of Anastasia "Ann" Hester, a 34-year-old mother from Gresham, Oregon. The podcast meticulously unravels the events leading up to her untimely death, the ensuing investigation, and the eventual unraveling of the truth behind her murder by Angela McGraw-Hester.

Background

Anastasia Hester, affectionately known as Ann, was a beloved wife and mother with a passion for tabletop gaming. Born on October 26, 1981, Ann valued family above all and had built a life centered around her daughter and her interests. In 2006, she met Matt Hester through their shared love for board games, and they quickly became inseparable.

The Marriage and Custody Battle

Ann and Matt's relationship took a tumultuous turn after the birth of their daughter in November 2011. Struggling to connect, they mutually agreed to an open relationship with strict rules against infidelity. However, Matt breached these terms, leading Ann to contemplate divorce. By 2012, their four-year marriage dissolved, leaving Ann as a single mother juggling both breadwinning and caregiving roles.

The custody battle that ensued further strained their relationship. Ann secured full custody of their daughter, while Matt was granted weekend visitations. Matt's inability to consistently pay child support due to frequent job losses exacerbated tensions between the ex-spouses.

Introduction of Angela McGraw

To manage their financial burdens, Matt took in Angela McGraw, a single mother with three children, as a roommate. What began as a financial arrangement quickly evolved into a romantic relationship, culminating in their marriage in September 2014. Ann, hoping for amicable co-parenting, was initially accepting of their union. However, the dynamics shifted drastically over time.

The Crime

On June 10, 2016, in the early hours of the morning, Ann Hester was brutally attacked in her apartment. According to the transcript:

Detective [03:18]: "Though it's less than an hour from busy Portland, Gresham, Oregon manages to steer clear of most big city problems."

Anastasia was stabbed over 60 times, indicating a deeply personal vendetta. The crime scene revealed extensive blood spatter, suggesting prolonged violence. Additionally, investigators discovered that a child was unaccounted for, heightening the urgency of the case.

Investigation and Suspects

Detectives faced a challenging investigation, navigating through potential suspects linked to Ann's personal life. Early leads pointed towards Matt Hester and Angela McGraw due to their strained relationship and recent marriage.

Detective [15:10]: "You can't go into a homicide investigation with tunnel vision. You have to keep an open mind." [15:10]

Key pieces of evidence included multiple murder weapons (butcher knives and a pocket knife), a shoe print matching size 9½ women's Airwalks found at the scene, and surveillance footage capturing a Mazda SUV similar to Matt and Angela's vehicle leaving the apartment complex shortly after the attack.

Breakthrough Evidence

A significant breakthrough came when DNA analysis revealed a secondary female DNA profile at the crime scene, later identified as Angela McGraw. Additionally, purchase records linked Angela to the Airwalk shoes found at the scene.

Detective [32:02]: "These DNA results finally come back, and it's a surprise." [32:02]

Further investigation uncovered that Angela had searched for information on making homemade chloroform and other tools that could facilitate a murder, solidifying her position as the primary suspect.

Arrest and Trial

In October 2017, Angela McGraw-Hester was apprehended and charged with Ann Hester's murder. Matt Hester, implicated by circumstantial evidence and inconsistencies in his statements, was later arrested and charged with hindering prosecution and conspiracy to commit murder.

During Angela's trial, forensic evidence, including DNA matches and digital footprints, overwhelmingly pointed to her as the perpetrator. She eventually pled guilty, likely to avoid the uncertainty of a trial, and was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years.

Matt Hester faced his own legal battles, ultimately pleading guilty to his charges in August 2021 and receiving a 56-month prison sentence.

Detective [43:42]: "Angela set a cinder block against the wall, removed the air conditioning unit, slid open the rear slider window, and stepped into Anastasia's daughter's bedroom." [43:42]

Impact and Aftermath

The community of Gresham, Oregon, was left in shock and mourning over the loss of Ann Hester. The case highlighted the destructive nature of unresolved custody battles and the dangers of concealed grievances. Angela's actions not only ended Ann's life but also shattered the lives of both families involved.

Ann's daughter was placed in the care of her grandparents, ensuring her safety and stability away from the tumultuous environment that had contributed to her mother's downfall. The case serves as a somber reminder of the lengths to which personal conflicts can escalate, leading to irreversible consequences.

Witness [46:16]: "I see the world a little bit of a darker place. When you lose somebody that you care for that much, it's kind of hard to see the bright side of things." [46:16]

Conclusion

The Angela McGraw-Hester episode of Snapped: Women Who Murder offers a comprehensive exploration of a tragic crime rooted in personal strife and mental instability. Through meticulous investigation and compelling storytelling, Oxygen sheds light on the complexities of human relationships and the devastating impact of unchecked emotions.

Notable Quotes

• Detective [03:18]: "Though it's less than an hour from busy Portland, Gresham, Oregon manages to steer clear of most big city problems."

• Detective [15:10]: "You can't go into a homicide investigation with tunnel vision. You have to keep an open mind."

• Detective [32:02]: "These DNA results finally come back, and it's a surprise."

• Detective [43:42]: "Angela set a cinder block against the wall, removed the air conditioning unit, slid open the rear slider window, and stepped into Anastasia's daughter's bedroom."

• Witness [46:16]: "I see the world a little bit of a darker place. When you lose somebody that you care for that much, it's kind of hard to see the bright side of things."

Key Takeaways

• Personal Vendettas: The case underscores how personal grudges and unresolved conflicts can escalate into extreme violence.

• Forensic Evidence: DNA and digital footprints played a pivotal role in solving the case, highlighting the importance of modern forensic techniques.

• Custody Battles: The intense custody dispute between Ann and Matt serves as a cautionary tale about the potential fallout from familial disagreements.

• Community Impact: The tragedy had a profound effect on the local community, emphasizing the ripple effects of violent crimes.

Reflection

Ann Hester's story is a poignant reminder of the fragility of human relationships and the devastating consequences that can arise from unresolved conflicts. As listeners follow the investigative journey, they gain insight into the meticulous work of detectives and the profound impact of forensic science in bringing perpetrators to justice.

Final Thoughts

The Snapped: Women Who Murder episode on Angela McGraw-Hester is a compelling narrative of love, betrayal, and tragedy. It offers an in-depth look at the factors leading to a brutal crime and the relentless pursuit of truth by law enforcement. For true crime enthusiasts and those interested in understanding the darker aspects of human behavior, this episode provides a thorough and emotionally charged exploration of a heartbreaking case.

Transcript

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[911 Operator]

Where are you hurt at?

[Detective]

This was a brutal personal attack.

[Crime Scene Investigator]

There was a large amount of blood on the floor, on the bed and.

[Detective]

On walls she was stabbed over. Whoever was stabbing was having a very personal grudge against her.

[Narrator]

To solve the crime, investigators must wade through a slew of suspects.

[Detective]

It could have been someone that the couple she was with.

[Witness]

We had an open relationship.

[Custody Battle Participant]

It's been a bitter custody battle and.

[Detective]

It still was going to be ongoing.

[Narrator]

As investigators inch closer to the truth, a calculating suspect will emerge.

[Detective]

They clearly have been researching how to.

Murder someone, the person who have the most motive and opportunity to commit that crime is you. So how can I deny something that I can't guarantee if I'm asleep?

[Narrator]

Though it's less than an hour from busy Portland, Gresham, Oregon manages to steer clear of most big city problems.

[Crime Scene Investigator]

It's kind of a smaller town center, and then it gets rural to the east of it. Gresham has always reminded me of a city that wants to make clear they're not Portland. They're their own small city.

[Detective]

It's affordable. It's a working class neighborhood, a good place to grow up and be close to the big city, but, you know, not deal with the problems that might happen in other parts of Portland.

[Narrator]

But in the early morning hours of June 10, 2016, a call comes into 911 that shakes this quiet suburb.

[Detective]

At about 2:59 in the morning, a woman called 911 from her living room at her apartment in the city of Gresham.

[911 Operator]

911, how can I help you?

[Narrator]

Okay, where is this person at now?

[Detective]

Don't know.

[911 Operator]

Okay, I'm getting lots of help heading in that direction.

[Narrator]

Okay.

[911 Operator]

Can you tell me what your name is? Anastasia.

[Narrator]

The woman identifies herself as 34 year old Anastasia Hester.

[911 Operator]

What happened?

[Detective]

I believe I'm first driving.

[911 Operator]

Okay. Do you know the name of the person that did this to you? Mormon.

[Narrator]

Okay.

[911 Operator]

But the bad guy isn't there anymore?

[Narrator]

No.

[Detective]

It doesn't surprise me that based on the injuries, the time of day, and just shock alone, that she's unable to identify her attacker.

[911 Operator]

Where did he stab you?

[Narrator]

As dispatch works to get help, Anastasia grows weaker by the second.

[911 Operator]

Anastasia, I need you to talk into the phone with me. I'm sorry, I can't hear you.

[Narrator]

Six minutes after Anastasia makes the call, first responders arrive at her apartment on Eastman Parkway.

[Detective]

The stab wounds ranged in depth of penetration from about half an inch to about 8 inches. The knives pierced all of the vital organs. We need to get this person to the hospital if there's any chance of saving her life at all, which is our number one priority.

[Narrator]

As Anastasia is rushed to the closest hospital, it's unclear whether she will survive the brutal attack.

[Detective]

She was stabbed over 60 times. Whoever was stabbing was having a very personal grudge against her.

[Narrator]

While Anastasia fights for her life, detectives arrive at her apartment and are immediately troubled by what they find.

[Crime Scene Investigator]

We had the indication that there was a child, but the child had not been accounted for. That was a huge concern. That became a main objective was to, you know, find the child. And figure out if they were all right.

[Detective]

We believe by looking at the crime scene, we have a mom and a daughter that live here, but there was no daughter. The crime scene was a bloody mess. Anastasia was transported to the hospital with life threatening critical injuries. And that was what was on the thoughts of everybody's mind.

[Narrator]

Born on October 26, 1981, Anastasia Holmes, or Ann as she was known to friends, always valued family.

[911 Operator]

Ann was raised by her mom and dad. They did split when she was fairly young. And then her dad passed when she was a teenager. She always stayed very close with her mom and stepdad and her brother. She did a little bit of college after high school.

[Narrator]

When Ann wasn't working towards her future, she loved to hang out at a local game shop in Gresham called Enterzone.

[911 Operator]

She loved sitting around with the family in the evening and playing games.

[Witness]

Ann did a lot of tabletop role playing and playing the gathering.

[Narrator]

In 2006, Anne met fellow gaming enthusiast Matt Hester.

[Detective]

Anastasia and Matthew met through their mutual interest in board games. In sort of that nerdy pursuits that a lot of people around here enjoy.

[Witness]

He would just lose himself in video games and fantasy and playing magic and it was games were his life.

[Narrator]

Ann and Matt began dating and in 2008 decided to take their relationship to the next level.

[911 Operator]

She really loved him. She really did. She had every intention of when they got married that they'd be together the rest of her life.

[Narrator]

In November 2011, Ann's dream of having a family was realized when she gave birth to a daughter.

[911 Operator]

She had every intention of being a stay at home mom and wife.

[Narrator]

But after the birth of their daughter, the couple struggled to connect. In an attempt to save the marriage, the two mutually agreed to a unique approach.

[Witness]

Matt and her talked about opening their relationship.

[Narrator]

But in order for this new open arrangement to work, Ann had one rule. No sneaking around.

[Witness]

They had an agreement that they would kind of communicate back and forth to each other on what was going on. And he started not to. Ann found out that Matt had cheated on her at least once going outside those rules that they had set up. And at that point she started talking about filing for divorce.

[Narrator]

In 2012, the couple's four year marriage came to an end. In order to provide for her daughter, the now single mom had to play both breadwinner and caretaker.

[Witness]

She worked at a call center in downtown Portland that did. They'd call on medical surveys.

[911 Operator]

She mainly took the job at the call center to be able to take care of her daughter. They had a one room apartment.

[Witness]

Ann Got full custody of her daughter and Matt had his scheduled weekends. The one thing Ann did complain about Matt was he was never good about paying his child support because he kept constantly losing his job.

[Narrator]

To help pay the bills, Matt took in a roommate, single mother Angela McCraw and her three children.

[Detective]

Matthew and Angela McCraw moved in together, allegedly just as roommates. But within a month, it was a romantic relationship.

[Narrator]

In September 2014, Matt and Angela married. His ex wife. Ann took the news in stride.

[Witness]

Ann told me that after Matt and Angela got together that Matt was taking more of an interest in what was going on with his daughter and wanted more time with her.

[911 Operator]

Anne really, really was hoping that they could have at least a relationship in such that they could communicate and co parent effectively.

[Narrator]

But just two years later, Ann is barely clinging to life after being brutally stabbed inside her apartment.

[Crime Scene Investigator]

It was a large number of stabs. EMS had transported her to the hospital to try to save her life.

[Narrator]

As detectives wait for word on Ann's condition, they begin to process the bloody scene.

[Detective]

It was readily apparent to us that there's at least two people lived in this house. Our victim, Anastasia. And then also the single bedroom in this apartment was a child's room. The initial respondent officers and our sergeant started making some phone calls and trying to find this child.

[Narrator]

Just as authorities launch a hunt for the missing child, they receive some tragic news.

[Detective]

I had been on scene about half an hour and then my phone rang and it's the call that I hoped I wouldn't get. But I did. And that was a call from the hospital saying that Anastasia had died.

Despite their best efforts, Anastasia was too far gone. She had multiple perforations to her lungs, her internal organs, and the amount of blood on the walls and the carpet put her in a situation that she could not survive.

Now that we have a homicide investigation, we've really stepped up our game with the search for the child. Where's the child at? Do we have a murder and an abduction.

[Narrator]

Coming up. The truth of Ann's horrifying final moments shocks this quiet community.

[Detective]

There were lacerations down to the bone in her hand and in her fingers. That told me she put up a fight.

[Narrator]

And as the investigation begins, detectives find a treasure trove of pet potential leads.

[Detective]

Help paint the picture for me. She was in a relationship with both the man and the woman.

[Narrator]

Detectives in Gresham, Oregon, are processing the scene of the brutal murder of 34 year old Anastasia Ann Hester. But detectives fear Ann may not be their only victim.

[Crime Scene Investigator]

The fact that we had A young missing child was concerting to all of us. And so that was, you know, one of our first goals was, you know, try to identify where this child is and to make sure that the child is okay.

[Detective]

We contacted our child services unit and determined that the child has a biological father, Matthew Hester. And he lives In Portland, about 10 miles or so away from where Anastasia lived.

[Narrator]

Detectives immediately track down Matt Hester.

[Detective]

We were able to contact Matthew Hester and determine that the child was with her father, and this was a predetermined child custody sharing arrangement.

[Narrator]

Matt tells investigators he had picked up his daughter from school the day before and brought her back to his home for their weekend together.

[Crime Scene Investigator]

It was his turn, you know, for custody of the child. He didn't know anything, you know, about what happened, and he was cooperative.

[Narrator]

Matt and Angela agree to come to the station for an interview later that day.

[Crime Scene Investigator]

Matthew, obviously, is important to talk with because, you know, he's the ex spouse. It's important to get his timeline. It's important to get that information to either clear him as a suspect or to identify if he is a possible suspect.

[Narrator]

Meanwhile, investigators turn their attention back to the crime scene and piece together a theory of events.

[Detective]

You can't go into a homicide investigation with tunnel vision. You have to keep an open mind. We had to look around and try to take a totality of our evidence that we had and our circumstances and what best fits.

[Crime Scene Investigator]

We had observed that the air conditioner had been removed, and then from outside, we could see that what looked like a cinder block had been placed.

[Detective]

It appeared to us that the killer used a cinder block to step up on, slid the window open, climbed in, and that was how they made their point of entry.

[Crime Scene Investigator]

So you basically had the living room area where she had her bed. You had the blood located around the bed area and then kind of at the entry area.

[Detective]

Based on the blood spatter analysis and evidence at the scene that Anastasia was likely laying in her bed when that first attack occurred. It appears that Anastasia got out of bed after the first attack, tried to make her way to the front door, and was met by the killer. At that point, there was a second area of attack. We know that based on heavy blood saturation on the floor.

[Narrator]

On the bloodstained carpet, detectives spot three potential murder weapons.

[Detective]

There were two butcher knives. There was a pocket knife. The two butcher knives that were found on the floor actually came from a knife block within the victims kitchen. Blood makes knives slippery. It's very, very common for the assailant to also cut themselves during A knife attack. So in my mind, we probably have at least two sources of DNA in this room. One from the perpetrator and one from the victim.

[Crime Scene Investigator]

The importance of finding knives is obviously to look for fingerprints in any possible DNA.

[Narrator]

The murder weapon isn't the only thing at the scene that might help investigators find Ann's killer.

[Crime Scene Investigator]

We were able to identify a shoe print. Somebody had stepped in the blood as they were walking in or out. It became important because Ann was barefoot.

[Narrator]

Detectives set out to speak with Ann's neighbors, hoping someone saw something. And they are shocked at what they find.

[Detective]

There were several witnesses that heard a woman screaming, but nobody called 911 except for the victim herself. The first screams were heard at around 11:15pm and the 911 call came in at 2:59am and Anastasia said that her attacker had just left. So we're looking at, you know, almost a four hour timeframe for this to be perpetrated on Anastasia.

[Narrator]

While canvassing the neighborhood, investigators also search for surveillance video.

[Crime Scene Investigator]

The best video that we found was the neighbor that was east of the entrance of the apartment complex there.

[Narrator]

Investigators head back to the station to turn the footage over for processing. When they arrive, Matt and Angela Hester are waiting for them.

[Detective]

Both of them were cooperative. I actually interviewed Matt and another detective interviewed Angela.

[Narrator]

Matt tells police that on the night of Ann's murder, he was at home with his wife Angela.

[Detective]

We play little video games together. Okay. And then around 10, put the kids to bed. He watched some television. Then he went to bed and wasn't contacted by anybody until the next morning.

[Narrator]

Matt says that he has no reason to want to hurt Ann. In fact, they barely spoke.

[Detective]

So help Ted paint the picture for me. As far as you're an, do you guys constantly fight? Is it amicable? We have no communication. We don't text, we don't call. I drop her off at the door and go on my merry way.

[Narrator]

Matt tells police he does occasionally hear curious rumors about Anne through mutual friends.

[Detective]

I know that she was in the pirates committee. We learned that people who live in the community, adults every day that dress up like pirates, talk like pirates, they build pirate ships and they take them to pirate conventions. And Anastasia was a part of this world. Who's your current boyfriend? I don't know his name. He's older. Like I said, he's part of the pirate community.

[Narrator]

According to Matt, the man isn't Ann's only partner.

[Detective]

She was in a relationship with both the man and the woman. I don't know either of their names. We Talk about polyamorous relationships. And when it comes to pirates, that is not something that's abnormal to them.

[Narrator]

After Matt's interview, investigators receive word that they may have footage of the suspect's vehicle.

[Detective]

We got very lucky in this case. We found video that shows a Mazda SUV coming and going from the victim's home.

[Narrator]

The vehicle looks eerily familiar to one in the station parking lot right now.

[Detective]

Matt and Angela drove a Mazda suv.

[Narrator]

Detectives confront Matt with the new evidence.

[Detective]

Um, your car was there.

[Narrator]

Okay.

[Detective]

And I need to know why your car left her crime scene. Who would have been in your car? I don't know. Somebody's got to know. Matt.

[Narrator]

Coming up, detectives upped the pressure on their prime suspect.

[Detective]

Matt, if you had anything to do with Ann's death, I need to know about it right now. I did not. I would never do anything that would endanger my child.

[Narrator]

But does someone else hold the keys to solving this case?

[Custody Battle Participant]

It's been a bitter custody battle because.

[911 Operator]

She refused to allow him to call.

[Detective]

And a few other things.

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[Narrator]

Detectives investigating the murder of 34 year old Anne Hester have just discovered footage of a familiar car out outside her home on the night of her brutal attack.

[Detective]

They're not able to see who's inside the car. They're not able to pull the license plate off some of these blurry footage from a very dark night. But it matched the description of Matthew and Angela's vehicle.

So there's no doubt in my mind that your car is the one that is on video leaving the apartment complex right after the crime was committed. So help me figure out why your car was there. I haven't heard a single denial that your car is not there. Well, I didn't wake up. I was asleep. I can't guarantee that my car was at home. So how can I deny something that I can't guarantee if I'm asleep? Matt, if you had anything to do with Ann's death, I need to know.

About it right now.

I did not. I would never do anything that would endanger my child.

[Narrator]

After getting shut down by Matt, investigators turned to his wife, Angela McCraw Hester, who is candid about the couple's struggles with Ann.

[Crime Scene Investigator]

So you had a court proceeding back in January.

[Detective]

It's been a bitter custody battle and.

[Custody Battle Participant]

It still was going to be ongoing because we were just filing because she.

[Narrator]

Refused to allow him to call in.

[Detective]

A few other things.

[Narrator]

Like Matt, Angela claims that it couldn't be their car on the video.

[Custody Battle Participant]

No, my car was in the driveway.

[Crime Scene Investigator]

In the driveway. Nobody. No chance of anybody having her again?

[Audible Advertiser]

No.

[Narrator]

Detectives shift gears and ask Angela about her activities the night before.

[Detective]

Angela said that she Woke up about 3:00 in the morning. She went to let the dogs out.

[Narrator]

After letting her dogs outside, Angela says she began to feel ill. She actually.

[Detective]

Said that she puked all over herself because she had been sick. And she says that Matt got out of bed and took a shower with her and helped her get cleaned up and then brought her back to bed.

[Narrator]

Investigators find it odd that Matt hadn't mentioned this occurrence.

[Detective]

You know, that is a pretty significant event that Matt just didn't tell us in his story. When he relayed his events for the evening. Matt saying they remained in bed the whole time. Those were the inconsistencies that stuck out to me.

[Narrator]

Despite the discrepancies, investigators are forced to let Angela and Matt go.

[Crime Scene Investigator]

The video was enough to show us that the vehicle departed. Unfortunately, it didn't tell us who was in that car. It's great evidence, but just not enough at that point.

[Narrator]

Leaving no stone unturned, investigators take a closer look at the pirate roleplay community.

[Detective]

We looked through Anastasia's phone call logs and we found a friend of hers living down in Springfield, I believe. And we sent some detectives down there. And it was there that we learned that the lady in Springfield and her husband, boyfriend at the time, I believe, were partners of Anastasia's.

[Witness]

I had a relationship with Ann. We were dating as in boyfriend and girlfriend, but we were in what is known as a polyamorous relationship. So we had an open relationship. She was also seeing my fiance at the time, which is my wife now. The three of us were together.

[911 Operator]

She was a woman I really expected would become my wife one day. We had every intention, the three of us, of being life partners.

[Narrator]

But investigators wonder if the couple's relationship with Ann had taken a turn.

[Witness]

They asked, of course, where I was at the time. I told them I was in the hospital with having knee surgery. They asked me if my wife could have done it due to the oddity of our relationship. I told them no. We both loved Ann too much for that. She was with me the whole night.

[Narrator]

While Brianne and James insist that no one in the pirate community would hurt Anne, they know who might. And the names are all too familiar to investigators.

[Witness]

I brought up Matt and Angela because they'd just gone through a pretty bitter custody case. The custody case between Matt and Anne had only wrapped up maybe a couple months before she was killed.

[Narrator]

According to James and Brianne, following Matt's marriage to Angela, the newlyweds tried to get full custody of Matt and Ann's daughter sparking a months long dispute.

[Witness]

They filed for full custody claiming that Ann was an unfit mother.

[Narrator]

In order to make a determination, the judge ordered a caseworker to perform independent evaluations of the two households.

[911 Operator]

They had a one room apartment and set up the living room as a bedroom for her where her daughter had the full bedroom with her toys and all of her stuff.

[Detective]

And that she had sacrificed her own bedroom so that her daughter could have somewhere safe to be at night. That's not the case for Angela and Matthew. They lived a very disorderly, chaotic, messy life. Their house was not a safe space. It was not well maintained, unkempt, you could say.

Anastasia works full time and Matt and Angela are not employed.

[911 Operator]

They figure out how to get by on multiple different government assistance checks and they just have no drive to do anything.

[Detective]

Matt explained that his children have different disabilities and get Social Security benefits or payouts from the state, so he lives off of the proceeds of his kids disabilities.

[Narrator]

According to James, less than a month before Ann's murder, the judge released his decision granting Ann full custody while allowing Matt weekend visitation.

[Detective]

With the custody dispute settled, the court ordered Angela and Matthew to pay Anastasia back child support. Now that Anastasia was going to have full custody of her daughter, the court.

Found that Matt owed $29,000 in lawyers fees and then an additional $13,000 in backhoed child support.

[Narrator]

The ruling did not sit well with Matt and Angela.

[Detective]

Angela and Matthew had no income other than those government checks and those were only about $1,500 a month. There was really no way that they could pay off that money.

[Narrator]

On June 16, less than a week after Ann's death, detectives get a phone call from a local insurance agent that fuels their suspicions of Matt and Angela.

[Detective]

The agent tells them that Matthew Hester has just rung them up and asked a lot of questions about Anastasia's $100,000 life insurance policy.

He's already calling trying to collect the money. That was highly suspicious to me.

[Narrator]

Coming up. To nail a killer, investigators must rely on clues left behind.

[Detective]

There were two profiles found on the knife block.

[Narrator]

And a long wait pays off.

[Detective]

These DNA results finally come back and it's a surprise.

[Narrator]

Less than a week after single mother Ann Hester was stabbed over 60 times in her apartment, all eyes are on her ex husband, Matt.

[Detective]

Matt lost custody of his daughter and Anastasia got custody of her daughter. So that upset Matt and all that was kind of coming to a head in the two weeks prior to this murder.

[Narrator]

On June 22, 12 days after the murder, detectives Hear from the forensic scientist tasked with identifying a bloody shoe print from the crime scene.

[Detective]

We were able to identify pretty quickly it was a size 9 1/2 women's air walk. We contacted the manufacturer. They told us the shoe sole pattern was used on an airwalk. Myra Boot and I made some phone calls, and we found that our Clackamas County Payless shoe store is the only ones that distribute those shoes in the area.

[Narrator]

Detectives immediately head to the store and start combing through their purchase records looking for anyone with a possible connection to Ann.

[Detective]

We checked their point of sale system for a pair of shoes that are size 9 1/2 airwalks. We get to one that were sold on November 8th to a person using a credit card at about 11:30 in the morning. And when we ran the credit card records, the credit card holder was Angela McCraw Hester. Our attention definitely shifted more towards Angela as far as the actual person inside the crime scene committing the murder.

[Narrator]

Investigators begin taking a closer look at Angela. Twice divorced with three kids, Angela had seen her fair share of tough times.

[Custody Battle Participant]

I don't know much about my biological dad or their relationship. I just got told what she told me and what I heard from other family members, which was he wasn't a good person.

[Narrator]

Angela found more stability in her second marriage to Erin McCraw.

[Detective]

In 2006, when we started dating, it was great.

We got pregnant with our son and.

[Witness]

We got pregnant with our other son.

[Detective]

And it was just the happiest time of her life.

[Narrator]

But by 2012, Angela's marriage to Erin started to unravel when she began making odd claims about her children.

[Detective]

Angela was convinced that all of her children were sick and had some sort of mental disorder.

[Custody Battle Participant]

I don't remember much except her making me see a counselor when I was younger. She would basically tell him stuff about how I was supposedly acting at home that related to this disorder. And she somehow got said doctor to prescribe some kind of medication to handle it.

[Narrator]

Based on Angela's stories, her other children were also diagnosed and prescribed medication.

[Detective]

We had ocd, bipolar, autism, and another bipolar.

[Witness]

That's what the divorce came to. The fact that I wanted to make sure my kids weren't getting poison and drugs in their body that they didn't need.

[Narrator]

Once she married Matt, Angela became convinced that his daughter was bipolar, A claim Ann fought and doctors dismissed.

[Detective]

The caseworkers who were assigned to this custody dispute were well aware that Angela was pathologizing normal behavior.

[Narrator]

Instead, Ann believed Angela and Matt were using her daughter in a greedy scheme.

[Detective]

Matt and Angela both claim that their children were diagnosed with different ailments by doctors and as a result, received disability benefits from the state.

[Narrator]

Though the behavior is suspicious, detectives still don't have enough for an arrest warrant. But they do have one last hope. DNA.

[Detective]

We got to a point where we had tested pretty much all of the evidence that we could test, and we were coming up with no results. But it was about that time that the Oregon State Police crime lab got new technology and a new way of testing DNA. All of this stuff takes weeks, months, sometimes years to get the results back.

[Narrator]

Finally, in August 2017, over a year after Ann was murdered, detectives get the news they've been waiting for.

[Detective]

These DNA results finally come back, and it's a surprise.

There were two profiles found on the knife block. The most DNA evidence belonged to the victim, in this case, Anastasia. The minor profile was female DNA, and that source is Angela. And Angela is responsible for murder.

[Narrator]

On October 4, 2017, investigators tracked down Angela and Matt.

[Detective]

But Matthew doesn't go down willingly. He's throwing up his elbows. He's saying, don't touch me. Police have to cuff him, take him into custody on a resisting arrest charge.

[Narrator]

At the police station in Pocatello, investigators are eager to find out if Angela is ready to come clean.

[Detective]

She's a whimpering mess and can barely look these people in the eye.

[Narrator]

Getting nowhere with Angela. Police turn their attention to Matt, who now has a new story to tell.

[Detective]

Matthew says that Angela hated Anastasia and that Angela talked all the time about Anastasia being dead or someone killing her.

[Narrator]

Matt claims he didn't believe Angela would make good on her threats against Anne until she returned home in the early morning hours of June 10, waking him from sleep and asking for his help.

[Detective]

He said that she was covered in blood and that she was panicked and that she wanted help from him. He got in the shower with her, and he helped her wash blood out of her hair. He says that he never asked her what happened or why she was injured.

Eventually, they get him to admit that he thinks she probably did kill Anastasia. And they realize they have enough to charge Angela with the murder of Anastasia, but they don't have enough to charge Matthew.

[Narrator]

Detectives need more evidence in order to bring charges against Matt and to make the charges against Angela stand up in court.

[Detective]

We issued a search warrant for all of Angela's Google records. And part of those records are her Google Maps or Google Tracks, which are essentially a breadcrumb trail in Google. As to everywhere she goes, investigators quickly.

[Narrator]

Notice some movement out of the couple's normal routine. In the days surrounding the murder, Angela.

[Detective]

And Matt have the same activity, kind of a routine. They go to the school, they go to the store, they go to McDonald's, they go to Taco Bell. And that is pretty much daily activity for them. When we saw that Google track that went out to the Mount Hood national forest and then came back, it was an outlier. It was unique. We have to look into that.

[Narrator]

Coming up, detectives strike gold in the Oregon woods.

[Detective]

They found a boot caught in a log jam across this creek.

[Narrator]

And Angela faces a life changing choice.

[Custody Battle Participant]

I remember just telling her she needs to take the deal.

[Narrator]

Over a year after Anne Hester was stabbed to death inside her apartment, police finally have Angela mccraw Hester in custody for the brutal slaying. But they're eager to connect the victim's ex husband, Matt Hester, to the crime as well.

[Detective]

We tried to interview Matt a couple of times about their roles. Matt doesn't want to tell us the.

[Narrator]

Truth, But a trace of the couple's phones may be the key to connecting Matt to the murder once and for all.

[Detective]

About three days after the homicide, they have a breadcrumb trail or a track that shoots about 35 miles out into the Mount Hood National Forest. That was not a pattern of behavior that they had engaged in. And that outlier was suspicious to us. Detectives actually went out to that exact location in the middle of the national forest. And when they walked into the woods about 100 yards, the detectives found a boot caught in a log jam across this creek. The shoe tread pattern matched the shoe treads from the crime scene. It was an airwalk Myra, size nine and a half, the same as the shoes that Angela purchased. On November 8th.

[Narrator]

Investigators seize the couple's computers looking for further evidence tying them to the crime.

[Detective]

Angela actually googled how to make homemade chloroform.

The google search history from Angela and Matthew is incriminating. It turns up these wild searches, Basically everything from switchblades to chloroform to how to improvise a firearm. They clearly have been researching how to murder someone Matthew had been searching for. Everything having to do with life insurance, custody, and what happens after someone dies who gets the money.

[Narrator]

On June 19, 2019, Matt is arrested and charged with hindering prosecution and conspiracy to commit murder.

[911 Operator]

I, from day one, said Matt was involved. The only thing in Anne's life that was volatile at all was the situation with ma mat.

[Narrator]

In November 2020, Angela's defense attorneys reveal that she is ready to make a deal.

[Custody Battle Participant]

I remember just telling her, she needs to take the deal. Telling her that there's already so much evidence against her.

[Detective]

Angela never provided a narrative as to what she did that night. She just simply pled guilty in court.

[Narrator]

Without a confession, detectives must theorize what took place that fateful night.

[Detective]

On June 9, at about 10:35, 10:36pm Angela Hester left her house in East Portland and drove to Anastasia's house in Gresham. Angela went to the back of Anastasia's apartment, set a cinder block up against the wall, removed the air conditioning unit, slid open the rear slider window, and stepped in to Anastasia's daughter's bedroom. From there, Angela went into the front living room. Anastasia was laying in bed when Angela started attacking her with a pocket knife. From about 11:15pm till about 3:00am Something very, very violent and tragic occurred inside that apartment. The victim was absolutely tortured during those three hours.

[Narrator]

Investigators say the pocket knife was enough to incapacitate Ann but not to kill her.

[Detective]

Angela discarded the pocket knife alongside the bed. Angela went into the kitchen area to the knife block where she selected two knives. She returned into the living room to find Anastasia trying to escape the house and make her way towards the front door. A second attack occurred.

Angela had the choice to turn back at anytime, but she didn't. She continued to stab and stab and stab Anastasia over and over for multiple hours.

[Narrator]

And with Ann out of the picture, Angela could be in control of her family.

[911 Operator]

Angela wanted what she wanted, and she wanted Ann gone.

[Detective]

I think that she didn't know how to share. She did not want to share custody of Matthew's daughter. She does not want to share Matthew.

[Narrator]

Angela is sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years.

[Custody Battle Participant]

I don't even know how to put it together in words. She's not the kind of person you would ever want around your kids or to have kids. I don't want anything to do with my mother. I don't need her hearing about my life. You know what's going on. You know how I am. That's none of her business. And that she lost that right.

[Narrator]

Matt quickly follows suit in August of 2021 and pleads guilty to all charges.

[Detective]

Matthew was sentenced to 56 months in prison.

[Narrator]

Even with Angela and Matt in jail, Ann's family and community will forever struggle to come to terms with the loss of one of their own.

[Witness]

I see the world a little bit of a darker place. When you lose somebody that you care for that much, it's kind of hard to see the bright side of things. All the time.

[911 Operator]

She had the biggest heart in the world. And that's the part of her that all of us will always remember. It's that heart and that love she had for everyone.

[Audible Advertiser]

Angela and Matt divorced while in prison and no longer remain in contact. Angela's children were placed in foster care following her arrest. Ann's parents were given custody of her daughter.

[Narrator]

In a quiet suburb, a community is shattered by the death of a beloved wife and mother. But this tragic loss of life quickly turn into something even darker. Her husband had tried to hire a hitman on the dark web to kill her. And she wasn't the only target. Because buried in the depths of the Internet is the Kill List, a cache of chilling documents containing names, photos, addresses and specific instructions for people's murders. This podcast is the true story of how I ended up in a race against time to warn those who lives were in danger. And it turns out convincing a total stranger someone wants them dead is not easy. Follow Kill List on the Wandri app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to Kill List and more. Exhibit C True crime shows like Morbid early and ad free right now by joining Wondroy Plus. Check out Exhibit C in the Wondery app for all your true crime listening.