The Susan Winters murder case shocked Henderson, Nevada, leaving a community in disbelief and a family searching for answers. Initially deemed a suicide, Susan’s death on January 3, 2015, revealed dark secrets through relentless investigation. Spiky TV delves into this heartbreaking case, famously covered in NBC’s Dateline episode “A Cool Desert Morning,” to uncover the timeline, evidence, and pursuit of justice that transformed a tragedy into a fight for truth.
Who Was Susan Winters?
Born on March 14, 1966, in Altus, Oklahoma, Susan Arlene Winters grew up in a nurturing home with her parents, Danny and Avis Winters, and older brother, Christopher. A bright and driven individual, Susan excelled at Blanchard High School, graduating in 1984. She pursued Political Science at the University of Oklahoma, earning her degree and later a law degree by 1990. Susan’s legal career took her to Oklahoma City, the Clark County District Attorney’s Office, and eventually a role as a part-time judge. She also worked for her family’s business, Winters Restaurant Group, showcasing her dedication.
Beyond her professional achievements, Susan was a devoted mother to her two daughters, Avis Elle and Anna “Dani” Danielle. An avid runner, she loved nature, animals, reading, and movies. Known for her quick wit and kind heart, Susan built strong friendships and cherished time with loved ones. Her vibrant life made her sudden death all the more devastating.
A Marriage Marked by Challenges
Susan married Dr. Gregory Brent Dennis, a psychologist, in August 1995 after both had divorced their previous spouses. Their early years seemed promising, filled with love and the joy of raising their daughters. However, beneath the surface, their marriage faced significant hurdles. By 2013, the couple briefly separated, even considering divorce. Counseling helped them reconcile, but tensions persisted, including allegations of Dennis’s drug use and possible infidelity. These issues would later become critical in the investigation of Susan’s death.
The Morning That Changed Everything
On January 3, 2015, tragedy struck the Winters’ home in Henderson, Nevada. Gregory Brent Dennis called 911, reporting that he found Susan unresponsive. Despite his attempts at chest compressions and emergency responders’ efforts, Susan was pronounced dead. Authorities found no immediate signs of foul play, and Dennis claimed Susan had been suicidal, pointing to antifreeze bottles and computer searches about suicide methods. An autopsy revealed Susan died from a lethal combination of antifreeze (ethylene glycol) and oxycodone, leading officials to initially classify her death as a suicide.
This ruling stunned Susan’s family. Her parents, Danny and Avis, refused to accept that Susan, a devoted mother with plans for the future, would take her own life. They believed something sinister had occurred and vowed to uncover the truth behind the Susan Winters murder.
A Family’s Fight for Justice
Determined to challenge the suicide ruling, Danny and Avis Winters hired a private investigator, a retired FBI special agent, to dig deeper. Their instincts proved correct as the investigation revealed troubling details about Gregory Brent Dennis. Between January and March 2015, the investigator tracked Dennis, observing him meeting a convicted cocaine dealer, Jeffrey Crosby, at The Orleans Hotel on multiple occasions. Further inquiries from August to September 2015 strengthened suspicions of Dennis’s involvement.
Susan’s friends shared critical insights, alleging she had confronted Dennis about his drug addiction and possible extramarital affairs. Some suggested Dennis may have been hiding aspects of his personal life, adding strain to their marriage. Financial motives also surfaced: shortly after Susan’s death, Dennis reportedly transferred thousands of dollars from a joint bank account shared with her parents into his own. Additionally, Dennis claimed over $1 million in life insurance and inheritance money, which raised concerns about his intentions.
Uncovering a Double Life
As investigators scrutinized phone and computer records, Dennis’s story unraveled. Contrary to his claim of being home all night, records showed he left to meet Jeffrey Crosby around the time of Susan’s death, returning home by 3:30 a.m. By 5:30 a.m., Dennis researched antifreeze’s effects online and contacted his dealer again. These actions painted a picture of a man leading a secretive double life, marked by drug addiction and financial desperation.
Further evidence suggested Susan had threatened to report Dennis’s drug use to authorities and the state licensing board, which could have ended his career as a psychologist. Prosecutors later proposed that Dennis may have manually suffocated Susan, in addition to poisoning her with antifreeze and oxycodone, to stage her death as a suicide. The mounting evidence led to Dennis’s arrest on February 2, 2017, for murder with a deadly weapon. He posted a $250,000 bail and remained free pending trial.
What Happened to Gregory Brent Dennis?
The road to justice was long and fraught with delays, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly five years after his arrest, on January 4, 2022, Gregory Brent Dennis entered an Alford plea for voluntary manslaughter. This plea acknowledged sufficient evidence for a conviction without admitting guilt, a strategic move to avoid a murder trial. On May 10, 2022, he was sentenced to 3 to 10 years in prison.
In 2023, a civil court held Dennis liable for Susan’s wrongful death, ordering him to pay her family over $1 million. While the settlement provided some financial restitution, it couldn’t erase the emotional toll on Susan’s loved ones. Her daughters, who supported their father’s version of events, became estranged from their grandparents, deepening the family’s pain.
Watch Dateline’s “A Cool Desert Morning.”
To explore the Susan Winters murder further, watch Dateline’s “A Cool Desert Morning” on NBC.com, Peacock, or Oxygen’s Dateline: Secrets Uncovered (Season 14, Episode 16, aired February 25, 2025). The podcast version is available on platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Audible. For updates, check trusted sources or follow discussions on platforms like X, where users recently highlighted the episode’s re-airing on April 18, 2025.
Susan Winters’ legacy lives on through her family’s fight for justice. Her story encourages us to question assumptions and advocate for those who can no longer speak for themselves.
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