Tennessee Pastor Slain, Family Located

A Tennessee church pastor was found shot to death after he failed to show up for Wednesday night services and a statewide Amber Alert was issued for his missing wife and three young daughters, who were found safe later in southern Alabama.

When pastor Matthew Winkler failed to attend Wednesday evening services at Forth Street Church of Christ in Selmer, Tennessee, church members went to the parsonage to check on him. They found him dead in a bedroom and no one else at home.

UPDATE: Thursday night, Mary Winkler and her three daughters were found in Orange Beach, Alabama, when a police officer spotted their van parked on the side of the road and stopped to help. All were in good physical condition, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Jennifer Johnson said, and no one else was with them.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation issued a statewide Amber Alert Thursday morning for the couple's daughters, Breanna, 1, Mary Alice, 6, and Patricia, 8. They are possibly with their mother, Mary Winkler, a 32-year-old, white female, 5'3" tall and weighs 120-125 pounds. They are believed to be traveling in a gray 2006 Toyota Sienna Van with Tennessee License Plate NDX288.

The Winkler Family
Family photo

Investigators said Mary Winkler was a substitute teacher who substituted Tuesday at a local elementary school. Church members said they knew of no problems within the family.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Selmer Police Department at 731-645-7906 or TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND.

See Also:
Tenn. Pastor Found Slain, Amber Alert Issued for Family
Amber Alert Issued for Three Tennessee Children

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