Tennessee Preacher Killed...Family Missing

[audiobliss]

I just read on Yahoo! News that a preacher at a Church of Christ, Matthew Winkler, in Tennessee was found shot to death in his home, and his family is now missing. "The bureau issued an Amber Alert early Thursday for the couple's daughters, Breanna, 1; Mary Alice, 6; and Patricia, 8. The alert said the girls may be with their mother, Mary Winkler." This kinda stood out to me, because I'm a member of the Church of Christ, also.

They have a gray Toyota Sienna van, with license plate MDX288.

This has certainly made it to my prayer list, and I would be grateful if others prayed for the family, too.

Here's the article on Yahoo!'s website:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060323/ap_on_re_us/pastor_slain_9

[Ron-P]

Hopefully she's not the trigger person. Be sad for the girls to lose both their parents.

[CrBoy]

Prayers sent... sad story.... :(

[okiepolkie]

I'm a member of the CoC as well. I've visited Selmer a couple of times. I also know a couple people there, but haven't ever been to church there.

[audiobliss]

Would be sad indeed if the mother were the culprit and the kids had to lose both parents.

[Ron-P]

Winkler's wife and children were found in Alabama, and authorities say the wife is a suspect in her husband's slaying.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/03/24/pastor.slain.ap/index.html

[PolkThug]

Let me guess, he was touching kids, and she put an end to it.

[up2youjoe]

Avoid religion at all costs.

[aaharvel]

here we go again

[bignorm]

She is being charged with his murder.............Aint religion grand!!!!

[Ron-P]

Aint religion grand!!!!
What's religion have to do with his murder?

[shack]

What's religion have to do with his murder?

Nothing, other than some would like to take this tragic opportunity to say

See...religion is bad!

[Ron-P]

Exactly and very sad.

[neomagus00]

wth does a mom (possibly) killing her husband have to do with religion, or spirituality at all???

sad story, in any case, but all too common...

[BobMcG]

wth does a mom (possibly) killing her husband have to do with religion, or spirituality at all???

Do you think perhaps the fact that they were a VERY religious family that would consider murder a very serious sin and thus a very big no-no have anything to do with the religious angle???

[aaharvel]

Murder. Tragedy. Suspect. In custody. That is all.

[Ron-P]

What if he was a car salesman or a clerk at a grocery store? Would then try and tie this to all car dealerships or all grocery stores?

[up2youjoe]

What if he was a car salesman or a clerk at a grocery store? Would then tie this to all car dealerships or all grocery stores?

No, I would still blame it on religion.

YMMV

[aaharvel]

to say that religion is bad just because a preacher was murdered is just loony to the 'nth degree.
Now if you want to talk about morons like Falwell and Robertson, well now that MIGHT be a different story.

or Al-Qaeda.

[BobMcG]

What if he was a car salesman or a clerk at a grocery store? Would then try and tie this to all car dealerships or all grocery stores?

No... I'd blame YOU Ron!!!
































:p :D :D :D Just kidding.

As far as MY comment goes, I merely pointed out WHERE the religious angle comes into place. I wasn't placing the blame on anything. Out of control, over emotional morons are just that. Maybe that's her problem IF indeed it was by her hand. Didn't do the children much of a favor.

[BobMcG]

She just confessed, on the tube now...

[Ron-P]

Those poor girls. Dad's dead (thanks to mom) and moms going away for a very long time, if not for life. The real tragedy in all this, those 3 girls who will not grow up with their parents.

[dragon1952]

Let me guess, he was touching kids, and she put an end to it.

That's exactly what I was thinking. Or else he was cheating on her or abusing her. You can bet he was up to some kind of dirtbag activity :rolleyes:

[CrBoy]

if he was cheating on her that's one thing... but if he was touching the kids, that's a whole different level... :mad: :mad: :mad:

[schwarcw]

This story will be all over the cable and network news shows. I have had to much already:( My heart goes out to the family, especially the children. They are in my prayers!

[neomagus00]

damn, that sucks for the kids... if i prayed, they'd be in 'em...

[Ron-P]

...or abusing her
Investigators have found no evidence of a history of domestic violence, Johnson said.

Seems that assumption is being ruled out.

[PolkThug]

Those poor girls. Dad's dead (thanks to mom) and moms going away for a very long time, if not for life. The real tragedy in all this, those 3 girls who will not grow up with their parents.

Its probably a blessing in disguise.

[Demiurge]

What the phuck is wrong with you?


(edited my naughty word)

[Ron-P]

Murder a blessing in disguise? WTF?

[HiPerf360]

Arent we quick to jump to conclusions?????

[PolkThug]

Murder a blessing in disguise? WTF?

We don't know all the facts.

Maybe he was azz-raping the children. I have no sympathy for those types of people. Maybe the children would be better off being raised by their relatives. Who knows what was going on in that household.

What the fuck is wrong with you?

I guess whats wrong with me is that I believe that even some of the stormiest clouds have silver linings and some glasses are half full. If you need further discussion, do it in a PM.

[Ron-P]

We don't know all the facts.

Maybe he was azz-raping the children. I have no sympathy for those types of people. Maybe the children would be better off being raised by their relatives. Who knows what was going on in that household.

Whatever the reason, murder is not the answer and not a blessing.

[audiobliss]

Wow. This really is a sad story. And then the fact that some people would try to pin it on religion is just as sad.

I pray that the children will somehow have a good childhood, inspite of what they've had to go through and the changes those events necessitate.

[bobman1235]

It's most likely a blessing for the children in a small way, since either

a)the father did something that was so horrendous that the mother thought she would have to kill him to get her children away from it, OR
b) the mother is a psychotic murderer.

Growing up in a house with one of those two possibilities has a good chance of being worse for them than growing up with no parents at all, assuming they can get over the terrible scarring that will result from living through such an ordeal.

Terrible either way.

[up2youjoe]

And on the bright side they won't have to go to church on Sunday mornings anymore.

[aaharvel]

redrum :eek:

[PhantomOG]

And then the fact that some people would try to pin it on religion is just as sad.

Not just sad, but ignorant as well. No one here knows the details of what happened or why. Jumping to conclusions and blaming other people/groups for things without any basis is without a doubt more of a problem in the world than organized religion.

[amulford]

What about post partum deppression? anyone notice the one year old?

Tragic, just tragic...

[Tour2ma]

Up yours, up2... You're just stirring the pot. If you want to say, "in spite of" their strong religious background, that's one thing. Do you get off by intentionally offending people?

You nailed it, Ron...Whatever the reason, murder is not the answer and not a blessing.

[shack]

His compassion is overwhelming. At their young age the kid's faith may not be stong...but in a time like this the faith of like minded friends and family may be the one thing that holds them together.

[TroyD]

And on the bright side they won't have to go to church on Sunday mornings anymore.

I sincerely hope that YOUR children don't have to endure something of that magnitude.

Why don't you take a long walk off a short pier, asswipe.

BDT

[brettw22]

As phucked up as my parents are, I'm sure that murder has never entered the equasion....I know this because they live to hate each other........lol.

Sad thing for the little girls though, definitely

[polksda]

Why are so many people assuming the father did something to deserve this? The mother may just as easily be a freakin' nutjob that went off.

[disneyjoe7]

If you asked me this whole thread is sad. By what happened by what is posted.

[Frank Z]

Well I've had about enough...

[dragon1952]

Why are so many people assuming the father did something to deserve this? The mother may just as easily be a freakin' nutjob that went off.

Nope. Just wait , you'll see.

[PolkThug]

Why are so many people assuming the father did something to deserve this?

Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. What is really sad is that becoming a preacher seems to be on the pedophile's top ten list of jobs to get. Its sad that the thought has to cross my mind at all.

The mother may just as easily be a freakin' nutjob that went off.

Could be, but so far people close to them have said things like "perfect mother", "perfect wife", "volunteered at school", blah blah. I guess a lot of people are "perfect" just before they snap.

[dragon1952]

Could be, but so far people close to them have said things like "perfect mother", "perfect wife", "volunteered at school", blah blah. I guess a lot of people are "perfect" just before they snap.

She was obviously a 'perfect' shot too. :(

[HiPerf360]

Wow... she was found in Orange Beach, AL

My parents have a place on the beach there, I cant belive the police caught her....


They are so laid back down there it isn't even funny....

I'm not proud of this but I could have been arested down there for DUI and I wouldnt have known what was going on.

The officer just followed me home to make sure I got there safely!!!!