Selmer, Tennessee was rocked by tragedy when church minister Matthew Winkler was found dead in his home in 2006. The small town was left in shock, and suspicions soon fell on his wife, Mary Winkler.
Matthew Winkler, a beloved husband, father of three daughters, and a respected minister, had been living in Selmer with his wife for nearly a decade. The couple tied the knot in 1996, and Matthew took on the role of pulpit minister at a local church in January 2005.
On that fateful day in March 2006, churchgoers discovered Matthew’s lifeless body in the bedroom of their home, with a fatal gunshot wound. His wife, Mary, and their children were nowhere to be found. The Tennessee State Medical Examiner determined that Matthew had been killed by a single shot from a shotgun, resulting in fatal bleeding.
Mary Winkler was later arrested in Alabama, where she confessed to shooting her husband. She was originally charged with first-degree murder but was ultimately convicted of voluntary manslaughter. During her trial, Mary testified that her husband had subjected her to abuse and forced her to participate in activities against her will.
In June 2007, Mary was sentenced to three years in prison, but with time served she was released after 60 days in a mental health facility. Despite the custody of her children being temporarily taken by Matthew’s parents, Mary regained custody in 2008.
