Woman charged with murder of Laurel Park man makes 1st court appearance

Dean Hensley, Hendersonville Times-News
·2 min read

LAUREL PARK - A 58-year-old Laurel Park man was found dead at his home on Jan. 7 after law enforcement officers responded to an incomplete 911 call at 16 Lake Drive.

According to Laurel Park Police Chief Bobbie Trotter, officers with the Laurel Park Police Department and Hendersonville Police Department arrived on scene at 10:31 a.m. Jan. 7 to find Robin Bracken dead in the rear patio area of the home with what was reported as "an obvious fatal wound."

Trotter wouldn't say what caused the fatal wound but did say an autopsy is scheduled for Jan. 10.

The entrance to the Town Hall of Laurel Park.
The entrance to the Town Hall of Laurel Park.

Trotter said officers arrested and charged 38-year-old Vanessa Ledbetter with second-degree murder.

Ledbetter made her first court appearance Jan. 8 at the Henderson County Courthouse in District Court, with Judge Lora Baker presiding.

Baker described the charges to Ledbetter and said the maximum sentence would be life without parole. Baker said, "Given the seriousness of these charges, as well as your record of multiple failures to appear that I see, I'm setting no bond at this time."

This marks the fourth reported homicide in Henderson County in the last six months. In July, Amber Nelson was charged with murder after the killing of Patricia Muniz, and in October, Sam Ivey was charged with murder after the killing of Jacklyn Reed. In November, Hendersonville Police Department reported the homicide of Asheville's Elijah Timmons, who was reportedly shot in the parking lot outside of Orchard Bar & Grill off Four Seasons Boulevard.

Baker said Ledbetter's next court date is Jan. 30.

Trotter said the victim was pronounced dead by Henderson County EMS. The Medical Examiners’ Office also responded, she said.

Ledbetter is currently being held at the Henderson County Detention Facility.

According to Trotter, other agencies offering assistance included the Henderson County Sheriff Office-Animal Control Unit, Valley Hill Fire Department, and the Henderson County Recue Squad.

Anyone with more information about the incident is asked to contact the Laurel Park Police Department at 828-692-9399.

Dean Hensley is the news editor for the Hendersonville Times-News. Email him with tips, questions and comments at DHensley@gannett.com. Please help support this kind of local journalism with a subscription to the Hendersonville Times-News.

This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Henderson Co. woman charged with murder makes 1st court appearance