HUNTINGDON, Tenn. — A woman convicted of killing her minister husband two years ago was granted permanent custody of their three young daughters Friday and said she has resumed a cordial relationship with the grandparents who fought to take the children away from her.
Mary Winkler was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the 2006 death of her husband, Matthew, a Church of Christ minister, and is on probation for the killing she blamed on domestic abuse. Winkler, who spent seven months in jail and a mental institution, has had temporary custody of her girls — ages 11, 9 and 3 — since August.
Judge Ron Harmon of Carroll County Chancery Court returned full custody after a brief hearing, saying he was pleased that Winkler and her former in-laws are working together for the good of the children.
Paternal grandparents Dan and Diane Winkler of Huntingdon took temporary custody of the children after their mother’s arrest and went to court trying to adopt them over her objections. They accused Winkler of being an unfit mother.
After the hearing, Winkler walked across the courtroom and hugged the grandparents. “That was not my first time to hug them today. We’ve been seeing each other regularly lately,” Winkler said.
