Latest News on Mary Winkler: Woman Who Killed Her Preacher Husband Gets Her Daughters Back

August 02, 2008 by
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Mary Winkler  |  Matthew Winkler  |  Daughters  |  Preacher  |  Get Her Back

In a Surprising Twist of Events, She May Get Full Custody of Her Children

Mary Winkler, who grabbed national attention after killing her husband in 2007, is back in the spotlight again after a surprising turn of events. She has reportedly gained temporary custody of her children, with the possibility of full custody.
Latest News on Mary Winkler: Woman Who Killed Her Preacher Husband Gets Her Daughters Back
Date: August 2, 2008
 This happened after the paternal grandparents turned them over to her, according to MyFoxMemphis.

There was some hint that things were taking a turn in Winkler's favor after her children were reportedly enrolled in school in Winkler's school district. Although Mary Winkler had been in a prolonged custody fight with the grandparents, she'd made progress recently and was allowed to spend more time with her children. She had been granted generous visitation rights.

Now she has gained even more ground as her daughters get to live with her. The exact reasons for this sudden twist of events remain unclear as the grandparents are not yet speaking to the media nor are attorneys. That could change at any moment as this is breaking news.

In 2007, Winkler was convicted of killing her husband, Matthew Winkler, and sentenced to 3 years in prison, but was later allowed free on probation

Things looked pretty grim for Mary Winkler at one point. After shooting her husband to death in 2006, she was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter. That is when her husband's parents (the children's paternal grandparents) got custody of her daughters. Winkler's conviction set off a firestorm of debate, with many condemning her and others feeling sorry for her. Statistics about battered women were brought out, including the fact that many battered women were often hurt or killed even after successfully divorcing their husbands or getting them to leave. Domestic violence is a leading cause of death for women ages 15-14, according to many studies.

Personal experience with battered women bears out the dangers of spousal abuse, even for women who divorce or leave their husbands

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Posted on 11/01/2008 at 2:11:03 PM

The justice system stinks many days but it is the best that's available today. Thank You fer sharin'. Mizpah. ;-}}>
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Posted on 08/29/2008 at 11:08:24 AM

Dang, I lost half my comment..lol.. Just wanted to finish saying, the punishment in this case did NOT fit the crime. Three years in prison, and now she gets her kids back too?? How do you think they will feel? I think they need a new fresh start in life, so perhaps they don't end up like either one of their parents did.
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Posted on 08/19/2008 at 4:08:15 PM

I'm sorry, but I have to say I am so tired of women using the battered wife as an excuse to kill. I was there, as a survivor, not victim, of abuse, I not only got out, but did it without killing. And I have met many other women like me. There is always exceptions, but I don't believe Mary is one of them. I'm tired of hearing how she fell "victim" to the financial fraud. Hello, anyone with common sense knows someone begging for money from a foreign country online from total strangers is nothing but a con. I think this woman knew she was about to get caught out, and she planned this. If she had been a battered woman who was protecting herself, she never would have fled. Not to mention, it wouldnt have been a shot in the back.
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Posted on 08/19/2008 at 4:08:19 PM

Great job reporting this!!!!
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Posted on 08/13/2008 at 9:08:53 AM

I have followed the Mary Winkler case since the beginning and learned much from reading your article about her. Your article was a very thoughtful piece of the difficult situation faced by Mary Winkler and abused women.
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Posted on 08/10/2008 at 10:08:38 AM

Very thorough article. This issue certainly does not always provide for easy answers. I know that there are specific things that need to be proved in court for a woman to succeed using the battered woman defense. I do not knoe exactly what took place so I can not judge her. This reminds me of the story though that just broke from Texas where the woman called a national radio show and confessed to killing her husband in 2001. She had tod police (loosely) that he had been being abusive and turned a gun on himself. She was lauhing on the radio show about how she really killed him and got away with it. The case has been re-opened. Just shows that it is hard to determine the truth in these situations.
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Posted on 08/09/2008 at 11:08:00 AM

excellent report. It would be interesting also to know how many women in prison are there for murdering their husbands after being abused for years. I don't know enough facts about Winkler's case to form an opinion about her getting her children back already.
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Posted on 08/08/2008 at 5:08:41 PM

Excellent reporting!
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Posted on 08/07/2008 at 5:08:19 PM

Sussy nailed it with her comment. Another excellent exploration Jcorn. I always appreciate your objectivity.
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Posted on 08/07/2008 at 10:08:04 AM

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