Comments on: Sometimes it is hard to predict

By: homesweethome

homesweethome — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 07:10:19 +0000

Post Updated.

By: homesweethome

homesweethome — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 18:59:25 +0000

I’ve read a little about this case in the news, a little on blogs and the big question seems to be as always Why? I haven’t found where anyone has said that they knew, and I have been reluctant to guess.
But I am going to venture a guess at this time, but I will warn you it is just a guess. Both Mary and Matt were raised in the Church of Christ. That would probably mean totally different things to the two.
From what I have read, the females have less of a presence in the church. To some that means submission, but few are talking about the other side of that. Sheltered comes to my mind. Somewhat protected from the outside world. Matt however was out in the world more, active in the church and it’s problems, more aware of the world and it’s problems. And more aware of the temptations. Mary may have been aware of the world’s problems, but didn’t see them personally.
Matt was the charismatic one, Mary has been frequently described as quiet, devoted to her children. Passive and retiring comes to my mind. I would venture that when they married, Mary really looked up to Matt, almost as a hero- and he chose her. Years of marriage would have dispelled much of that, but not all. Mary was most likely known as a “good” girl growing up. She would almost have had to be for an aspiring preacher to have chosen her. Also, preacher’s kids grow up with the fact that the preachers kid has to be better behaved than other children. And that any misbehavior is never to be done in public or to become public knowlege.
Being raised in the church, Mary heard the 10 commandments frequently. And she lived them both individually and as a family. She taught them to her children and believed in them totally would be my guess.
On the day of the murder, Mary was at the school for her first day. This is a woman who has tried to “please” or do right all her life. Yet she has been reported to have been on the phone all day. No reports of bruising or injury have been in the media. And I really didn’t expect there to be.
I think there is only one thing that would have driven Mary to break the commandments. Not protection for herself, not to break out of submission,and not even an affair by either party. I think the only thing that would have persuaded Mary to break the commandments, would be to protect her children. From what or why, I don’t know and won’t venture to guess. But she was too retiring to do it for herself. She would have become a martyr in her own mind before she would have murdered for herself. But she would protect her children. And no, I don’t believe that one of her children killed Matt and that she took the blame. My reasoning for her not taking the blame for one of her children is her refusing to see her children. If one of the kids had done that, she would feel she had to be with that child or see her to support her. Also, the reports of her behavior after the shooting seems to point to a deep conflict- possibly from what she believed from her faith and what she did.
I believe that either something happened within a couple of days prior to the shooting or she had just learned of something that had happened in the past. Something that she felt she had to protect her children from.
Again, this is my personal guess, my own opinion.

By: homesweethome

homesweethome — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 23:32:00 +0000

I haven't seen anything. The attorney has dropped some vague hints, but other than that nothing. And even his hints seem to be all over the place.

By: Brett Bennett

Brett Bennett — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 21:28:09 +0000

Hi just read the comments here. I was wondering if anyone has heard of a motive that may have leaked out yet ??? just watched an update on CNN, and still no official motive. Wondering if any insider has leaked anything??? Any gossip from the local townspeople ??? Please post it, or e-mail me with anything to help appease my curiosity. Much obliged

By: phuong

phuong — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 09:52:23 +0000

I want to make a friend with you. Thanks you

By: Assorted Babble by Suzie

Assorted Babble by Suzie — Sun, 26 Mar 2006 17:21:06 +0000

I read through your post again, so well written…great job. I caught something that I missed the first time around. You are right about the little girls and about all the children that know this family. The whole community I am sure is in shock about this and about having to explain to the young ones. It is terribly sad for these children losing their father and for what they will learn about their mother. I surely hope they did not see the murder scene during or after as well as hear the shot(s).

This case is fascinating to me, perhaps because none of it makes sense. Even with all the speculation going on, what would be so bad for one to kill another person except for molestation of your children. In that case, I feel I could pull the trigger.

Some people you think you know them, but unfortuately you don’t. Look at the guy that shot the teen that lived next door for years. People that have been married with children for decades, and someone just flips out and murders the other one. It is definitely chilling to say the least, your own family can kill you. You hear about it all time….sadly to say.

By: Secrets From Within » A Little Bit of Everything

Secrets From Within » A Little Bit of Everything — Sun, 26 Mar 2006 02:06:30 +0000

[...] I have taken a week hiatus in writing, something I normally try not to do. A few cases have been in the news and I have received calls and emails suggesting that I write about Mary Winkler. This case I featured on the NVFC immediately when the flyer came out, to answer questions why I chose not to write about it comes down to a few reasons. Time being the main reason as I have been busy with much work that has not allowed me to write, that also accounts for the lack of entries lately. Second of all this case does not fall into the category that I really write about crimes that can be avoided. As per a commentator on the news right now he just said the the Minister was shot in the back and he never saw it coming. I believe that most people who knew this family never saw it coming. I think this is true in most cases when someone has mental problems. From Susan Smith to Deanna Laney to Andrea Yates to Christine Coffman to Mary Winkler, these women have all something in common. Their crimes were not easily predictable. In the case of Mathew Winkler I find the double standard that exists in this case very offensive. A simple drive around the Internet and you will find many people saying what did he do to make her kill him? Any defense lawyer taking on this case just has to look at a few different sites already giving her excuses for shooting her husband in the back. These excuses range from postpartum depression to he may have been abusing her or the children to oh it is just so hard to be the wife of a Preacher to he was having an affair. All of which are lame excuses and I myself do not buy the abuse on the part of Mathew Winkler. My wife went through postpartum depression but she certainly has not put a bullet in anyones back nor was I ever worried. You know I really do not care what reasons Mary may say she had, she is guilty of first degree murder and deserves to spend the rest of her life behind bars in my opinion. Two other bloggers have written about the Winkler ordeal, Home Sweet Home and Huff’s Crime Blog. [...]

By: Soobs

Soobs — Sat, 25 Mar 2006 17:38:29 +0000

Both of you get kudos. I *know* that I am jaded, hence I would not make a good bloggr. And I agree about the cheating and leaving. Frankly, I don’t see very many situations that would warrant death, as opposed to leaving. Certainly not being cheated on.

By: Steve

Steve — Sat, 25 Mar 2006 16:55:02 +0000

Forgot to mention, kudos to the author for holding out judgment until more is known.

By: Steve

Steve — Sat, 25 Mar 2006 16:42:12 +0000

I am going to go out on a limb on this one, when I first published the poster on the NVFC, one of the first things that stood out to me was the caution advised that the NCMEC attached to the poster. Since then I have seen many on the web almost suggest that he deserved it, certainly a double standard in this case. Personally I see early on that Mary in my mind has similarities to Deanna Laney or a Susan Smith. The pre-planned vacation after getting her husband out of the picture seems for lack of a better word, just plain nutty.

He very well may turn out to have an affair but I doubt that any abuse will be found on his part. I will be the first to admit that I am wrong if I turn out to be wrong but when looking at cases I find that my first hunch pays off in 99.9% 0f cases I look at.

Another thing that does bother me is the ideology that IF he was having an affair then this is the reason he was murdered. Fact of life, most marriages someone has cheated, whether it is the husband or the wife but mere cheating is not a reason for murder and I am certainly not condoning cheating, just acknowledging that it does exist.