Viswa Vanapalli
During the early hours of June 10, 2016, a frantic 911 call from Annastasia “Annie” Hester led the authorities to her apartment in Gresham, Oregon. She was found with grievous injuries and eventually died, making it a homicide investigation. NBC News ‘Dateline: The Undoing’ delves into how Annie was killed and the culprits responsible for her slaying. So, if you’re curious to find out what happened, we’ve got you covered.
How Did Annastasia “Annie” Hester Die?
Annastasia “Annie” Hester was born in 1981 in Portland and grew up in Gresham in Multnomah County, Oregon. At the time of the incident, she lived in an apartment with her 4-year-old daughter in Gresham. The young mother had been divorced from the child’s father, Matthew Hester, since 2012. The 36-year-old provided for her child by working as a floor supervisor at a waste management service. Apart from that, Annie worked at an after-school program.
Sometime around 3 am on June 10, 2016, Annie called 911 in a panicked state. She told the dispatcher that someone had stabbed her all over her body. The authorities rushed to the scene in minutes, and Annie stayed on the phone until then. She was then rushed to a hospital but unfortunately died before she could provide a description of the assailant. An autopsy revealed that Annie was stabbed more than 60 times and had defensive wounds on her hand; the stabs led to her vital organs being pierced.
Who Killed Annastasia “Annie” Hester?
The authorities surmised that the killer broke into Annie’s apartment and attacked her while she was in bed. When Annie tried to make a run for the front door, she was attacked again. There were several bloody knives at the crime scene, and the police also found a bloody bootprint that would become an essential piece of evidence. At the time, Annie’s neighbors reported some screams, but they didn’t see anything suspicious.
Since the first screams were heard shortly after 11 pm on June 9, the investigators believed that Annie was tortured for about four hours. At the time of the incident, Annie’s daughter was with Matthew as part of a visitation. While the two initially shared custody, by May 2016, Annie was awarded full custody of the kid. After Matthew’s divorce, he married Angela Rose McCraw, a mother of three.
When Matthew was questioned initially, he claimed to have been at home with Angela and the children. Angela also stated something similar. However, the police found out that Matthew owed Annie child support and legal fees. Furthermore, the former couple was engaged in a custody battle, with Angela claiming that Annie didn’t let Matthew call his daughter.
In an investigation that lasted more than a year, the authorities uncovered extensive evidence linking Angela to the crime. Security footage from the area showed that a vehicle arrived at around 11 pm on June 9, 2016, and left about 3 am the following day. This car matched the description of the one that Angela and Matthew shared. Traces of Angela’s DNA were found on one of the murder weapons, and the bootprint matched the size and the brand of shoes that she had bought in 2015.
Later on, Matthew admitted to helping Angela clean up after coming home with blood on her. He also stated that they discussed killing Annie, and at one point, tried to get Angela’s ex-husband, Aaron McCraw, to commit the murder. Ultimately, Angela pleaded guilty to killing Annie and received a lengthy prison term. On the other hand, Matthew pleaded guilty to solicitation to commit murder and another charge, receiving a sentence of over four years.
Read More: Where is Angela Hester Now?
