The Murder of Billy Dean Bratcher
Soooo, my scheduling plan hasn’t worked out for me too well. I was able to get time in today for writing and research. I watched an episode of Snapped, it’s season 13 episode 6.
A young father of two disappears during a late night fishing trip.
Background
Billy Dean Bratcher grew up in a very tight knit family. He was described as having a big heart and a lot of compassion.
After graduation, Billy started working for his father’s heating and plumbing business. He was very hardworking, and even met his future wife, Chyann, on the job. They really hit it off, and she said yes when he asked her out.
Billy and Chyann
A Tense Family Dynamic
In 1988, Billy, who was 20 years old at the time, met Chyann Fine, who was just 16. This concerned Chyann’s mom, Brenda, who was described as very controlling.
Brenda did see how happy Billy made Chyann, so she attempted to get to know him and his family. She originally gave them her blessings, until she caught them in bed together. Brenda had threatened to press charges, but was soon talked out of it.
After a few months of dating, Chyann became pregnant. Billy proposed, and Chyann accepted. The couple married in September 1989, and had their first child, a daughter named Brianna. A year later, in the fall of 1991, they had their son, Tanner.
The couple struggled with money, but Billy’s family who was pretty well off, helped support them. They lived on the large family property, and took trips to the Bratcher family home on Lake Meredith, about 30 miles north of Amarillo, Texas.
Chyann with her mom, Brenda
Accident or Murder?
On April 8, 1994, Billy, Chyann, Brenda, and Chyann’s brother, Tommy, all decided to go on a late night fishing trip at Lake Meredith. Billy loved to fish, but this fishing trip would end in tragedy.
In the early morning hours of April 9, Brenda Fine called 911, around 2:45am.
When the forest rangers arrived on the scene, Tommy told them that he and Billy had gone out to check on the rubber rafts around 11:30pm. Tommy said it was a stupid decision because of the conditions of the water. Tommy also explained that the wind had picked up, causing Billy to fall overboard. Tommy ran back to his mom and sister, who drove to a local convenience store to call 911.
The rangers concern was that Billy had already gotten hypothermia, as the water temperature was around 40 degrees that night.
Where is Billy?
Tommy, Brenda, and Chyann all told the rangers that Billy had been drinking that night. Chyann said she had to drive up to the lake, as Billy had been drinking since that afternoon.
Billy’s mom, Gayle, received the call about her son’s disappearance around 5:30am that morning. Billy’s family began making accusations right away that Chyann, Brenda, and Tommy had murdered their son.
Gayle said Billy didn’t get along with Brenda or Tommy, and would have never agreed to go to the lake with them. They also said that Billy and Chyann had been having marital problems, and that Billy was contemplating a divorce.
Gayle, and the rest of Billy’s family did admit that Billy liked to drink. But, they knew in their hearts that Chyann, Brenda, and Tommy had killed Billy, and that the late night fishing trip was a set up.
Law enforcement just couldn’t get behind them. All the evidence was pointing to it being an accident. There was no evidence, and Billy was nowhere to be found.
A Possible Motive
The case became a federal one, since it happened at Lake Meredith, a federal property. Federal agents once again sat down with Chyann, Brenda and Tommy.
Chyann did admit that she and Billy were having issues, but she said the fishing trip was her idea, a last minute attempt to save the marriage.
Gayle was very suspicious of Chyann, and even more so after she started making plans for Billy’s funeral. Chyann said she started making plans because the rangers told her to do so.
Gayle and Chyann had a discussion about how to pay for the funeral. That’s when Chyann brought up the $250,000 life insurance policy she had on Billy. Chyann also revealed that the life insurance policy was under a double indemnity clause, meaning the policy would double because the case was an accident.
Gayle was stunned. She contacted the life insurance company, and was told that the policy went into affect about 6 days after Billy disappeared.
A Confession
On April 19, 1994, Billy’s body was found, about 150 yards off shore. Billy was found in only a t-shirt and underwear.
The autopsy didn’t show any signs of injuries, or of a struggle. It did show that Billy’s BAL or BAC (blood alcohol level or content) was 0.19, and that his lungs were filled with fluid. The cause of death was ruled as drowning.
Billy’s family tried everything that they could to convince the federal agents to look into the timing of the life insurance policy.
Billy’s family hired a lawyer, who eventually convinced Tommy’s longtime girlfriend, Susie, to get him to confess to his part in killing Billy, and to turn in his mom and sister.
On January 17, 1995, Tommy contacted the FBI. He wrote out his confession, implicating himself, Brenda and Chyann. He said that Brenda and Chyann were the true masterminds. They wanted Billy’s life insurance money, and offered him a cut to be the one who pushed Billy off the raft.
Tommy was arrested, and agreed to testify against his family.
The Convictions
In April 1995, Brenda Fine and Chyann Bratcher were indicted.
The trial began on August 23, 1995.
The prosecution explained that Chyann needed to get Billy out of the way in order to get her hands on his life insurance money.
Tommy testified that he and Brenda were already at the lake that night, when Chyann drove up with an already tipsy Billy. He said Chyann brought a bottle of whiskey, and by the time he and Billy got to the raft, Billy was very intoxicated. Billy stood up to urinate, and he pushed him in.
Tommy also revealed that Brenda had been committing insurance fraud for years. He said he and Chyann had been her accomplices since they were quite young.
The defense for Chyann and Brenda claimed that the Bratcher family lawyer had paid Susie to talk to Tommy to get him to confess. Both Chyann and Brenda testified, and maintained their innocence, and said they loved Billy.
On September 5, 1995, Chyann and Brenda were both found guilty of various mail fraud counts, conspiracy to commit mail fraud, conspiracy to commit murder and murder. They were both sentenced to life in federal prison.
Tommy Fine, Jr., was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He will eligible for parole in 2025.
Tommy and Chyann
Other
Both appeals for Chyann and Brenda have been denied.
The life insurance money was put into a trust for Billy and Chyann’s children, who were 2 and 4 when their father died.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Billy’s family was right all along. Sure, some may look at this, and think that Tommy could’ve made up the entire story. He did change some parts of his story, but seemed very convincing at trial. I just think the life insurance policy is suspicious. If that hadn’t been a part of it, I would have totally been on the side of it was an accident. I think there was way more to it than that, and I think Chyann and Tommy learned from Brenda, how to be masterminds and schemers.
I’m glad that Gayle, Billy’s family, and the children, were all able to get justice for their dad, brother, son, etc.
Sources
https://abc13.com/archive/9107497/
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/the-dallas-morning-news/20130519/281608122958728
https://casetext.com/case/us-v-bratcher-6
https://www.oxygen.com/snapped/photos/episode-7-chyann-bratcher#358731
