>> david: tonight, a small-town scandal when a beloved minister is killed. >> deborah: and his wife and children go missing. for how long and why? "20/20" starts right now. >> why do you think the public

was captivated with this story? >> it was something that was so totally unexpected. >> someone had broken into the home, killed matthew with the gunshot, and then took mary and the girls and left. >> a church pastor is dead, and his family is missing. >> when you add religion to murder and then sprinkle in abuse, everyone's in shock and no one knows who to believe. >> this is pretty telling the killer unplugged the phone so no one could call anywhere for help. >> people were frantic thinking that there may be a killer on the loose. >> the most important thing to do right now is find mary winkler and find the three girls. >> so how does that missing wife and mother go from lost, to found? >> ma'am, get out of the vehicle. get your hands up! >> winding up in a police investigation? >> i have nerve now and i have self essteal, so my ugly came out.

>> "i guess my ugly came out." what does that mean? >> we could not have fathomed what actually came out not in our wildest wildest thoughts. >> this is stuff that doesn't happen to church folks. >> when the ugly side came out, somebody ended up shot dead. ♪ >> it became one of the biggest, most talked about stories in the entire country, and it all started here in the heart of the bible belt, in the small church in the tiny town of selmer, tennessee. matthew winkler would preach to his congregation every sunday morning here about right and wrong and about living your life in the service of god.

>> on march 22nd, 2006, everyone was gathering at the church ready for the wednesday night service. >> matthew winkler was pretty new at being the new head preacher, so he certainly didn't miss any services. >> it's unheard of for the preacher, his wife and his daughters who are there every week, and they don't show up. >> but even though they kept watching the door, waiting for him to come through it with apologies and messages of love for the congregation, it never happened. >> overcome with worry and concern, some of the members of the congregation take a five-minute drive to the church parsonage behind me. it's where matthew, the minister, his wife, and three children lived. once inside, church members make a shocking discovery.

>> we were knocking on the windows, knocking on the doors, trying to get somebody. at that point is when i felt that something was wrong because the key was on the inside of the door, the tv was on. and there was no answer. >> at some point, they go inside the home, walk through, calling his name, calling mary's name, calling for the girls. >> yelling, "is anyone in here? can anybody hear us?" >> they looked around. no mary. no little girls. everything looked normal, nothing looked out of place. but the master bedroom door was shut. they walked over and opened it, and all their nightmares were answered.

>> saw matthew laying there on his back, the foam was uh, protruding from his mouth and nose. we knew pretty obviously that he had, he was dead at that time. so we call 911. and then we all gathered in the living room and held hands and prayed for mary and the children, because we assumed that they had been abducted. >> church members couldn't fathom who would kill their preacher. this was a man who, in fact, was considered religious royalty here in tennessee, coming from a long line of distinguished ministers. >> matthew winkler is the son of a preacher and the grandson of a preacher and the great-grandson of a preacher. ♪ the only one who could ever reach me was the son of a preacher man ♪ >> it's in his blood, literally. mary grew up in a church of

christ family also. >> mary was raised in a strict household in knoxville, tennessee. at south doyle high school, she was known as a reserved student with a good sense of humor. >> she didn't draw a lot of attention to herself. that's also true of many women in the churches of christ church. they don't want to bring a lot of attention on themselves. >> mary was cute as a button. she was always ready with a smile and a touch on the hand. and she just was the perfect embodiment of a church of christ woman. >> mary and matthew met at freed-hardeman college. it's a college affiliated the church of christ. and mary said that initially they were just friends. but then they started dating and apparently, matthew must've liked her. because three months later, he asked her to marry him. >> both matthew and mary dropped out of school because they couldn't afford it anymore.

and then matthew got work as a youth minister in mcminnville, tennessee. how would you describe the church of christ to someone who's not familiar with it? >> it's very conservative. a bible-based church. we say we have no creed but the bible. >> they believe in the literal interpretation of the bible, and there are scriptures in the bible that says that a woman is subservient to the man. the board of elders, the preacher, all of those in the leadership positions are men. >> tell me about matthew's temperament. >> gregarious, somebody who could go into a room of strangers and make friends within minutes. >> magnetic personality. >> magnetic personality. >> your impression of mary? >> mary seemed like a frail and vulnerable woman. she had a downcast look, she would not make eye contact.

and she was walking three or four steps behind matthew. >> matthew had this feeling he couldn't measure up to his father. he bristled under just being a youth minister. he wanted to be the preacher of his own church. >> it was in january of 2005 that matthew and mary winkler moved here to the town of selmer. matthew had just landed his dream job, named the head pastor here at the church of christ. >> selmer is a sleepy little town in tennessee, right by the border with mississippi. it is a place where people sit out on their porch drinking sweet tea and talking with their neighbors as they walk by. it's very southern in so many

ways. >> one of elvis presley's first outside-of-memphis performances was here in this county. the highway going through selmer to elvis' home place is called rockabilly highway. >> what is this town like? >> small town. >> yeah? >> close-unit family. >> pretty religious? i see a lot of churches here. >> yes. almost every corner, you'll find a church. >> true happiness is found in god's word. true happiness is not only found in god's word, it's found by living the way god says to live in that word. >> the winklers found a wonderful church in selmer, tennessee, and the people of the community and congregation embraced them and welcomed them. it seemed like the perfect scenario. that is, until march 22nd of

2006. when that beloved young minister was found dead on the floor of his bedroom. >> was it a kidnapping and it just went wrong? >> someone definitely intended to kill matthew winkler. >> in a small town, people were frantic, thinking there was a killer on the loose. >> and where were mary and the girls? >> had someone unknown come into the home, killed matthew, and gone off in the family van with the three girls and mary and holding them captive? i have moderate to severe crohn's disease. now, there's skyrizi. ♪ things are looking up, i've got symptom relief. ♪ ♪ control of my crohn's means everything to me. ♪ ♪ control is everything to me. ♪ feel significant symptom relief at 4 weeks with skyrizi, including less abdominal pain and fewer bowel movements.

skyrizi is the first il-23 inhibitor that can deliver remission and visibly improve damage of the intestinal lining. and the majority of people experienced long-lasting remission at one year. serious allergic reactions and an increased risk of infections or a lower ability to fight them may occur. tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms, had a vaccine or plan to. liver problems may occur in crohn's disease. ♪ now's the time to ask your gastroenterologist how you can take control of your crohn's with skyrizi. ♪ ♪ control is everything to me. ♪ ♪ learn how abbvie could help you save. hurry to kohl's for great prices on fresh styles across the store! save up to 25% on women's dresses. then get juniors' dresses starting at $21.24 with coupon. and take 15% off other faves. plus, earn kohl's cash when you shop at kohl's.

these new menu items at panera are perfect tens. they're also each under $10. more new sandwiches and salads, more in every bite and more new options under $10. come taste the new era at panera. with cascade platinum plus, i have upped my dish game auntie, in that dishwasher? watch me platinum plus gives you the highest standard of clean, even in your machine. clean enough for you? yeah! scrape. load. done. cascade platinum plus. well i haven't even told you the best part of the story. they met at the club. the book club? no like, the club. like... ♪ untz untz untz untz untz ♪ oh no, immediately no. - ohhhh. - veto, veto. that's a hard pass. yea, i am good with this club. what would you even wear to a club? comfortable footwear.

on march 21st, 2006 in the small town of selmer, tennessee, matthew and mary winkler, along with their three little girls, settle in for a quiet evening at home. they order pizza and watch the animated movie, "chicken little." >> the sky is falling, the sky is falling! >> but somehow, this everyday peaceful family activity would turned into a gruesome crime scene with seemingly deadly intention. >> matthew winkler was shot in the back with a 12-gauge shotgun. a 12-gauge shotgun is either used to hunt, or personal

protection, and it's used to kill. my initial thought was, someone definitely intended to kill matthew winkler. >> members of the fourth street church of christ find their beloved minister, matthew winkler, dead in his home just minutes away from the sanctuary. they immediately call the police. where were you when you got the phone call? >> i was at home. of course in bed, or getting ready to go to bed. i then immediately started reaching out to the agents and the crime scene team to get them to start responding to this location. >> when the police came into the house, they cleared all the church members out. but they interviewed them as well. and started picking apart the scene, looking for anything that could give them information. >> they would've started with the interior, taking photographs, taking measurements.

>> nothing was out of place, it wasn't ransacked, looking for valuables. but what would stand out is when you got to the back bedroom. >> there were bloodstains on the pillows, there were bloodstains on the floor. >> matthew was laying beside the bed, and that's where he was found. >> but you think he was shot while he was still in bed? >> yes, and he would've rolled over. >> investigators were thinking of a lot of things that this scenario suggested. >> you have someone fatally wounded. no one else is around. is this some type of robbery that had turned into murder? >> was this a vendetta? or was it a kidnapping and it just went wrong? >> at that point, you don't know. >> you didn't know. i mean, it's a mystery.

>> what do we have here? >> this is actually the bed. >> this is the bed where he -- >> that would've been where he was sleeping. >> could have been shot from here or from here? >> probably from this side. he was shot on the bed, so that tells you that the shooter had no confrontation with him. there was no defense that matthew could have put up, being that he was shot in the back. >> and this is the shotgun shell? >> it's actually the -- actually the round that killed him. >> over here, this is the birdshot? >> that's some of the birdshot -- >> recovered from his body? >> that's correct. >> this is the actual shotgun? >> yes, sir. >> can you show it to us? >> it's 12-gauge pump. >> what kind of damage can it do, close up? >> well, lots of damage. >> a 12-gauge shotgun shooting birdshot, when it makes impact, it's going to explode with all

of these bell lets. and matthew had somewhere over 70 pellets in his back. >> and for investigators, each crime scene tells its own story. and this one would reveal a chilling detail. it seemed that the perpetrator wanted to seal matthew's fate with absolute certainty. >> they were very disturbed when they noticed the telephone clearly placed in a position that was out of matthew's reach, and it was disconnected from the wall jack. >> so the killer unplugged the phone? >> yes. >> so no one could call anywhere for help? >> that's what we believe. >> even if he was able to survive or even live long enough to reach up and grab the receiver and hit zero, it wasn't going to work.

>> there is breaking news that we've been following all day out of selmer, tennessee. it is a case of tragedy in a small town. a church pastor is dead. >> while investigators were combing through the crime scene, news of the death of the much-beloved preacher, matthew winkler, shook selmer to its core. >> and you know, it's just shock. everybody's just in shock about it. >> this is the fourth street church of christ here in selmer, and all day long church members have been coming and going. you can see it in their faces how distraught they are about the death of pastor matthew winkler. >> who would have done something like this? everybody loved him, from what we understood. >> people were frantic thinking that there may be a killer somewhere in their community. >> and do police have a motive they're working on, any kind of theory here? >> no, they are telling us very, very little about this. >> matthew was often approached by people who had addiction problems or financial problems. what if matthew turned one of those people away? what if they had come back in

anger? >> an amber alert is issued for three little girls. >> police need to find mary winkler, 1-year-old 6-year-old mary alice, and 8-year-old patricia. >> they, along with their gray minivan were missing. were they in danger? my dry eye's made me a burning, stinging, 5-times-a-day,... ...makeup smearing drops user. i want another option that's not another drop. tyrvaya. it's not another drop. it's the first and only nasal spray for dry eye. tyrvaya treats the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease fast by helping your body produce its own real tears. common side effects include sneezing, cough, and throat and nose irritation. relying only on drops? not me. my own real tears are my relief. ask your eye doctor about tyrvaya. target manager hailee! listen, i wanted you to be the first to know... target now has unlimited same-day delivery with target circle 360? how'd you know that? let's just say a little bird told me...

hey lady, did you hear the news? get the fastest delivery to your door, with target circle 360. this charmin ultra soft smooth tear is soooo soft and soo smooth. charmin ultra soft smooth tear has wavy perforations that tear so much better for a smooth more enjoyable go. charmin, enjoy the go. ♪ at metro get a new iphone 12 with 5g. take amazing pictures, and share instantly. you don't take yada yada in life. don't take yada yada from your wireless provider. get a new iphone 12 with 5g for only $99.99. only at metro. [♪] your skin is ever-changing, take care of it with gold bond's age renew formulations

of 7 moisturizers and 3 vitamins. for all your skins, gold bond.

♪ an amber alert is issued for three little girls. they disappeared from their home in selmer, tennessee. their mother is missing as well. church members found their father, pass ton matthew winkler, dead. >> with a young minister found dead in his bedroom, the community of selmer was on edge. >> there was a possibility this could have been a burglary that turned into murder. >> who is here in our community would do that?

this person's loose. people were worried. >> take a look at the van the mother and children may be in. it is a 2006 gray toyota sienna. >> the most important thing to them right now is to find mary winkler and find the three girls. >> almost 24 hours after the discovery of matthew's body, there's a sighting of a gray minivan matching the description of the winklers' missing vehicle. it was spotted in the seaside community of orange beach, alabama. >> that shoreline is particularly spectacular. they call it the gold coast of alabama. >> i was traveling westbound on the road directly behind us. and this van pulled right out in front of me, a toyota sienna minivan matching the description of the van we had been looking for.

>> 10-4, we're pulling into a parking lot. >> knowing there was a possibility that mary and her girls had been kidnapped, they were extremely cautious approaching that vehicle. they had their guns out. >> ma'am get out of the vehicle. get out of the vehicle now. put the vehicle in park and step out. >> there she was, mary winkler, in a pink jumpsuit, looking as innocent as anybody walking down the street could look. >> with no supposed kidnapper behind the wheel -- >> walk back, walk back, keep walking! >> mary goes from being a potential victim to a suspect in her husband's death. >> she got out and she never asked why she was stopped, why there were officers pointing guns at her or anything. she made really no expression on her face. and she was detained.

>> hi, girls, how are you doing? >> after we detained her, we ran to the minivan to check the welfare of the children. they just kept repeating, "what's going on? where's mommy going?" >> did my mommy do anything wrong? >> mom! mama! >> shortly after mary's arrest, police search the minivan, and they make a stunning discovery. >> it was soon after mary was apprehended by the orange beach police department. a shotgun was found in the mi minivan. you've heard the term, "we've found the smoking gun." well, that's exactly what we thought. we had found the smoking gun and it was our job now to put the facts and the details together. >> back in 2006, stan stabler was a corporal with the alabama bureau of investigation. >> i received a call from orange beach police department that evening. they wrequested that i come to

interview mary winkler. >> march 23, about 9:55 p.m., orange beach pd. i'm stan stabler, abi. would you please state your name? >> mary winkler. >> when we first started, i got a lot of background information about her, their marriage. >> how long have you been married? >> nine years, 11 months. >> how was your marriage? >> good. >> we talked about the children. >> i met your daughters, very sweet girls. had mcdonald's, they eat, they're wrapped up in blankets warm, watching a movie. >> thank you. >> i wanted to build a rapport with mary where she felt comfortable with me. >> want something to drink? >> water is fantastic. >> okay. >> sitting across from him is this eerily calm mother of three, 400 miles away from home. stan stabler wondered, why did mary winkler drive her girls all the way to orange beach, alabama?

>> they've never been to a beach that they remember. this is my last time to be with them. i just wanted to be with them before they had bad days. have a happy day. >> she wanted to spend some time with the girls because she felt that she would not be seeing them after she was caught. >> i asked her about anyone else involved, you know, an affair. >> y'all didn't have any major, major problems going on? >> no. >> anybody else involved with either party? >> oh, no. >> she was not as emotional as a person should be if they learned about the murder of their spouse. >> just go step from step and tell me what happened. >> i just can't. >> why can't you talk to us? is it me? >> no. >> she was very strong-willed

not to disclose a lot of detail. >> i want to hear your side. >> i appreciate -- i feel like you have genuine concern, and i do appreciate you. >> tell me why a mother of three, a wife of over nine years, almost ten years -- what would make you do this? why? >> no comment. >> it was a very, very strange interview. >> has he ever hurt you? >> not physically. >> she said she did not want to talk about matthew because she she didn't, quote, want to smear him. >> no matter what in the end, i don't want him smeared. >> all we are, are seeking the truth. and we're not here to smear anybody. >> corporal stabler asks mary about that shotgun that police suspect she used to kill her husband. >> did you load it?

>> no, i messed it up and put it back. i -- >> where, where was it? >> we keep it at the top of the closet, out of reach. >> the truth started coming out. mary admitted she was holding that gun. she didn't admit that she pulled the trigger. she said she didn't remember that. >> how many times did you shoot? just one time? >> surely not. >> huh? >> surely not. >> how do you know you didn't shoot more than once? >> i don't. >> and then finally, after almost two hours of questioning, a possible motive. >> i love him dearly, but gosh, he could just nail me in the ground. i have nerve now, and i have self-esteem. and so my ugly came out.

>> when the ugly side came out, >> when the ugly side came out, somebody ended up shot dead. ♪ why won't scout play with us anymore? he has something called osteoarthritis pain. it's joint pain that hurts him all the time. come on, scout. now, there's librela. the first and only once-monthly injection to control your dog's oa pain. veterinary professionals administering librela who are pregnant, trying to conceive, or breast feeding, should take extreme care to avoid self-injection, which could cause allergic reactions like anaphylaxis. this is the best day of my life! hurry to kohl's for great prices storewide, including on the whi new home collection.ic reactions like anaphylaxis. with your coupon, get bedding starting at $59.49.

bath towels and rugs $6.79. and decor starting at $11.89. plus, take 15% off other faves. and earn kohl's cash. kohl's. (man) excuse me, would you mind taking a picture of us? (tony) oh, no problem. (man) thanks. (tony) oh, yeah that's a problem you need verizon. trade-in that old thing and get a new iphone 15 pro with tons of storage. so you can take all the pics! so many selfies. a preposterous amount of pano! that means panoramic. and as many portraits of me as your heart desires. (woman) how about none? (boy) none. (man) yea none feels right. (vo) trade-in any iphone in any condition and get a new iphone 15 pro - on us. only on verizon. give damaged hair deep repair. everpure bond repair from l'oreal paris. our system with bonding care complex repairs weak inner hair bonds and strengthens hair in just one use. prevents breakage as well as a $90 routine. everpure from l'oreal paris. you're worth it. if you're taking an antidepressant, but you're still masking your depression,

you could be experiencing a partial response to your antidepressant. partial response happens when your antidepressant alone isn't enough. let's try adding rexulti. when added to an antidepressant, rexulti significantly reduced depression symptoms more than an antidepressant alone. so you can build on your progress. rexulti can cause serious side effects. elderly dementia patients have increased risk of death or stroke. antidepressants may increase suicidal thoughts and actions and worsen depression in children and young adults. report new or sudden changes in mood, behavior, thoughts, or feelings, or if you develop suicidal thoughts or actions. report fever, stiff muscles, and confusion which can be life threatening or uncontrolled muscle movements, which may be permanent. high blood sugar which can lead to coma or death; weight gain; increased cholesterol; low white blood cells; unusual urges; dizziness on standing; falls; seizures; trouble swallowing, or sleepiness may occur. ask your doctor about rexulti.

for almost two hours, corporal stan stabler prods mary winkler about her relationship with her late husband, matthew. >> mary winkler, eventually, during that interview in alabama, did tell investigators that he picked on her, and what she was describing was someone who was abusive. >> how would he run you down? >> chewing on you -- >> just fussing at you? nagging all the time? >> just mistakes. and some well-deserved, by all means. >> it gets old. >> but gosh, i don't want to go to talk about that now.

i love him dearly, but gosh, he could just nail me in the ground. i just took it like a mouse. didn't think anything different. i never spoke up. >> she told me he was a good man. he was a good father. he was a good husband. she said at times, he would get mad. she related it to blood pressure problems. >> but he was so good. he was so good, too. a lot of times he had high blood pressure, but he never go enough to the doctor to get medicine for it. there's no sense. you know, just say the lady was a moron, evil woman. >> she said she had had thoughts in the past about killing him. >> yeah, i didn't just get up and say, "let's see how this thing works." i've been battling it not to do that forever, and i don't know why. >> was he chewing on you when it happened?

>> i don't even know. >> mary had said that she got a job. and then she said her self-esteem started coming out. and then, she started speaking up about things she didn't like. >> i have nerve now, and i have self-esteem. so my ugly came out. >> when the ugly side came out, somebody ended up shot dead. so that's what mary's ugly side is. the side that shoots her husband in the back with a shotgun. >> mary waived her right to an extradition hearing and willingly went back to face justice in tennessee. >> while in tennessee, investigators from the tennessee bureau of investigation take

another statement from mary, which she initials. >> and this time, mary drops a few bombshells about the morning matthew was killed. while she never admits to pulling the trigger of the shotgun, mary does tell tbi agents she heard a loud boom, wiped blood from matthew's mouth, and told him she was sorry. >> it became real obvious there was only one thing for the police in tennessee to do, and that was to charge her with murder. >> the startling account of a pastor's wife accused of killing her husband becomes big national news. >> this is good morning america. >> that murder mystery that has stunned everyone. a popular minister in tennessee gunned down in his home, and the confessed killer is his young wife. why? >> people were like, "what?

the preacher's wife? that's who killed him?" >> once a minister's wife, now accused of murder. as mary sat in jail, hundreds packed into the fourth street church of christ to mourn the loss of matthew. >> we want to, first of all, thank all you for the love and care you have shown for the winkler family. >> as for the winklers' three daughters, the girls are now in the care of matthew's parents. >> the girls are going to need a lot of care and attention. and now we turn 100% of our attention to them. >> as the news of mary winkler's arrest spread like wildfire through this tight-knit community of selmer, there were rumblings that her husband, matthew, may have had a darker side. there had to be a good reason,

some speculated, for mary to pick up that shotgun and then shoot her husband in the back. >> people were wondering what would cause them to have their ugly come out? >> knowing mary the way i did, i knew that he had to do something to push her over. >> mary's sisters say they saw a change in mary once she got married. >> i don't remember hearing her laugh. she was not a happy person. >> mary's other sister, amanda, and her father, clark, say they saw bruises on mary. >> i didn't say anything 'cause, if i was to say, "who gave that to you?" and that would make her mad, i wouldn't see her again. >> i saw terrible bruises and the heaviest of makeup covering

facial bruises. said, mary carol you are coming one day i confronted her, i said, mary carol you are coming off as a very abused woman, very battered. mary carol would hang her head and say, "no, everything is alright." and several times, i talked very seriously to her about leaving him. and uh, she just did not want to. i feel so bad about this, i feel like i have a part in it. i should have talked more to mary carol. >> there were people who said that they did see a short temper in matthew. according to the neighbor, their dog had gotten into the winkler yard, and matthew yelled at the neighbor. >> he said, "keep the damn dogs out of our yard or we'll shoot them." he had a temper on him. i've never met a preacher like him. >> this never rose where it was ever a volatile encounter with

somebody. it was just being stern, like the dog. "hey, please, do this, i've warned you." >> as investigators dig deep into the winklers' lives, they come to believe that matthew's killing may have been about money. >> that's what was the root of the evil in this whole situation. >> according to them, mary was knee-deep in financial fraud. and investigators suspect that weighing heavily on her mind was an upcoming trip to the local bank. >> the bankers set a meeting for mary and matthew to meet at the bank on march 22nd. >> i think she was desperate and afraid. (♪) with wet amd, i worry i'm not only losing my sight, but my time to enjoy it.

but now, i can open up my world with vabysmo. (♪) vabysmo is the first fda-approved treatment for people with wet amd that improves vision and delivers a chance for up to 4 months between treatments, so i can do more of what i love. (♪) (♪) vabysmo works differently, it's the only treatment designed to block 2 causes of wet amd. vabysmo is an eye injection. don't take it if you have an infection, active eye swelling, or are allergic to it. treatments like vabysmo can cause an eye infection or retinal detachment. vabysmo may cause a temporary increase in eye pressure after receiving the injection. there is an uncommon risk of heart attack or stroke associated with blood clots. severe swelling of blood vessels in the eye can occur. most common eye side effects were cataract and broken blood vessels. open up your world with vabysmo. a chance for up to 4 months between treatments with vabysmo. ask your doctor. target circle is free to join... and you get dealss automatically? i love automatic! hey, wanna see a trick?

sometimes i eat the barcode stickers! love my job! ugh, when is my allergy spray going to kick in? -you need astepro. -astepro? it's faster, bro. 8x faster than flonase. it's faster, bro! it's faster, bro! it's faster, bro! it's mom to you. astepro starts working in 30 minutes. astepro and go! my 100% all-white meat popcorn chicken combos for $6.99? you're in luck, i did. if you weren't thinking that, i bet you are now. my popcorn chicken combos are only $6.99. get 'em sauced & loaded for just a buck more. welcome to jack in the box!

business. it's not a nine-to-five proposition. it's all day and into the night. it's all the things that keep this world turning. the go-tos that keep us going. the places we cheer. and check in. they all choose the advanced network solutions and round the clock partnership from comcast business. see why comcast business powers more small businesses than anyone else. get started for $49.99 a month plus ask how to get up to an $800 prepaid card. don't wait- call today. introducing the best rated burger in fast food. my new smashed jack. a quarter pound smashed patty with perfectly imperfect edges, melty cheese and new boss sauce on a soft brioche bun. just one bite and you'll have a new favorite burger. try it today! welcome to jack in the box!

♪

mrs. winkler is set for arraignment before a mcnairy county judge. >> after matthew's death, mary appeared in a selmer courtroom, trading in her sunday best for an orange jumpsuit. >> it was somewhat of a shocking vision, because she just does not look like anyone who could do anything like shoot her husband. >> state of tennessee versus mary carol winkler. you're charged under tennessee code with first-degree murder. >> after pleading not guilty to first-degree murder, mary is led away in shackles. >> outside of the courthouse, church members stood in solidarity with the preacher's wife. >> we had a special prayer for her at church last night, and we forgave her. >> it's in god's plan, but there has to be a reason, because if we can't believe that, we cannot go on.

>> mary's supporters believe that her years of alleged abuse culminated in the accidental shooting death of her husband. but investigators say the real motive in the case was money. >> early on in the investigation, tbi was interviewing local banks, and they more or less came to the tbi, said, "we got to tell you what's going on here." >> investigators had learned from bank officials that mary was in over her head financially after they say she got caught up in a so-called "lottery scam" which was sweeping the country. >> a lottery scam is when you get an email, or even a letter, that tells you that you have won a lottery. >> here's how it works. the scammer sends a counterfeit check for an initial payment worth thousands of dollars. now, in return, you are supposed to send them money to cover the processing fees.

>> the scammers make money off what you send them. meanwhile, all you get is a worthless check. >> mary had entered all sorts of things. so, when she got this saying that she'd won $250,000, she believed it. >> what do we have here? >> these are bogus checks. >> so, mary winkler got these checks in the mail? >> yes. >> and she thought, wow, $4,880, $4,900. >> yeah. "you're going to receive lots more once you send us the money." but she did not send the money back. she kept all the money. back in those days, if a person deposited a check or cashed a check, they would actually receive the complete amount of money because it immediately went into your bank account. >> back then, you just didn't have the automation like you

have today, so it could take weeks for the checks to come back as counterfeit. so, when that happened, the banks wanted their money back from mary, over $16,000. >> and that is when, investigators allege, mary cooked up a scheme of her own to cover her losses. >> she was actually writing checks for one bank to cover checks at another bank. >> what investigators say mary was doing is called check kiting, floating funds between banks, and that's where the kite comes in. >> and in doing so, she knew that she didn't have the funds in that bank to cover the charges, and that is an illegal act. >> it's easy to see how desperation can lead you down

that path where you're trying to find a way out and you don't know what to do. >> was there any evidence that matthew, her husband, the minister, was in on this or knew about it? >> we have no evidence, because he never went to the bank. he never had his name on anything. and these other accounts were in her name, so he wouldn't have access to her accounts. >> according to investigators, mary went to great lengths to conceal her alleged financial crimes from matthew. they say she opened up a personal account out of town, changed her mailing address to a p.o. box, and she even tried to remove matthew's name from their bank account. but investigators say mary's alleged financial scheme fell apart after one late deposit sent her bank account into a tailspin. >> i think it got a little out of hand because she got at some point like $5,000 overdrawn, which is a really bad position to be in.

$5,000 in 2006 on a small-town pastor's pay and a substitute teacher, you might as well say $100,000. >> things came to a head on march 21st, 2006. that day, mary winkler was working as a substitute teacher here at selmer elementary school. she receives an urgent call from the bank asking her to come in the very next day to clear up her overdrawn account, and they tell her to bring her husband matthew along. >> in fact, in this statement to tbi, mary admitted to having a heated discussion with matthew about their finances the night before the shooting. she says, "i had gotten a call from the bank, and we were having troubles, mostly my fault. bad bookkeeping." and then she goes on to say that the two were upset with each other and that she "got to a point and snapped."

>> do you think this is why she killed him? >> oh, yes, that somebody's going to have to face the music, and it was going to come back on her. >> there must have been a lot of pressure on mary to keep that away from matthew. it was going to be embarrassing for the church of christ congregation. it was going to speak very loudly that something's amiss in this family. it's a reflection of the church. it's a reflection of god. >> how's mary feeling? >> prosecutors might think this is an open-and-shut case, but as mary's murder trial gets under way, no one could have imagined the twists and turns to come. >> mary winkler had, what appeared to everyone, a marriage made in heaven. but behind closed doors, it was a living hell.

>> miss winkler, if you'll come forward please, ma'am. >> and when the demure preacher's wife takes the stand, dark and lurid details would soon come to light. >> did it hurt you? >> yes, sir. >> oh, my goodness gracious. >> this is stuff that doesn't happen to church folks. >> preacher's wife does not wear this kind of shoe. >> had there been a quiet rage brewing? >> we could not have fathomed what actually did come out, not in our wildest, wildest thoughts. ♪ i have type 2 diabetes, but i manage it well ♪ ♪ jardiance! ♪ ♪ it's a little pill with a big story to tell ♪ ♪ i take once-daily jardiance ♪ ♪ at each day's start! ♪

♪ as time went on it was easy to see ♪ ♪ i'm lowering my a1c! ♪ jardiance works twenty-four seven in your body to flush out some sugar. and for adults with type 2 diabetes and known heart disease, jardiance can lower the risk of cardiovascular death, too. serious side effects may include ketoacidosis that may be fatal, dehydration that can lead to sudden worsening of kidney function, and genital yeast or urinary tract infections. a rare, life-threatening bacterial infection in the skin of the perineum could occur. stop jardiance and call your doctor right away if you have symptoms of this infection ketoacidosis, or an allergic reaction. you may have an increased risk for lower limb loss. call your doctor right away if you have symptoms of infection in your legs or feet. taking jardiance with a sulfonylurea or insulin may cause low blood sugar. ♪ jardiance is really swell ♪ ♪ the little pill ♪ ♪ with a big story to tell! ♪

[♪] looking for a moisturizer that does more than just moisturize? try olay regenerist for 10 benefits in every jar. olay visibly firms, lifts, and smooths wrinkles, by penetrating the skin, to boost regeneration at the surface cellular level. try olay. where'd you go? i can't find you. we're in home,ce surrounded by vases. these prices. i'm gonna get all of these. wait. i like abstract art. i don't get it, but i like it. let's never leave. introducing a new home collection. discover it all at kohl's. ♪ some people just know that the best rate for you is a rate based on you, with allstate. because there's a right way to. stop!

and the speed limit definitely isn't. 700 million mph. so why would you pay a rate based on. a terrible boss with a terrible haircut! save with, ooh. save with drivewise and get a rate based on you. you're in good hands with allstate icy hot. ice works fast. ♪ heat makes it last. feel the power of contrast therapy. ♪ so you can rise from pain. icy hot.

♪ the only one who could ever reach me was the son of a preacher man ♪ you go inside the house, what do you see? >> he never knew what was coming. >> you're talking about the spiritual leader of the

community. and now he's got a hellacious shotgun wound in his back. and his wife wants you to believe that she was driven to it. >> she certainly wasn't acting like someone who shot her husband in the back. >> i don't know that anyone anywhere had any idea of what was to come in this trial. >> so it got heated in the jury room? >> how are you going to defend yourself? >> he threatened me with a shotgun many times. putting it in my face. >> mary winkler appeared to have had a marriage made in heaven. but behind closed doors, it was a living hell. >> when they brought out the shoe and the wig, there was a gasp in the courtroom. >> matthew wanted me to wear it, to dress up. >> dress up for what purpose, mary? >> sex. >> oh my god, wow. >> but if you looked up "spousal abuse" in the dictionary, you're going to see mary winkler's

picture looking back at you. >> was mary winkler a victim or a villain? >> will the real mary winkler please stand up? a grand jury had indicted mary winkler on a first-degree murder charge for the killing of her preacher husband, matthew winkler. she pled not guilty and went back to mac mainville after her father posted her $750,000 bond. mary's three girls continued living with matthew's parents, whom they'd been with since mary's arrest. >> everywhere, everyone was covering this story of mary winkler. when you put the story in a nutshell, this preacher's wife shoots her husband in the back while he's sleeping and then takes her daughters to the beach. that sounds outrageous. absolutely outrageous. how can you not follow that story?

>> well, people were wondering what would bring someone to this breaking point? what would cause them to have their ugly come out? and i think that was a big question. >> and the fact this happened in the heart of the south, in the bible belt, was, like, fascinating to people. because it wasn't supposed to happen. these are supposed to be godly people. well -- you know. godly does not mean perfect. and mary proved that very well. >> so this is the cleaners where mary worked? >> yes. we're at the dry cleaners, dry cleaning express, where mary worked in her bond supervision. i would have to come check on her. >> what were your impressions of her during that bond period? >> she was just real quiet. reserved. >> we all just really loved her.

we got to be good friends. we picked up a lot of customers from her church who decided to do business here, because they want to be supportive of mary. >> but one question dividing the people of the town following the case at the time actually had been the quiet preacher's wife everyone thought they knew? or was there another side to her like the one libbie st. john and her husband at the time saw one night at a restaurant bar in mcminnville. >> well, we had been in there sitting at the bar, and mary came in. and she was chain-smoking cigarettes and drinking. it just seemed like she was so carefree that evening, that it just shocked me. i almost wanted to go over there and say, "listen, this isn't a good idea for you to be doing this." the owner of that establishment said while she was out on bond, she'd been there to celebrate several different occasions.

and her birthday recently. and so she'd been there several times. this just wasn't a one-off. you don't usually see church of christ preachers' wives smoking. she certainly wasn't acting like someone who'd shot her husband in the back. >> and your husband at the time starts taking pictures? >> he took them with his cell phone. the pictures made quite a splash when they came out. >> these cell phone pictures, first obtained by action news 5, are the talk of this quiet town. >> i remember the bar pictures. the very things that seemed completely out of character from what anybody's seen. >> she was not supposed to be drinking. >> well, i think that basically, it was not excessive alcohol. i think that's what was on the bond. >> but it didn't look good. >> no, i'm sure it didn't look -- no, it probably didn't look good. didn't sit well with people. >> the way this came to us, this was like walking into a kafka

novel. nothing lines up with logic. >> her life was taking some strange turns that didn't make any sense. >> her outward appearance changed. her clothing changed. it was like someone flipped a switch. >> and when she started kind of hanging out at night, there was a feeling that, this was a little quick. why are you doing this? maybe were you that the whole time? it just gave people pause. >> will the real mary winkler please stand up? is she the quiet, docile minister's wife, or is she something quite different? >> with the trial gearing up, everyone was about to hear a tale they never expected from the preacher's wife. >> yeah, i don't know that anyone in selmer, and few people anywhere, had any idea of what was to come in this trial. >> mary's murder trial began on

april 9th, 2007, with the prosecution pushing for a first-degree conviction. the case was one of the biggest things the small town of selmer, tennessee, has ever seen. the media put this tiny courthouse right in the middle of the public's attention. >> television stations from nashville, from memphis, some from huntsville, alabama, were there in the courthouse because this was such a big story. >> what was interesting was mary winkler arriving with her attorneys, appearing about as meek as you could appear. >> inside, the courtroom was packed and the crowd included members of both families. >> you had matthew winkler's parents there. mary winkler's family was there, her father. >> we may begin with opening statements. the state may proceed first. >> thank you, ladies and gentlemen. my name is walt freeland. i'm an assistant district attorney. >> my strategy, like in every

case, is to put on all my facts, because facts are stubborn things. you have to set aside whatever you think might've happened, and just listen to the facts. >> there is no good reason why matthew winkler was murdered by mary winkler. >> the jurors are about to hear mary's interrogation tape, where she says she snapped because of matthew. >> did he knock your self-esteem down? >> um, no. um, just chewing, whatever. and that's the problem, i have nerve now and i have self-esteem, and so my ugly came out. >> you just kind of got to a boiling point and just boiled over? >> there's no sense, you know? just say the lady was a moron, evil woman, and let's go on with it. >> then prosecutors bring out that big, powerful shotgun that was used to kill matthew.

the point being to show the jurors that this could not have been an accident. >> you couldn't just pick the gun up and pull the trigger, unless it had been racked. >> could you prime it, or pump it, or whatever it takes to get it in a functioning position? could you do that? >> yes, sir. by racking the shotgun, it places a shotgun shell in the chamber so it can be fired. the fact that she did tells me she had already had thought in her mind what it was going to be like to shoot that shotgun. all that leads me to believe premeditation. >> but to rebut the prosecution's theory of premeditated murder, the defense will call their star witness. >> the defense calls the defendant, mary carol winkler. >> the only person alive who knows exactly what happened the day matthew was killed. >> you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, so help you,

g god? >> yes, i do. >> the most important witness in this trial, the one that everyone anticipated takes the stand and she testifies to some pretty shocking stuff. thing come to this place in the morning. i'm so glad i can still come here. you see, i was diagnosed with obstructive hcm. and there were some days i was so short of breath. i thought i'd have to settle for never stepping foot on this trail again. i became great at making excuses. but i have people who count on me so i talked to my cardiologist. i said there must be more we can do for my symptoms. he told me about a medication called camzyos. he said camzyos works by targeting what's causing my obstructive hcm. so he prescribed it and i'm really glad he did. camzyos is used to treat adults with symptomatic obstructive hcm. camzyos may improve your symptoms and your ability to be active. camzyos may cause serious side effects, including heart failure that can lead to death. a risk that's increased if you develop a serious infection or irregular heartbeat or when taking certain other medicines. so do not stop, start or change medicines

or the dose without telling your healthcare provider. you must have echocardiograms before and during treatment. seek help if you experience new or worsening symptoms of heart failure. because of this risk, camzyos is only available through a restricted program. before taking camzyos, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including current or planned pregnancy. today with camzyos, i don't lose my breath as often. my symptoms have improved, helping me go from expecting less to experiencing more. my name is mike. and this is my camzyos moment. call your cardiologist today and see if a camzyos moment may be in your future too. [upbeat music] [sfx: crunch] ♪ ♪ [sfx: crunch] ♪ 100% of dark spots are intensified by the sun. bright reveal daily sunscreen.

no whitecast. wear spf every single day, rain or shine. anti-dark spot sunscreen by l'oréal paris. if it's been a minute since you've been to panera, you might not want to wait a second longer. more new sandwiches and salads, more in every bite and more new options under $10. come taste the new era at panera. ♪ at metro get a new iphone 12 with 5g. take amazing pictures, and share instantly.

you don't take yada yada in life. don't take yada yada from your wireless provider. get a new iphone 12 with 5g for only $99.99. only at metro. target circle is free to join... get a new iphone 12 with 5gand you get deals automatically? i love automatic! hey, wanna see a trick? sometimes i eat the barcode stickers! love my job! frustrated by skin tags? dr. scholl's has the breakthrough you've been waiting for. now there's an easier-to-use at home skin tag remover, clinically proven to remove skin tags safely in as little as one treatment.

♪ the jury has just heard audio of mary winkler's interrogation where she seems to imply that she suddenly snapped because of her husband matthew's treatment of her. >> i have nerve now, and i have self-esteem, and so my ugly came out. >> prosecutors tell the jury that mary's real motive for the killing had nothing to do with matthew's treatment of her. instead, they say that the motive was about that alleged financial fraud they claim she was knee-deep in. >> this was a premeditated act,

because mary winkler was in control. >> although investigators believe that the money was the motive in this case, they never charged mary with any financial crimes. >> she was the one that handled the finances. the finances were in shambles. >> a bank investigator testifies that mary had allegedly been scamming banks out of thousands of dollars by writing checks to herself and then floating money from one account to another. >> these deposits were drawn off of the same bank, first state bank, and were deposited within days of each other into the atm at regions. >> so, this check from mary winkler to mary winkler for $2,000 was deposited in the mary winkler personal account on march 20th, 2006? >> correct.

>> march 22nd, 2006, mary winkler and her husband, matthew, were supposed to go to the bank and explain where the money came from, where the money went, and how they were going to pay it back. >> the house of cards which she had set up was falling down. march 22nd was the day it ended up that he was shot. >> the prosecution claimed that mary killed her husband, matthew, because of the deep financial hole that she had dug for herself. but when it was the defense's turn, they painted a very different picture of mary, claiming she was the victim in this case and matthew was the villain. >> mary winkler appeared to have had a marriage made in heaven. but behind closed doors, it was a living hell. the proof will show that mary was his whipping boy.

>> part of the defense strategy was to put matthew on trial. they put on the stand a church secretary who claimed she overheard some really harsh words coming from matthew to mary. >> the tone, the sounds were of anger, berating. >> what did you say to matthew? >> "those are things that a husband shouldn't say to a wife. you are to be a leader by example and not by force." >> another witness to take the stand was mary's own sister, tabitha. and she said mary complained that matthew tried to keep her away from her family and control her every move. >> how would he act to her? >> he pretty much dictated anything that she did. she wasn't allowed to make any decisions for herself. she would have to say, "i have to check with matt." and it was usually no.

>> there was testimony from the defense about how matthew could act aggressively, but there was not a lot of information. and the jury may have thought, "well, if he was this awful man, wouldn't more people have seen more?" >> is the defense ready to call its next witness? >> we are, your honor. >> but the defense then called mary herself, and she testified in explicit detail -- >> the defense calls the defendant, mary carol winkler. >> -- about exactly what she said happened behind closed doors. >> miss winkler, if you'll come forward please, ma'am. >> as she took the stand, all eyes in the courtroom were riveted on mary. >> mary winkler was up there appearing meeker than you would think anyone could. for much of the testimony, it appeared to be her head was down in shame. >> now remember, the state argued that mary intentionally killed her husband to cover up a messy web of alleged fraudulent check kiting.

but on the stand, mary had a simple answer. matthew made her do it. >> who directed those deposits? >> matthew told me where you put 'em, and i put 'em in the bank. >> mary also testified that matthew knew that the banks were demanding answers over the financial issues with their accounts. >> he was upset, and i just tried to continue encouraging him, if he would please go in and do that. >> did he say he would? >> he said he would, but he had been saying that for weeks. >> mary explained to the jury that she didn't stand up for herself because she was so afraid of matthew's volatility, his temper. >> how did he act when he yelled and screamed at you? >> he flailed. he just was all over. he would just be furious. he went from certain threats to more serious threats. >> can you be specific to the

jury about any threats? >> he told me one time that he was gonna cut the brake lines out of the van. he threatened me with a shotgun, many times. putting it in my face. he told me, if i ever talked back to him, that he would cut me into a million pieces. >> dan and diane winkler sat through a trial where they heard some awful things about their son, and it had to be very difficult for them. and their faces were stoic, but you could also see how it was affecting them, too. >> when i asked her about abuse, and i said, "did he physically abuse you?," she said, "oh, no." i believe her to this day that he never abused her. >> there was no indication from any of the people interviewed that mary had ever disclosed it

to them as a friend or -- it never came out about any physical abuse. she described matthew as being a fine man. and there was never a hint of any abuse. >> but it turns out that mary's testimony about alleged abuse on the part of matthew was just the tip of the iceberg. this case is moving in another direction. >> the one question that nobody will forget is when steve farese handed her a bag. >> what's in that sack, mary? put it up. >> when she was testifying to all of this, "oh my god, wow. this is amazing testimony, this is shocking testimony." almost couldn't believe it. c is for chronic, because chronic kidney disease in type 2 diabetes gets worse over time. k is for kidneys, because kidney damage

can lead to kidney failure and dialysis. d is for doing more to protect your kidneys. kerendia is for adults with ckd in type 2 diabetes and is a once—daily tablet that is proven to reduce the risk of kidney failure, which can lead to dialysis. kerendia also slows the progression of kidney damage and reduces the risk of cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks. do not take kerendia if you have problems with your adrenal glands or take certain medications called cyp3a4 inhibitors. kerendia can cause high potassium levels in your blood. tell your doctor about all the medicines you take and ask before taking potassium supplements or salt substitutes containing potassium. kerendia can also cause low blood pressure and low blood sodium. kidney damage from ckd in type 2 diabetes is not reversible. don't wait to ask your doctor if kerendia is right for you. hurry to kohl's for great prices storewide, including on the kidne new home collection.type 2 diabetes is not reversible. with your coupon, get bedding starting at $59.49. bath towels and rugs $6.79. and decor starting at $11.89. plus, take 15% off other faves.

and earn kohl's cash. kohl's. with so many choices on booking.com there are so many tina feys i could be. so i hired body doubles to help me out. splurgy tina loves a hotel near rodeo drive. oh tina! wild tina booked a farm stay to ride this horse. glenn close?! with millions of possibilities you can book whoever you want to be. that's my line! booking.com booking.yeah >> no application fee if you apply by may 31st at university of maryland global campus, an accredited university that's transformed adult lives for 75 years. you're not waiting to win, you're ready to succeed again at umgc.edu. wanna know a secret? more than just my armpits stink. that's why i use secret whole body deodorant... everywhere. 4 out of 5 gynecologists would recommend whole body deodorant, which gives you 72 hour odor protection

from your pits to your- (sfx: deoderant being sprayed) secret whole body deodorant. shopify helps you sell at every stage of your business. so you can sell it online, take it in person and go big. like a million orders big. whatever the stage, businesses that grow grow with shopify.

♪ on trial for the murder of her preacher husband, matthew, mary winkler tells jurors that she was living in a marriage from hell. >> i had asked matthew to have a divorce, and he absolutely denied it, that would not be allowed.

>> that was not an option? >> no, sir. >> according to who? >> matthew. >> preachers can't get a divorce. people wonder, okay, how do you preach the things you preach and you're divorced? >> mary's defense team would also expose what they said was another dark side of the winklers' marriage. one that would take this trial into a surprisingly different arena. >> what's in that sack, mary? >> a shoe and a wig. >> show me the shoe that's in there. >> put it up on the side there. is that the kind of shoe that you'd wear to church? >> no, sir. >> where did you get that wig, mary? >> from matthew. >> why was that shoe bought mary? >> matthew wanted me to wear it.

to dress up. >> dress up for what purpose, mary? >> sex. >> when they brought out the shoe and the wig and put those on the witness stand, there was a gasp in the courtroom. was just a moment in this case, i think, that everything turned. hearing the preacher's wife accuse her dead husband of all of these things that were not allowed in the churches of christ congregations. these were sins. >> mary testified that matthew had porn up on a computer and wanted her to watch it. >> what would occur after he'd ask you to look at the photographs? >> go have sex. >> did he ever ask you to engage in any type of sex that you felt was unnatural? >> yes, sir. he just wanted to have sex in my bottom. >> did it hurt you? >> yes, sir.

>> the people in the courtroom when she was testifying to all of this, you could kind of see on their faces like, oh my god, wow, this is shocking testimony. >> for the life of me, i have never understood how wearing platform shoes and a wig for your husband gives you the right to shoot him in the back with a shotgun. >> while the details of the winklers' sex life caused a huge buzz inside the courtroom, the questions at hand were why and how matthew was shot to death. and for the very first time, people heard mary talk about what she says happened that morning, describing how it all started with the cries of their baby daughter. >> matthew kicked me out of bed. he just caught me somewhere in the low of my back, and i was on the floor. >> what happened next?

>> he walked out of the room, and then i got up and went after him. >> mary said she then saw matthew covering the baby's nose and mouth to keep her from crying, something that she said he had done before. >> what was he doing? >> suffocating her. i said, "can i please have her?" he just threw his arms up and walked out and walked away from the crib. >> mary said she was so disturbed by this incident that she followed matthew back to the bedroom, and she wanted to confront him about it. >> i just wanted to talk to matthew. >> what did you want to talk to him about? >> i just wanted him to stop being so mean. >> mary testified she was afraid to talk to her husband and then found herself holding matthew's shotgun. >> do you remember ever having a gun, holding a gun? >> yes, sir. >> do you remember ever pointing a gun? >> no, sir. >> did you pull a trigger? >> no, sir. >> did you intentionally,

purposefully kill your husband? >> no, sir. >> did you love your husband? >> yes, sir. >> do you still love him? >> yes, sir. >> mary had been very vague and foggy about a gun going off, which is a classic defense statement. they use the passive voice. they don't say, "i shot a gun." they say, "a gun went off." >> so, what was it that led you into the position of accidentally shooting matthew winkler? >> i just wanted to talk to him. >> it wasn't an accident, was it? >> yes, sir. >> you just wanted to talk to him, and he wouldn't listen. so, you shot him in the middle of the back while he was asleep. now, has that memory come back to you, miss winkler? >> no, sir. >> do you recall telling agent

carpenter you remember hearing a loud boom and remember thinking, it wasn't as loud as i thought it would be? >> i don't recall telling him that. >> do you remember today if you told matthew that you were sorry and that you loved him? >> no, sir. >> the defense called a licensed psychologist to the stand who had met with mary several times, and she testified that the reason mary might not be able to remember the details of the shooting was because she had been traumatized by matthew's treatment of her. >> it's my professional opinion that mary does suffer from a post-traumatic stress disorder, and at the time that this occurred, she was in a dissociated episode where she was not able to think or plan the way she normally would be able to do. >> after ten days of evidence

and testimony, it's time for closing arguments. >> unfortunately, matthew winkler couldn't practice what he was preaching. his problem was that of a bully. and what bullies do is they pick on people that are smaller than them. and i say to you that if you looked up spousal abuse in the dictionary, you're going to see mary winkler's picture looking back at you. >> he was brutally, premeditatedly, and intentionally killed, shot in the middle of his back as he slept. he did not deserve to die. justice demands one verdict. and that is guilty of murder in the first degree. >> now the jury has a big decision. couldn't mary have gotten out of

a bad marriage some other way, or is she just a cold-blooded killer? this very debate is going to spark some fireworks in that jury room. >> so it got heated in the jury room? >> it did. very much so. >> oh, i was ready to come across that table and strangle her. hose cords weren't me. ♪ ♪ so he switched to t-mobile. ♪ ♪ home internet, with 5g. ♪ ♪ what a feeling! ♪ ♪ i have wi-fi now! ♪ ♪ i need home internet from t-mobile to fulfil my ♪ ♪ li-i-i-i-iiiiiiiiiiife! ♪ get home internet from t-mobile now. just $50 bucks a month.

target manager hailee! get home internet from t-mobile now. listen, i wanted you to be the first to know... target now has unlimited same-day delivery with target circle 360? how'd you know that? let's just say a little bird told me... hey lady, did you hear the news? get the fastest delivery to your door, with target circle 360. if you have chronic kidney disease you can reduce the risk of kidney failure with farxiga. because there are places you'd like to be. farxiga can cause serious side effects, including ketoacidosis that may be fatal, dehydration, urinary tract, or genital yeast infections,

and low blood sugar. a rare, life-threatening bacterial infection in the skin of the perineum could occur. stop taking farxiga and call your doctor right away if you have symptoms of this infection, an allergic reaction, or ketoacidosis. ♪ far-xi-ga ♪ and cache in, at cache creek casino resort, to rock and to roll. to go all out or... go all in. with four stars

and rising stars, northern california's premier casino resort is the perfect place... ...to do as much -or as little- as you want. make your get away now and cache in at cache creek casino resort.

♪ ♪ ♪ this morning, the jury is in deliberations, and mary winkler's fate hangs in the balance. >> emotions ran high as jurors seemed hopelessly divided on whether matthew winkler's death was murder or a fatal accident. >> there was some that didn't feel like she should get anything. they were ready to let her walk. they felt like he deserved what he got. and then you had some that was like, "yes, she was abused. but she did take a life and that she should get something out of it. >> we were very stressed during that time, because we didn't know how to work it out.

>> so it got heated in the jury room? >> it did. very much so. >> i hear that you got frustrated because one of the jurors wouldn't even admit that she pulled the trigger? >> yes. >> refused to believe it. >> and i looked at her and i was like, "what?" i was ready to come across that table and strangle her, because i thought that was completely ridiculous. >> the jury also had doubts about the prosecution's claim that mary killed matthew to avoid embarrassment over their alleged financial troubles. >> people did not care about the money aspect of it. that was not what was on our minds. >> even though she was called by the bank to go see them the next day, the day he was shot? >> no. at the very forefront was the abuse. it never wavered from the forefront of our thoughts.

>> the jurors could convict mary of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, voluntary or involuntary manslaughter, and it's anyone's guess where they were going to go. >> and now you are looking at a live picture inside the courtroom. there you see matthew winkler's family, and they're all waiting for the jury. >> after eight hours of deliberation, the jury had finally reached a verdict. >> and members of the jury are expected to read that verdict coming up momentarily. >> ms. winkler, if you could please stand, ma'am. >> and in true mary winkler fashion, she remained stoic as the verdict was read. >> we, the jury, find the defendant, mary c. winkler, guilty of voluntary manslaughter. >> there was a little bit of a gasp in the audience. i don't know that many people expected her to be convicted of anything less than first-degree murder. >> with voluntary manslaughter, there is an intent to kill, but you were provoked by something. >> there you see mary winkler's

father, and he looks a little bit surprised there. >> to the shock of mary's supporters and the dismay of matthew's, mary will face just three to six years behind bars. >> would this jury have allowed mary to walk free? >> part of them would have. they felt like she had already lived through prison with the life that she lived and that it was justified and that she deserved to be free. >> that's why you compromised and agreed to the lesser charge? >> yes, because i didn't want her to walk. >> in tennessee, 33-year-old mary winkler is awaiting sentencing after being found guilty of killing her preacher husband. >> on june 8th, 2007, everyone gathered in the courtroom for mary's sentencing as she pled for mercy. >> i think of matthew every day the guilt. and i'll always miss him and love him. there were bad times, but there were good times.

and i wish i could have that good matthew. and then we could live together forever. >> if i were matthew's parents, that statement would've felt like a kick in the teeth. it was so disregarding of their feelings on facing this reality. >> matthew was a wonderful person. he loved life, he loved his family. he loved the lord god with all of his heart and soul and mind. the monster that you have painted for the world to see -- i don't think that monster existed. there's been no remorse from you. you've never told your girls you're sorry. don't you think you at least owe them that? you've never told us you're sorry. i think you at least owe us that. >> i can understand why a mother would more than ask that.

and i would think a mother, as in mary, would also want to apologize. the damage is done. >> when the judge handed down the sentence, you could have heard a pin drop in that room. >> the defendant is hereby sentenced to a term of three years. her sentence is to be served in split confinement with 210 days of incarceration with appropriate credit to be given. >> with time served, mary winkler spent only one more week in jail, in this very cell, and then 60 days in a mental health facility. to her supporters, it was a clear victory. but to others, it was nothing more than a slap on the wrist. >> people were very shocked by that sentence and really couldn't believe it. >> matthew's parents had to feel betrayed by the system. they had to feel as if the jury had been played. >> when you found out that she

was going to get such a short sentence, what went through your mind? >> i was heartbroken. actually, i felt like i had failed. i felt like i had failed, like i didn't do my part, that i had let her off. >> i believe she should have served more time. but we did what we did because that was all we could do. >> after the trial, the town of selmer remained divided over whether mary really got justice. meanwhile, for mary, the saga isn't over. >> after the sentencing, the public thought, okay, that's it, they've heard everything. but it was not. >> she wasn't finished talking. she wanted to tell her story to everyone. >> hi. >> oprah. >> nice to meet you. >> nice to meet you. >> tell me why you wanted to have this conversation today. with nurtec odt, i found relief.

the only migraine medication that helps treat and prevent, all in one. to those with migraine, i see you. for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura and the preventive treatment of episodic migraine in adults. don't take if allergic to nurtec odt. allergic reactions can occur, even days after using. most common side effects were nausea, indigestion, and stomach pain. it's time we all shine. talk to a healthcare provider about nurtec odt from pfizer. ♪ ♪lk to a healthcare provider ♪ ohh baby ♪ ♪ i feel like the music sounds better with you ♪ great brands, great prices. discover it all at kohl's. 100% of dark spots are intensified by the sun. bright reveal daily sunscreen. no whitecast. wear spf every single day, rain or shine. anti-dark spot sunscreen by l'oréal paris.

my 100% all-white meat popcorn chicken combos for $6.99? you're in luck, i did. if you weren't thinking that, i bet you are now. my popcorn chicken combos are only $6.99. get 'em sauced & loaded for just a buck more. welcome to jack in the box!

introducing the best rated burger in fast food. my new smashed jack. a quarter pound smashed patty with perfectly imperfect edges, melty cheese and new boss sauce on a soft brioche bun. just one bite and you'll have a new favorite burger. try it today! welcome to jack in the box!

♪ after serving an additional seven days in jail, mary winkler finished out the remainder of her sentence at an undisclosed mental health facility. while there, she had a visitor on the weekends. turns out while she was working out the dry cleaner, she struck up a relationship with her boss' brother. his name, darrell pillow. >> i saw interest in mary and i thought mary saw interest in me. >> darrell pillow says sparks flew. it was an instant attraction when he met mary at his brother's dry cleaners. >> i was attracted to mary, and we do have a lot in common. we laugh. we got the same hobbies. it felt very normal. it felt like it was meant to be, you know, that we was meant to

be together. i know the first time that we sat on the couch and i hugged her and she said, "oh, i've missed this." and that's what she needed. she needed somebody to hold her and hug her. >> i remember hearing that she may have had a new acquaintance. >> she was just a very sweet girl. i mean, it just -- she felt -- it felt normal to be with mary. no, i never felt scared or threatened. our relationship was on -- we had an adult relationship. >> even though mary was in the mental health facility, darrell says he would come to visit her on weekends. the two were able to get closer, and he says they even got to the point where they discussed marriage. >> we kind of joked around about it, you know, but it wasn't nothing serious. it's not like we set a date. you know, maybe years down the road it may happen, i don't know. but it -- you know, the option's there. >> but soon after mary was

released from the facility, darrell says she ended things with him. >> she just said, "darrell, i've got to be single right now." and i said, "that's fine." she needs to be focused on her children, and that's where she's at right now. she is focused on her children. >> since her arrest, even though she had visitation rights, mary's three daughters had been living with matthew's parents, diane and dan winkler. >> but once back in mcminville and living with friends, mary is on a mission to get those three girls back. >> mary's got a long way to go, but she's on her road. she's on the way. she's going to make it. since she's gotten home, the mary we came to know and love, the beginning, the cutting up, you know, she's back. >> mary was determined to fight, and one way she could do that was by being the perfect parolee. >> how do you think her time in jail impacted her life? >> well, she had time to think about what happened, i'm sure,

and reflect on what she had done. and i am sure she wanted to get out so she'd get back with her children as soon as possible. her children were very important to her. >> she lives and breathes every day for those girls. what she wants to do is get on with her life, let people leave her alone, get her girls back and mourn her husband. that's her words. >> now back home, the once shy and demure former preacher's wife who wanted a quiet life raised eyebrows again after making one of her first stops "the oprah winfrey show." telling oprah she hoped by speaking out, her story might help others. >> an "oprah" exclusive. >> for the first time mary winkler, the wife who killed her pastor husband. >> mary winkler appeared on "oprah" just as she appeared on the stand, very soft-spoken, very meek and mild. but i remember oprah wasn't buying any of it, oprah didn't

let her off the hook. >> was the shotgun in the baby's room? >> no, it -- we kept it in a closet. it's just -- i -- i can't -- there's a lot of things that don't make sense to me. >> imagine, it doesn't make sense to me either. >> i know. i know. >> she kept prying and prying and asking her, just telling her, "okay, help me make sense of this." >> the gun is aimed at him at some point. do you remember that? >> well, no, because when i heard the boom, i just took out of there and took off running. >> and then mary explained to oprah the importance of getting those girls back. >> i'm their mother. >> you killed their father. >> i did not want any of this to happen. >> even though the girls had been living at matthew's parents' home, the winklers wanted to formalize it.

they filed a lawsuit to adopt their granddaughters and terminate mary's parental rights. >> mary winkler looked happy and confident when she walked into the courthouse in huntingdon another showdown with her in-laws over custody of her three daughters. >> but there's still one more turn to come in mary's roller coaster ride of a life. >> her life seems to be normal except for one thing. >> one more startling secret to reveal. >> something else had happened to mary winkler that was surprising and shocking. incredibly nurturing and encouraging.

honest! truly my rock. she's hilarious. —cheeky. —cheeky? yeah, you think you're funny. i am funny. she really truly makes me feel loved. i love that they're true romantics, in spite of it all. (giggles) the most authentic and real person in the world. thanks, dyl. yeah! i am who i am because she is who she is. diamonds for all mothers. pandora. lab-grown diamonds. i told myself i was ok with my moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. with my psoriatic arthritis symptoms. but just ok isn't ok. and i was done settling. if you still have symptoms after a tnf blocker like humira or enbrel, rinvoq is different and may help. rinvoq is a once-daily pill that can rapidly relieve joint pain, stiffness, and swelling in ra and psa. relieve fatigue... and stop further joint damage. and in psa, can leave skin clear or almost clear. rinvoq can lower your ability to fight infections,

including tb. serious infections and blood clots, some fatal; cancers, including lymphoma and skin; heart attack, stroke, and gi tears occurred. people 50 and older with a heart disease risk factor have an increased risk of death. serious allergic reactions can occur. tell your doctor if you are or may become pregnant. done settling? ask your rheumatologist for rinvoq. and take back what's yours. abbvie could help you save. (woman) ugh, of course it stops loading at the best part. (tony hale) i wasn't eavesdropping, yes i was. you need verizon. get their crazy powerful network out here, and get six months of disney bundle on them! and it is all good. (vo) that's right, stream on the go, with six months of disney bundle on us.

all your favorite content from hulu, disney plus and espn plus is all yours, and watch it all on the new galaxy s24+, also on us. only on verizon. zyrtec allergy relief works fast and lasts a full 24 hours so dave can be the... deliverer of dance. ok, dave! let's be more than our allergies. zeize the day with zyrtec. ♪ since her arrest, mary winkler has been locked in a custody battle with matthew's parents. and finally, after months without her children, they reached an informal agreement out of court, giving mary

permission to take her three daughters back. >> my girls are my girls and i'm their mother, and we were just put back together. and we picked up where we were separated. >> after finally getting her children back, mary winkler sits down for one more exclusive interview with janice broach to reveal yet another setback in her life. >> tonight, mary winkler is back, and she has a secret. >> i had found out that mary had been diagnosed with m.s., multiple sclerosis. >> my right hand and my right foot were completely disabled. could not use. and so i was very fortunate that i have been able to come back to full capacity. >> 17 years after she shot her husband, mary winkler lives a quiet life. but to this day, there are still lingering questions in selmer about whether justice was served

in her case. >> i believe that she actually got away with murder of her husband. justice was not served, in my opinion. >> was mary winkler a victim or a villain? >> both. >> did mary get away with murder? >> yes, she did. >> she's going to have to answer for what she did. it's not up to me to forgive her. what she did is between her and matthew and his family and god. >> as for matthew's parents, this tragedy that befell their son is still painfully close to their hearts. >> his father, dan, can be seen giving a sermon in this palm beach lakes church of christ video posted on youtube just last month.

>> 18 years ago, trauma knocked on the front door of our house, and we lost a son. i live with that emptiness all of the time. it's been almost two decades. but i remember the sound of his voice. and every time we sit down at a christmas table as a family, there's an empty place. >> david: a father still grieving. our own john quinones reached out to mary winkler at her home, but she told him she didn't want to talk about what happened all those years ago. >> deborah: that's right, david. she said she's moved on and she's busy taking care of her daughters. those daughters are now 18, 24, and 26. that's our program for tonight. thanks so much for watching. i'm deb la roberts. >> david: i'm david muir. from all of us here at "20/20"

and abc news, good night. good evening. i'm ama daetz and i'm dan ashley. >> thanks for joining us. a celebration of life was held tonight for mario gonzales. it was three years ago today that he died after officers pinned him to the ground, face down