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A 54-year-old Texarkana woman was sentenced to 40 years Monday after pleading guilty to her former son-in-law’s murder.
Annette Fisher appeared before 5th District Judge Bill Miller with Mount Pleasant, Texas, attorney Mark Lesher. Assistant District Attorney Lauren Richards said Fisher’s plea agreement includes a sentence of 40 years in prison. Fisher will not be eligible for parole until she has served at least 20 years. She will be 74.
Cain and Fisher’s daughter divorced several months before Cain was shot nine times July 22, 2015, in the parking lot of Pete Mankins Used Car Center on Summerhill Road where Cain was working. Cain was awarded full custody of the couple’s two children, then a baby girl and 2-and-a-half-year-old son.
Fisher, who often saw her grandchildren, brought some of Cain’s son’s belongings and lunch from a local deli to Cain around noon on the day of the shooting, according to a probable cause affidavit. Cain’s back was turned when Fisher began firing rounds from a Ruger .380 pistol. After emptying one clip of ammunition from the gun, Fisher reloaded and continued firing. She was arrested minutes later on Park Road in Texarkana, Texas, with the pistol on the passenger seat.
Fisher claimed she thought Cain was abusing her grandson though officials said no evidence supports that claim. Early in the case, Fisher was committed to a state mental hospital for treatment after being found incompetent to stand trial. After months in the hospital, Fisher was deemed competent and the case was scheduled for a trial which was slated for jury selection this week.
At Monday’s plea hearing, Russell Cain’s sister, who is now raising her brother’s children, gave an emotional victim impact statement. Alexandra Cain said Cain’s young son still asks for his father but never asks for Fisher.
“You took my brother’s life for reasons I don’t understand,” Alexandra Cain said. “He asks when his dad is coming back from living with the angels. He never asks about you.”
