Bio

Gerald Lee Powers was born on September 22, 1954. He came to the United States from Taiwan when he was ten years old. His mother was from Taiwan, and his stepfather was a military man from Tennessee. Gerald grew up in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. According to his first wife, Pamela Bigelow, he was a good student and an athlete. He was described as polite but quiet and withdrawn.

Gerald and Pamela married when they were both seniors in high school. They had two children together. During their marriage, Pamela noted that Gerald struggled to communicate with his mother, which may have affected him. Pamela eventually divorced Gerald, saying that she had simply outgrown him. 

Gerald had problems with alcohol and drug use during their marriage. After the divorce, he had a troubled personal life. His early years seem to reflect a complex mix of cultural adjustment and personal struggles. After his marriage to Pamela, his life become increasingly troubled, leading to serious legal issues in later years.

Murder Story

Gerald Lee Powers was involved in the murder of Shannon Sanderson on April 19, 1996. After gambling at a casino, Shannon cashed in her winnings and was escorted to her car late at night. After leaving the casino, she was abducted from her driveway in Memphis, Tennessee.

Witnesses reported seeing a man in a red baseball cap near the scene just before Shannon disappeared. They heard her scream shortly after she said, "Don't, don't." After her abduction, several neighbors noticed a maroon Chevrolet Beretta parked nearby and observed a man associated with that car.

Powers returned to his home in the same maroon Beretta the morning after the murder, looking nervous and often checking the blinds. His wife, Sharon Powers, became suspicious and questioned him about his behavior. After persistent questioning, he confessed to her that he had kidnapped, robbed, and killed a woman he had seen gambling at the casino. He detailed how he had followed her home, taken her to an abandoned house in Mississippi, and shot her.

Powers attempted to cover his tracks by asking a neighbor to provide him with an alibi for that night, but this neighbor's comments raised further suspicion. After Shannon's body was found on May 9, 1996, Powers was arrested on May 22 for unrelated charges. At the time of his arrest, authorities discovered money in his possession that was consistent with the amount Shannon had won at the casino.

During the investigation, evidence gathered included video footage from the casino that captured Powers following Shannon shortly after she left. His wife eventually provided investigators with details about his confession, leading to the recovery of Shannon's jewelry at a local establishment.

Powers was convicted of first-degree felony murder and aggravated robbery. He received a death sentence for the murder and a consecutive thirty-year prison sentence for the robbery. His conviction was upheld after appeals, and in January 2003, the Tennessee Supreme Court affirmed the judgment.