Murder trial defendant Carol Russell bonds out of jail

A woman accused of fatally shooting her ex-husband nearly three years ago as well as wounding a second person in a separate incident has made bond and is out of jail as she awaits trial.

Carol Denise Hunt Russell, 58, was released Thursday, May 22, on $250,000 bond from the Victoria County Jail, where she was being held for Gonzales County on charges of murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

She is accused of shooting to death Jesse Hunt Russell Jr., 53, of Gonzales, and wounding Jacquline Marlene Mathis, 61, also of Gonzales. Authorities said they believe Mathis and Jesse Russell Jr. were in a relationship and that could have been part of the motivation behind the shootings.

On that night, officers were called out to the 1100 block of Hastings Street regarding a report that a female had been shot. While en route, another call came in that there was a second gunshot victim in the 400 block of Village Drive. Mathis was found at the Hastings Street location with a single gunshot wound and was airlifted to an Austin hospital for treatment.

When officers arrived at the Village Drive location, they found Jesse Russell Jr. was unresponsive. He was pronounced dead at the scene by Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Deidra Voigt. A short time later, Carol Russell surrendered to police.

Initially, her bond was set at a total of $750,000 — $600,000 for the murder charge and $150,000 for the aggravated assault charge. However, in December 2022, Judge William Old III signed an order reducing her bond to a total of $250,000 cash or surety with conditions that the defendant cannot have contact with Mathis or her family.

Also, Carol Russell must live in Bexar County and can only come to Gonzales County for court proceedings and she cannot have access to any firearms or ammunition. She also must maintain a distance of at least 200 yards from Mathis at all times that she may be in Mathis’ vicinity.

It does not indicate any provision within the bond conditions regarding the surviving family members of Jesse Russell Jr., whose sister shared her outrage with the Inquirer that Carol Russell was being allowed to walk out of jail on bond nearly three years after her brother’s death.

“To allow a killer to walk around amongst us common citizens is a disgrace,” Peggy Taylor told the Inquirer. “My brother Jesse Russell Jr may be old news to the city of Gonzales but that's not the case for all those who love and miss him daily. The evil person that killed him is out on bond with very little restrictions. It's a slap in the face to taxpayers and his family.

“The city of Gonzales should feel ashamed. They have sentenced drug dealers faster and with harsher restrictions than they do a murdering coward like Carol Hunt. August 2, 2025 will be 3 years since this loser took my brother's life, then drove across town in an attempt to kill another person. It doesn't take 3+ years to go to trial and have justice served. The Russell family wants answers and most of all wants justice!”

Taylor said family members of Jesse Russell Jr. will meet Friday, May 30, at 10 a.m. at the Lavaca County Courthouse in Hallettsville to discuss next steps in the proceedings.

The case is being prosecuted by Lavaca County Attorney James Reeves because Gonzales County Attorney Eddie Escobar, who was elected to the position last year, had previously represented Carol Russell on the charges against her and was the one who helped file a motion for reduced bond for his then-client.

Escobar said Monday he immediately filed for a motion to appoint a special prosecutor after he assumed the duties of county attorney due to his previous representation of Carol Russell.

Reeves said Monday the case is set for trial in August 2025.