Horrifying .... Subject: [New post] Outburst puts pause to Winkler murder trial New post on Mountain Democrat Outburst puts pause to Winkler murder trial by Cole Mayer The prosecutions opening statement of the Todd Winkler murder trial was marred by an explosive outburst by the defendant, screaming at the prosecutor and bringing a pause to the proceedings. This is a case about a mastermind, a manipulator, a murderer, Deputy District Attorney Lisette Suder began in her opening statement. On Feb. 27, 2012, Winkler kicked, punched, bit and stabbed his wife, Rachel, with scissors, she said. He then left the room. Rachel was able to get up, close the door and get into a corner of the room. Meanwhile, Todd Winkler went to the garage, got a motorcycle jacket out of his car, crashed through the door, fell down, grabbed the scissors again, grabbed his wife and stabbed the scissors 1.5 inches into her jugular. He lays on top of her while she slowly dies ... begging and pleading that they could work it out. Six or seven hours later, he called his neighbor, David Becker, a lawyer, who then called 911. In that time, Suder said, Winkler cleaned up the crime scene. He started a fire in the fireplace to burn things. When a deputy did arrive at the scene, it was 17 minutes before Winkler came out of the house. He surrendered and gave a brief statement. He admits he did it, but was self-serving. He said Rachel attacked him in a long, protracted battle. As Suder said this, graphic photos were displayed for the jury comparing the wounds of Rachel and Todd. Suder noted that Rachel had defensive wounds to her hands, cutting down to the tendon to the point where her fingers would not be able to close. One eye was stabbed through, with another stab wound outside the eye, down to the bone. She had a stab wound through her lip, a broken rip, a stab wound across her back, with abrasions, contusions and bites on her legs and arms. The evidence will show you, its about money, Suder continued. Rachel wanted a divorce. Todd didnt want to — and couldnt — pay alimony or child support. They did not have a good marriage, she said, and Rachel had been having an affair with James White for a year and a half. Rachel and Todd slept in different rooms. Todd spent the work week in the Bay Area. They had a plane, boat and two nice cars but no money. They were in debt, they owed on everything. Rachel had to borrow money to feed and clothe their three children. She told White that she was worried Im going to be offed over child support. It was not the first time Winkler had a wife die only to have significant gains. On Sept. 26, 1999, his second wife, Cathy, died during a camping trip in an auto accident where she burned alive. Todd had no major injuries, despite allegedly having been thrown from a car after going into anaphylactic shock due to a bee sting, prompting Cathy to drive him out of the campsite. It was at this point in the opening statement that Winkler started hitting his forehead with his palms, began to rise out of his chair and screamed, You do not speak the truth, you only want to destroy! while being restrained by a bailiff and his attorney, David Weiner. After a break in which the jury and spectators were cleared of the courtroom, and a short closed hearing was held, the trial continued. Suder continued, describing Todd as totally fine after the accident while Cathy was dead. Todd gained $1.1 million from his wifes death. His manipulations scared, very much, Rachel. When Rachel found Cathys ashes in a cardboard box in the garage, she asked, Well, is this how Im going to turn out? Suder told the jury that Todd replied, Well youre not going to get in my way, are you? Manipulations continued outside of relationships, with a faked nervous breakdown in Amsterdam during a business trip where he was told his presentation was inappropriate and would not be given. He intended to drive a car off a cliff and jump out to collect insurance, he had told Rachel. That scared her so much, Suder said, that Rachel went to a group of friends, one a lawyer, to file for divorce and obtain a restraining order. The night before her death, she visited a friend, Dean Essenmacher, to do bookkeeping. She asked to use his fax machine the next morning. She related that a week before, Todd had told her, If you divorce me, you will end up like my last wife, Suder said. She did. Cole Mayer | September 23, 2014 at 1:07 pm | Tags: A1 | Categories: News | URL: wp.me/p23AZn-1XyM Comment See all comments Unsubscribe to no longer receive posts from Mountain Democrat. Change your email settings at Manage Subscriptions. Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser: mtdemocrat/news/outburst-puts-pause-to-winkler-murder-trial/
Posted on: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 01:45:59 +0000
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