Posted on 06/30/2006 9:54:04 AM PDT by LouAvul
SELMER, Tennessee (CNN) -- For three months, the 4,500 souls of this God-fearing town have been left to wonder if a demure preacher's wife shot her husband in the back and ran off to the beach with their three girls.
.......
Here, third-generation preacher Matthew Winkler, a strapping 31-year-old with a booming voice and charisma to burn, was beginning to make his mark after little more than a year. He had a knack for connecting with younger members, who called him "Wink."
On March 22, four church members -- including a doctor and the town undertaker -- let themselves in to the tidy brick parsonage on Mollie Street when Winkler didn't show up for Wednesday evening services.
They found him in the master bedroom. He had been shot in the back with a shotgun.
...........
Across the street from where the Winklers lived, Sharon Everitt has no problem with Mary Winkler going free.
"She could come in here, she could sleep in my bed, live in my house," Everitt said. "She is not a danger to anybody." At the time of the slaying, Everitt recalled, the Winklers were portrayed as the perfect couple. The day he died, she said, Matthew Winkler "got elevated to sainthood."
Everitt and her husband, Dan, said they saw another side to Matthew Winkler that troubled them. After their rottweiler, Madison, wandered into the Winklers' yard, the preacher threatened to shoot the dog.
They found his behavior rude and aggressive, they said. Mary Winkler stepped back as her husband spoke, as if to signal she did not agree with his approach, Sharon Everitt recalled.
"I remember saying to myself, 'This is not new neighbor behavior. This is not preacher behavior. What is this aggression?' Boy, I betcha he's fun to live with," she said.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
If a neighbors rotweiler was running loose in my yard and I had kids I would threaten to shoot that dog, too. Those neighbors should have done some jail time for endangering the lives of children.
Exactly!!!!!!!!!!!!!
While I always have compassion for the abused, it doesn't mean I have compassion for her decision and action of murder. There is a BIG DIFFERENCE! She knows the difference between right and wrong and she is a role model for this with her children. Ever hear the saying hate the sin, love the sinner? Jesus didn't say love the sinner, support the sin or love the sinner, rationalize the sin.
You are espousing brainwashed feminist bullsh-t. Wake up. Outside of self defense there is no excuse for this woman to kill. Plenty of people are abused their entire childhood and marriage and never resort to killing to end the problem.
"You are espousing brainwashed feminist bullsh-t. Wake up. "
Obviously you've never worked with abused women or children. Your lack of understanding is telling.
LOL, that's quite a leap there...you could be a witness for the prosecution.
One could also interpret this to mean the man was very protective of his family and would do anything to make sure they were not hurt or threatened on their own property.
People just jump on this abuse bandwagon when a wife kills her husband, but when it is the other way around watch out! "The husband should be hanged," they cry.
people seem to have jumped to conclusions based upon nothing being reported. I merely suggest that there may be another, less bening scenario.
of course when I suggested that the "runaway bride" had a boyfriend waiting, people told me that I was seriously wrong adn that the poor babe had obviously been kidnapped.
Ethnocentric?
Heh. I think you meant self-centered.
Just because I don't agree with you, I somehow lack your experience? Well, far from it. Have you read Ann Coulter's book?
I thought women were empowered? Have I made a mistake? Are women really cave people instead--only capable of animal actions such as killing and not using their head and self restraint?
If a shoe is untied. One ties it don't they? They don't take the shoe off and throw it away--unless they have some sort of inability to figure out basic actions. Where is the leap?
That made me go, "Hmmm.."
Your statement is pure speculation...which of OK unless you try to pass it off as fact. Point is, you and I have no idea why this woman killed her husband and to "leap" to the conclusion that she is "lazy" and "self-centered" is, well, unfounded and premature.
Pretty much a clique all over West Tenn.
I knew his mom and his daughter. The movie was pure hype. The only factual part was where he got shot up and his wife killed.
The hickory stick? The author of the book said he got the idea cause one night Buford whipped a drunk with a switch. Ergo, a hickory stick.
Uhhh, what abusive world did this woman live in that requires compassion and understanding?
Exactly. Those are very dangerous dogs. I had one attack my dog on a leash as I walking her one day. You can bet I gave the rot's owner a piece of my mind. I'm sure I wasn't nearly as calm as this pastor.
Going from "he was mean for yelling about my dogs" to "yeah, I'm sure he deserved to be shot in the back" is quite the leap. Ever have a bad day, people? Good grief!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.