Snapped season 23 episode 25 - Sharon Maxwell's crime - A detailed case overview

The Sharon Maxwell case, showcased in season 23, episode 25 of the true-crime show Snapped, tells the story of an Ore City, Texas, murder in August 2011. Former jailer Sharon Maxwell, aged 44, was charged with the murder of her tenth husband, Gordon Maxwell, a 46-year-old steelworker and former preacher.

The case started when firefighters were notified of a burning truck in the couple's backyard, where they discovered the body of Gordon, charred beyond recognition. Investigations determined that he had been shot four times in the head before the fire was lit, which indicated a purposeful attempt at evidence destruction, as per Houston Press.

Sharon's inconsistent accounts during questioning, from attributing the incident to an accident to self-defense and even blaming her son, received broad attention, particularly because of her track record of numerous marriages and affairs.

Season 23, episode 25 of Snapped re-aired on August 10, 2025, on Oxygen.

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The story behind Snapped season 23 epsiode 25: Sharon Maxwell's crime

Snapped's Gordon Maxwell's body was discovered in a burning truck (Image via Unsplash)

Sharon Anne Maxwell grew up in a rural area and had a pattern of short-lived marriages, totaling nine before meeting Gordon Lynn Maxwell. She worked as a jailer in Upshur County, Texas. Gordon, on the other hand, was known as a steady, non-violent man who had been married for 16 years to his high school sweetheart, Rhonda, as per court documents.

After their divorce, Gordon married Sharon on March 20, 2011, in a simple ceremony. The couple lived in Ore City, where Gordon started a new job at U.S. Steel shortly after the wedding. He also took out a $175,000 life insurance policy, naming Sharon as the beneficiary, which became active after 90 days of him working at the steel factory, as per Houston Press.

Tensions in the marriage reportedly surfaced early. Witnesses, including Gordon's coworker Billy Robert Harmon, reported that Gordon seemed depressed and talked about leaving Sharon due to conflicts.

Sharon had been involved in extramarital affairs, including one with a man named Rusty Campbell just weeks before the incident. Records also showed a 2009 altercation with another man, Joseph Adam Stroman, as per court documents.

Prosecutors later suggested motives like financial gain from the insurance and fear of abandonment, supported by expert testimony on traits similar to borderline personality disorder, though no formal diagnosis was made for Sharon, according to court documents.

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The crime and investigation

Snapped's Sharon Maxwell attempted to distract the police during the investigation (Image via Unsplash)

On August 30, 2011, Sharon Maxwell called 911 to report a fire in her backyard on Highway 155 North near Gilmer, Texas, claiming she could not find her husband Gordon Maxwell. Firefighters arrived at the scene to find a burning pickup truck, discovering Gordon's severely burned body on the front floorboard after putting out the fire, as per Houston Press.

An autopsy by forensic pathologist Lynn Salzberger showed Gordon had been shot four times in the head with a .22 caliber revolver. There was also no soot found in his lungs, indicating he died before the fire started, as per court documents. Gordon's cause of death was listed as homicidal violence from gunshot wounds.

Evidence suggested that the shooting happened in the couple's bedroom, where blood spatter matching Gordon's DNA was found, along with cleaning supplies and discarded bedding, as per court documents. Investigators also noted Sharon's inconsistent statements.

She first claimed that Gordon was working on his truck while she showered. Later, she claimed self-defense during a struggle, alleging Gordon attacked her and the gun fired accidentally four times, a scenario forensics expert James Jeffress deemed impossible without intentional trigger pulls. Months later, Sharon implicated her 19-year-old son, James Potter, who was recovering from surgery, and denied any role, as seen in court documents.

Forensic tests, after detection of accelerants by a canine unit, confirmed that gasoline was used as an accelerant to burn the body and truck. The .22 revolver used to shoot Gordon was never found, but a .375 caliber pistol was found under the bed, as per court documents.

Sharon Maxwell was arrested and indicted for murder in November 2011, as evidence pointed to a cover-up attempt by dragging the body and starting the fire, as per court documents.

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The trial, conviction, and appeal of Snapped's Sharon Maxwell's crimes

Snapped's Sharon Maxwell was convicted of murder (Image via Unsplash)

The trial of Sharon Maxwell began in September 2012 in Upshur County's 115th District Court, with Sharon pleading not guilty. Prosecutor Billy Byrd presented evidence of the bedroom blood, the implausible self-defense claim, and Sharon's affairs as potential motives. Meanwhile, witnesses, including Rhonda and Gordon's sons, testified to his non-violent nature, countering Sharon's abuse allegations, according to the court documents.

The defense, led by Matthew Patton, argued insufficient direct proof that the Snapped subject fired the shots and tried to redirect suspicion to her son James, calling it a distraction by the state. Expert testimony included details on the gun's mechanics and psychological insights into abandonment fears, as reported in court documents.

After brief deliberations, the jury convicted Sharon of murder. She received a life sentence plus a $10,000 fine, with parole eligibility in 2042, as per CBS19 News. Sharon appealed to the court in 2014, challenging evidence sufficiency, admission of affair and personality testimony, denial of a trial continuance, and hearsay issues.

The case drew media coverage and was explored on Oxygen's Snapped. No further appeals or developments have been reported as of 2025. Sharon Maxwell remains incarcerated, and the insurance policy was not paid out due to the conviction.

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Watch Snapped season 23 episode 25 on Oxygen.