Funds disputed in case of slain Tennessee pastor

Posted: Wednesday, June 24, 2009 9:18 pm
By: AP

HUNTINGDON (AP) — The father of a slain minister on Tuesday defended his use of donations collected for his grandchildren to fund a custody fight with the children’s mother.
Mary Winkler was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter and is on probation for the 2006 killing of her husband, Matthew Winkler.
Mary Winkler returned to court this week and wants her former in-laws to repay donations she says were intended for her three daughters but were used for legal fees, a family trip to Disney World and other items.
Paternal grandparents Dan and Diane Winkler of Huntingdon took temporary custody of their grandchildren after their mother’s arrest.
Matthew Winkler, 31, was killed by a shotgun blast to the back at the church residence he shared with his wife and children in Selmer.
Mary Winkler, who spent seven months in jail and a mental institution, blamed the killing on years of emotional and physical abuse from her husband.
The church where Dan Winkler is a pastor collected more than $226,000 in donations, most used for legal fees when the grandparents filed a lawsuit seeking full custody of the girls. Mary Winkler regained custody in September 2008.
Dan Winkler testified Tuesday he withdrew money from and signed checks for the church-created account but did not know details on the funds and never viewed bank statements.
“It didn’t belong to the children; it belonged to the church,” Dan Winkler said. “That was the church’s money intended to help me and my family.”
He said he wrote checks to himself to reimburse himself for attorney fees, a family trip to Disney World, counseling for the girls, bedroom furniture, clothes, sporting goods, summer camp expenses and computers. About $11,000 remains in the account.
Mary Winkler’s attorney, Kay Turner, spent most of the day questioning Dan Winkler on his personal finances and his involvement with the church-created fund.
Turner introduced into evidence checks written and signed by Dan Winkler, including a check written for $35,627.17 that he said was given to a Honda dealership to purchase a minivan.
Mary Winkler quietly wept as her former father-in-law read a church bulletin that asked for prayers and donations.
“This money will be used for the immediate needs of the children and later on their educational needs,” he read, as instructed during questioning by Turner.
Records on the fund are under court seal but are being discussed in the public trial.
Also in dispute is a trust fund a family friend established in Brentwood. A flyer that includes a picture of the girls, then ages 11, 9 and 1, says “the monies from this will help heal the hearts of the Winkler girls” and will go to their general care, counseling and education.
Dan Winkler said he has never had any involvement with that trust fund.
The money donated to the girls first came into question in March 2008 when their court-appointed guardian Robert Hawley filed a motion asking the court to investigate the trust fund.
Turner said it seemed as though the Winklers intended to mislead people by naming two separate funds both the Winkler Family Fund.
Dan Winkler also said he set up three bank accounts, each in the name of his granddaughters and had their Social Security checks directly deposited into them. He said he withdrew about $240 from each account monthly to pay for groceries and diapers and to give the girls allowances.
The trial was to continue today.
Published in The Messenger 6.24.09