| News - Wife of slain minister confessed to his murder, authorities say | ||
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Posted on 03/24/2006 8:28:46 AM PST by Blogger
Slain Minister's Wife to Be Charged With Murder Friday, March 24, 2006 MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The wife of a Tennessee pastor found shot dead in his house Wednesday will face first-degree murder charges, authorities announced Friday.
Mary Winklerwas found Thursday night with the couple's three daughters in Orange Beach, Ala., about 400 miles south of their home in Selmer.
Investigators with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said she was interviewed during the night and the charges were being prepared.
"We've interviewed her and she was cooperative," said Jennifer Johnson of the TBI, adding that once a warrant with the charges was drawn up, extradition proceedings would begin to have her returned to Tennessee.
Matthew Winkler was found shot to death in the bedroom of his parsonage Wednesday by church members who began searching for him after he failed to show up at an evening event at Selmer's Church of Christ.
Police said there were no signs of forced entry, but Winkler's wife and children — Breanna, 1; Mary Alice, 6; and Patricia, 8 — were gone.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
The Winkler family will have visitation and a funeral Saturday in Selmer and a graveside service Monday in Huntingdon, Tenn., where Matt's father is now preacher at Huntingdon Church of Christ. Times were not available
He was the preacher and didn't show up for service. I would assume he had not asked for the time off and so they were worried that something had happened for him to not show up. That doesn't make it a cult. It makes them a caring congregation.
That's pretty much what I said...
I'm sorry there are many here who are being "out there" with their assumptions about your denomination. Sometimes I forget that Free Republic is a compilation of a LOT of folks.... (this isn't a bad thing)... but there are times I get taken aback...
I think when something awful happens and involves Christian's there are some who just want to jump on it ... even here... :(
Yes. It's disturbing too. :( Thank you. Kind words always helps.
Nope, I was just talking to you about the overpriced houses where you live. :) Or rather the cheap ones in Selmer.
The second part was a general comment to all....
It's just a few hours driving time from Orange Beach, Alabama. But the Alabama area was hard hit by the Hurricane, so the family might have preferred Fla. over Alabama at this time.
Still, it's in the middle of Spring Break, so I'll BET she and her husband planned on taking the kids there on vacation.
It's all in the timing..right?
sw
I loved the neighbor who commented that he hadn't gotten to know Preacher Matt because, well, "Baptist over there (nodding to house across the street) and two Baptists there and I'm Baptist and those people over there are Baptist ..." Yeah, we get the picture.
Good post. Thank you.
Well, Ivan got both of them pretty good. That's actually why Okaloosa rang a bell with me - from helping people online with hurricane info.
I had no idea what shape Orange Beach and Gulf Shores are in now, though. I was lurking on the Gulf Shores forum at al.com and locals were saying it's packed with Spring Breakers, so I guess they got a lot done this past year.
I have family with places there, but haven't spoken to them since all of that. Have had hurricanes and hurricane consequences of my own to contend with.
I'm also thinking maybe that's why LE didn't put out the Amber Alerts to AL and MS when they did to AR and KY - because they had an idea of Mary's possible itinerary and didn't want to spook her.
From a Yahoo! News story a little while ago:
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Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agent John Mehr said authorities know the motive for the killing, but he would not disclose it. He said police did not believe it was infidelity, but he would not comment on whether Mary Winkler had accused her husband of abuse. Court papers offered no hint of a motive."
| News - Wife of slain minister confessed to his murder, authorities say | ||
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Well said, Emily.
We are praying for the children, the families involved, and all of those immediately affected by this tragedy.
God bless.
Eeesh.... that's a spooky shot.
I am the first to point out the apostasy of the modern church. But what you are claiming seems to be only sour grapes.
Below is a link to the Church of Christ website.
Whereas they are weak on the doctrine of using God's Law - The Ten Commandments - to bring sinners to the knowledge of sin, and therefore their need for the saving grace of the Lord, I can see nothing glaringly apostate about them. And since they are a non-denom church, the churches are as varied as their congregations.
"The churches of Christ.
We are undenominational and have no central headquarters or president. The head of the church is none other than Jesus Christ himself (Ephesians 1:22-23).
Each congregation of the churches of Christ is autonomous, and it is the Word of God that unites us into One Faith (Ephesians 4:3-6). We follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and his holy Apostles, and not the teachings of man. We are Christians only!"
http://church-of-christ.org/church-of-christ/JMB.html
If you know of specific instances of apostasy among these churches, I would like to see it. I'll add it to my database and will spread it far and wide.
If one wants to know more about bringing the unsaved to salvation in the same way as the Lord did, please take time to review this video. It's called Hell's best kept secret.
http://www.livingwaters.com/listenwatch.shtml
In His service, S4T.
More details ... Note that she allegedly "rented the condo AFTER the slaying" ...
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Mehr said that the couple's daughters were at the house when their father was shot and that authorities had found the weapon used to kill him. Mehr would not give any further details.
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Orange Beach Police Chief Billy Wilkins said she had rented a condo on the beach after the slaying.
She agreed to be returned to Tennessee and was expected to arrive on Saturday.
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Mary Winkler was led into the hearing but did not respond to questions from reporters.
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Mary and Matthew Winkler were married in 1996. They had met at Freed-Hardeman University, a Church of Christ-affiliated school in Henderson where Matthew's father was an adjunct professor. Mary took education classes, and Matthew took Bible classes. Neither graduated.
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LOL! I just thought maybe you hadn't been to services before.
Strange thing though...Andrea Yates killed her kids...this woman did the exact opposite...killing the abusive husband (at least alleged). None of these women ever get the nerve to leave...they just stay on and get worse. In the end...someone is bound to get hurt.
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