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 only "rules" that anyone has to follow are those set forth by God. It sounds like you had a very bad experience with the church of Christ, and for that I am sorry.
Are Christians expected to live a faithful life? Absolutely, but no one is perfect, and no one is expected to be. All that is expected is to strive to live as much like Christ as you can, and when you do fall short, and we all do, you have to confess those sins and ask God to forgive. I don't understand what is so hard to understand about that.
Sharyn did not sound credible to me.
Yeah, I saw that, too, plus some still photos of same. But I read that someone else saw an article on the MSNBC site saying the female attorney was holding Mary's hand (or vice versa) all through the 5-6 minutes Mary was seated there in the courtroom. Never found any corroboration of that, however, not even on the MSNBC site. *oh, well*
Good, that was my overall impression, too - thanks.
Her movement into the courtroom could have been due to the shackles around her ankles. Concerning the female attorney holding her hand, there was a female seated beside her at the table while Farese went to the bench to talk to the judge. I don't know if she was an attorney and you couldn't see if she was holding Mary's hand.
Talking about a change of venue is getting way ahead of the process. Thursday morning, there will be (1) a preliminary hearing, to determine probable cause (or not) for proceeding to a grand jury which will then, if so charged, determine probable cause (or not) for proceeding to trial, and (2) a bond hearing, to determine, if and how much bail will be set. It is -0- right now.
It will be months before there might be a trial.
mark thread
I should have posted this earlier, but forgot. I'm afraid I had a very small chuckle caught in my throat when I noticed something here. Tell ya after the important part:
~~~~
http://winklerfamilyfund.com/
The Winkler Family Fund
Thank you for your desire to help the Winkler children as they
deal with this heartbreaking time in their lives. These are wonderful,
precious girls and your gift to help heal their hearts is greatly
appreciated.
The girls are now in the loving hands of their paternal
grandparents, Dan and Diane Winkler. This Godly couple is very
well suited to help the girls during this time. Diane is a former
schoolteacher. She is a loving and gracious person with a charming
sense of humor and will be a wonderful guide and example for the
girls as they grow to adulthood. Dan is a deeply thoughtful person.
He is a man of great character and compassion. Together, Dan
and Diane will assist the girls as they cope with the tragic death of
their father. Please, pray for Dan and Diane as you continue to
pray for the girls.
One hundred percent of your gift will go to helping heal the
hearts of the Winkler girls. The funds will be used to assist with the
girls’ immediate needs such as appropriate counseling and care.
Any funds remaining as the children graduate from high school will
be available as a college fund.
Again, thank you for willingness to help the Winkler girls.
Sincerely,
Dr. Eddie Thompson, close friend of the Winkler Family and Trustee
Checks should be made out to The Winkler Family Fund and
mailed to:
The Winkler Family Fund
c/o Dr. Eddie Thompson
229 Ward Circle
Suite A-23
Brentwood, TN 37027
The fund is a Minor's Trust for the benefit of the Winkler children
under the laws of Tennessee. The trust funds are managed by
BancorpSouth. The trustees of the fund are:
Dr. Eddie Thompson
P. Cayce Powell, Attorney
Jeremy Pharr, Attorney
Melinda Magyar
Please email your thoughts and prayers to:
admin@winklerfamilyfund.com
-------
http://www.christianpost.com/upload_static/church/church_2559_1.jpg
[Photo caption for the pic at the above link]
Family friend Eddie Thompson (C) is led by Tennessee state trooper David Killingsworth through a crowd before Thompson talked to the media after the funeral of murdered minister Matthew Winkler outside the Fourth Street Church of Christ in Selmer, Tennessee March 28, 2006. Two of Winkler's brothers Daniel (L) and Joseph (R) follow behind Thompson and Killingsworth. (Photo: Reuters / Kyle Carter)
-----
http://www.jacksonsun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060328/NEWS01/60328002
Slain minister's funeral draws hundreds
By TONYA SMITH-KING
SELMER - The funeral of slain minister Matthew Winkler drew hundreds here Tuesday to the Fourth Street Church of Christ where he preached.
Selmer Police Chief Neal Burks said the church sanctuary, which holds about 500 people, and the basement were full when the funeral started at 11 a.m.
Those in the basement watched the funeral on television. People were exiting the church at 11:55 a.m.
A family friend, Eddie Thompson, held a brief press conference after the funeral with Matthew Winkler's brothers, Daniel Winkler and Jacob Winkler , by his side.
Thompson expressed the family's appreciation for the outpouring of love from across the nation for Matthew Winkler's three daughters.
He mentioned a fund that has been set up for the counseling and education of the daughters. People can contact the family or make donations at winklerfamilyfund.com.
Thompson said the church is paying the expenses for the website so that all donations can go directly to the daughters.
Originally published March 28, 2006
~~~~~~
OK. Is the state trooper assigned to the family spokesperson related to someone we *know*? All right, serious/series again. Note that Matthew's brother captioned in the photo, but barely visible, is named Jacob, not Joseph. *That is all.*
And to follow up ...
"... Later, Matthew Winkler was buried in Carroll County where his father, Dan Winkler, officiated as he did at the funeral.
Dan Winkler, minister at the Huntingdon Church of Christ, told an estimated 250 mourners at the Carroll County Memorial Gardens, in these words:
"Our family isn't the first to go through something like this. King David lost two sons at the hands of others. God himself knows what this is like."
Dan Winkler closed the 15-minute ceremony with a prayer and hugged and kissed his three granddaughters."
Well, I don't know what the law in Tennessee is regarding change of venue, but if like most places, it won't be done until some time after formal arraignment after she is bound over at Preliminary hearing. And it will take some time for the defense team to build a case for change of venue. And I don't know...is Selmer the county seat for that county? If not, the trial will most likely be at the county seat. It may be some distance like here in Oklahoma in some counties. They will have to show that the whole jury pool is so contaminated with pre-trial publicity...that she cannot get a fair trial. That is tough. But not as tough in small counties. Anyway...it is too early to be filing for that type of matter.
jk and other C of C'ers,
jk who wrote: "The only way Mary can be forgiven her sins is to confess them to God and have a truly repentant heart."
...your religion says that ONLY C of C'ers can go to heaven, and all who are not will go to hell
...so let me get this straight, someone who is a C of C'er will be forgiven for their sins if they are "truly repentant", even if they say kidnapped, raped and killed ten young girls?, and if the ten young girls are not C of C'ers, then they will go to hell?.....is this correct??
...and you still think you are not in a cult??
Yes of course. I figured that would be covered under "strive to be like Him".
Which could cover most anything. Even simple stuff like a bad mood or something.
Looking for her 15 minutes of fame. I bet if her neighbors were asked about it, she probably isn't well liked.
Actually Church of Christ has been categorized as a cult, I forget by which organization, but a reputable Christian one. I know they can be very legalistic. They do not allow instruments to be played because of some Psalme that says "raise your VOICES". It's a little quirky denomination. It is also the denomination of Pepperdine Unviersity. I spent some time there years ago, and we were busted for dancing because their donors forbade dancing.
Prozac will cause people to do crazy things, too. I know of a woman on Prozac who shot and killed her 5 year old, then wounded her 12 year old. He made it to a neighbors for help before he died. She did it about the time her husband should have been getting home from work. She left a note alluding to this. She had planned on killing the kids, then her husband, then herself, but her husband had to work late so he didn't come home as scheduled and when her 12 year old got away and she saw the police coming, she took her own life.
The emphasis is not on the laws but on grace. We cannot save ourselves. It is by our love for Christ that we want to obey...not out of fear. It's a different mindset.
I don't know about the CoC in Selmer but I can assure you the one in McMinnville where he was youth minister is very normal. Its a beautiful old church with a very normal congregation.
I may be wrong but I think thats what happened here, but I expect some smarmy lawyer will have people ready to dig up poor Matthew and murder him again before this trial ends.
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