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American Morning
Police Finally Locate Wife of Pastor Killed in Tennessee; Another Fatal Accident During Dream Vacation
Aired March 24, 2006 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, I'm Soledad O'Brien.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: I'm John Roberts, in for Miles O'Brien.
Good Friday morning to you.
O'BRIEN: Woo-hoo, I think it's fair to say.
ROBERTS: It sounds so good.
O'BRIEN: Stories we're updating for you. Police finally locate the wife of a pastor killed in Tennessee. Now she is a suspect in his death.
A community prays for the safe return of two missing boys in Milwaukee. And now federal agents have joined in that search.
ROBERTS: Another fatal accident during a dream vacation. A person is dead following a fire onboard a luxury liner.
A disturbing story out of Los Angeles this morning. You're watching video of a homeless woman who was tossed out of a hospital and on to skid row.
O'BRIEN: And a day without Latinos. Thousands of immigrants voice their anger over the prospect of tougher immigration laws. We will take a look at that ahead on this AMERICAN MORNING.
We begin with the killing of a church pastor in Tennessee. His wife and three young daughters found in Alabama. And now the wife is being questioned about the death. The body of 31-year-old Matthew Winkler was found on Wednesday night at the Fourth Street Church of Christ Parsonage in Selmer. His wife and three young daughters missing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROGER RICKMAN, SELMER POLICE: We arrived on the scene and did determine that there was a white male in the bedroom who was deceased. He was shot in the back. No signs of struggle. No signs of forced entry or anything.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: The wife, Mary Winkler and her daughters were found last night in the Alabama coastal town of Orange Beach. Investigators from Tennessee are headed there to talk to her.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN MEHR, TENN. BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION: I would say she is a suspect at this time. Just due to the nature of this, that she's alive and well, of course. But she does have the children and she's in the van so, we would consider her a suspect at this time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: We'll have more on the investigation in just about 15 minutes when we speak with the spokeswoman for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Another developing story we're following, the extensive search for those two boys. One who's 12 years old, the other one who's 11 years old. That's in Milwaukee. A vigil for Quadrevion Henning and Purvis Parker held last night outside of the home of one of the grandfather of one of the boys. They vanished issued while playing outside on Sunday. Another vigil for the two is planned for tonight. Despite searches in several areas, police say they have no significant leads. Police also say they are baffled that someone would be able to abduct two boys.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNE SCHWARTZ, MILWAUKEE POLICE DEPT.: Two boys that were with each other and they're older. You know, they're big kids. These kids about 100 to 120 pounds apiece. They're not small children. So, you know, again, we are just mystified. It is as though they have vanished into thin air.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: Anne Schwartz is the spokeswoman for the Milwaukee Police. We're going to talk with her live at the half hour -- John.
ROBERTS: Trouble onboard a cruise ship. A fire. One person is dead, 11 others treated for smoke inhalation. It happened on the cruise ship Star Princess as it was sailing for Jamaica.
AMERICAN MORNING's Bob Franken joins us live from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, which was supposed to be the ship's final destination.
Good morning to you, Bob.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATL. CORRESPONDENT: It was -- good morning, John. It was the embarkation point. And it will be coming back here in a couple of days. First there has to be A Coast guard investigation into this very unusual fire. It started, they believe, by a smoldering cigarette. But it becomes just another incident for the industry of bad publicity.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FRANKEN (voice-over): Eleven million people went on cruises last year, but it's been a tough week for the cruise ship industry. On Wednesday, 12 Americans were killed in a tour bus crash in the mountains of northern Chile. They were on a land-based excursion from the Celebrity cruise ship Millennium.
Then on Thursday, a fire broke out onboard the Princess cruise ship in the Caribbean. One passenger died and at least 11 others injured. The two incidents have renewed concerns about dangers associated with cruise ship travel.
The disappearance of a Connecticut man, George Smith, from a Mediterranean cruise while on his honeymoon last summer turned the spotlight on ship safety.
Industry officials say at least 28 people have gone missing from cruise ships in the past three years, and only five have been found. They were at least 177 reports of sexual assault.
Earlier this month, Congress heard testimony about high crimes on the high seas when Janet Kelly told lawmakers that a bartender on a cruise ship raped her.
JANET KELLY, CRUISE SHIP CRIME VICTIM: And I'm really hoping by coming and speaking today at Congress that they can fix it so that the next guy gets justice, because it just really wasn't right how it was handled. The crew member that did this to me was actually re- employed.
FRANKEN: And it's not only crime, but illness which has created a negative perception of the cruise industry. There have been outbreaks of the Norwalk gastrointestinal virus, most recently on a Royal Caribbean cruise month.
MATT VANDERLAAN, CRUISE SHIP PASSENGER: The captain did come and make an announcement saying that there an outbreak of a virus, and that we needed to take extra precautions and washing our hands and doing simply things, so as not to transmit it.
(on camera): So did all that and didn't get sick?
VANDERLAAN: I did all that and didn't get sick. But I was lucky. The rest of my group wasn't as lucky.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: Bob Franken reporting for us this morning from Ft. Lauderdale.
What are some safety tips for travelers? In our next hour, we're going to ask Pauline Frommer of the "Frommer's Travel Guide" more about that -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: In Baghdad today, deadly violence at a bakery and on the streets, too. Gunfire ripped through the bakery, killing four workers. The attackers left a bomb behind. And that, when opened, killed a police officer. Two hours later, two police officers were killed in an attack on an patrol (ph). And the discovery today seven bodies bound, apparently tortured, and then shot to death.
Let's get right to CNN's senior international correspondent Nic Robertson. He's in Baghdad for us this morning.
Nic, good morning.
Let's talk about a couple of stories. Not only the update on this grizzly violence, but also the three former hostages who were just freed I guess a little more than a day now. Update us on both stories.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTL. CORRESPONDENT: Really, Soledad, they're just beginning to enjoy that freedom a little bit, and perhaps clean up after their four-month ordeal.
Norman Kember, the 74-year-old British peace activist, has said that he's now has a chance to shave, that he's had a long, relaxing bath, and that he's enjoyed a full English breakfast, though he says he's very ready to go home and be reunited with his family.
The elder of the two Canadians, James Loney, described to his brother by phone the meal that he had. He said it had a chicken and potato dinner with some, quote, "very nice soup."
Harmeet Sooden is the younger of the two Canadians who were held hostage. All three men, it appears, now as if they will go through some form of questioning process with intelligence officials before they're actually allowed to go home and properly reunite with their families -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Nic Robertson for us this morning. Nic, thank you.
U.S. Army Major General Rick Lynch briefed reporters on that hostage release. We're going to get details from him on the operation live in our next hour -- John.
ROBERTS: Latinos across the country are organizing against an immigration bill. A boycott and work stoppage is planned for today in Atlanta. A rally in Los Angeles tomorrow could bring 500,000 protesters out on the streets.
Ten-thousand to 15,000 People demonstrated in Milwaukee on Thursday on what was called "A Day Without Latinos." A bill that has already cleared the house would make employers verify the immigration status of their employees. Critics say it would force 11 million or 12 million illegal immigrants of the country, after declaring them felons.
We will talk with one of the protest organizers in our next hour.
Certainly immigration reform is shaping up to be one of the hot button issues of the next presidential campaign, not to mention the 2006 midterm elections, even pitting Republicans against each other. Next week the issue moves into the Senate, but already President Bush is calling for a civil debate on the issue. Will it be?
CNN White House correspondent Dana Bash joins us live with more on that.
Good morning to you, Dana.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John.
And as you just mentioned, motions are very high over the immigration issue. The debate is already heated, and there are a lot of reasons why that concerns the president. So his message is cool it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BASH (voice-over): Knowing how divisive the immigration issue is, the president tried to lower the already intensely heated rhetoric in advance of next week's Senate debate. Make it civil, he said.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRES. OF THE UNITED STATES: It must be done in a way that brings dignity to the process. It must be done in a way that doesn't pit one group of people against another.
BASH: But Mr. Bush also used his short statement to advocate the very position that many in his own party say is akin to amnesty for illegal immigrants and vowed defeat.
BUSH: Part of enforcing our borders is to have a guest worker program that encourages people to register their presence so that we know who they are.
BASH: The president's support for allowing illegal workers the chance to obtain temporary visas and stay in the U.S. has always pitted him against many Republicans.
BASH: Yet not long after his 2004 reelection in 2004, he argued he could use his self-described political capital to fight GOP opponents on the issue.
BUSH: I look forward 20 working. You asked me what my tactics are. I'm going to find supporters on the hill and move it.
BASH: But back then, he had a 55 percent approval rating. Now it is nearly 20 points lower. The ports controversy showed many Republicans are not afraid of challenging the struggling president. Immigration threatens to be another internal GOP mine field.
NORMAN ORNSTEIN, AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INST.: As difficult as the immigration bill is to bring up at any time, this is not a good time for the president. His leverage is at its low point probably in his presidency with his own party. He's got a group of nervous Republicans looking ahead to a possibly disastrous election.
BASH: A senior officials said the president had been eager to fight conservatives for a measure he's pushed since coming into office, but now, that aide admits, the White House is in no position to, quote, "agitate."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BASH: Now one big political concern here is that the GOP opposition to the president's guest worker program will actually anger Hispanic voters that the Bush team has worked very hard to court, and actually made significance gains with in the last election -- John.
O'BRIEN: How is all of this affecting the 2008 race, Dana?
BASH: There are a lot of subplots and mini-dramas in this immigration debate, and certainly how the potential candidates for president in 2008 are positioning themselves is one of the big ones.
The question that they're asking themselves is, are they going to try to appeal to the conservative base, or are they going to try to appeal perhaps to the business interest and minorities who, as I said, the Republicans have been trying to court. You have, for example, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, who will likely bring this bill to the floor next week without the president's guest worker program. You have Senator John McCain, who very much supports the guest worker program.
On the Democratic side, you have Hillary Rodham Clinton, who this week lashed out at Republicans for, as she said, punishing illegal workers. And, John, it is because of that dynamic that a lot of people -- actually most people think it's pretty unlikely the president will actually see an immigration bill at his desk.
ROBERTS: Yes I mean, Senator Clinton went so far to say that the bill that's proposed in the Senate would declare Christ a felon for helping people out.
BASH: Quite a comment.
O'BRIEN: No question this is going to be a big issue for the next couple of years.
Dana, thanks very much.
BASH: Thank you.
(WEATHER REPORT)
ROBERTS: Coming up, a videotape that has shocked one community. Hospitals accused of dumping patients on skid row.
O'BRIEN: Also this morning, we're going to have more on the search for those two boys in Wisconsin. We'll talk to Milwaukee police about what they're doing to find them.
ROBERTS: And coming up next, more on that pastor found shot to death in Tennessee. Is his wife the only suspect? We'll hear from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Stay with us. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: More now on a developing story that we're following out of Tennessee for you, a pastor's wife being questioned in the death of her husband. He was found shot dead in his home. She was found in Alabama with the couple's three young children.
Jennifer Johnson is a spokeswoman with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. She joins us from Nashville this morning.
Mrs. Johnson, thanks for talking with us.
JENNIFER JOHNSON, TENNESSEE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION: Thank you.
O'BRIEN: Have you had an opportunity to interview Mary Winkler? What'd she say.
JOHNSON: We've had agents there all night. This happened around 7:30 Central Time. We actually went out the door at that point. So they spent a lot of the night traveling. The Alabama Bureau of Investigation has also helped us with interviewing her.
I can't really go into the details of what she may or may not have said. She has not been arrested per se, but we do consider her a suspect.
O'BRIEN: So what -- so is it what she says is making her a suspect, or her actions?
JOHNSON: It's more or less the scenario in general. You know, we didn't know for more than 28 hours his body was inside that home. Once we were apprised of that, she was missing, the kids were missing, and we knew all along she would either be a suspect or a victim. We weren't sure which. And of course when we found the van with her safely inside, the children inside and no one else around, we had really nothing else to go on.
Now she may, you know, shed some light on this and give us names or information that would lead us in another direction, and that is why I say she has not been arrested yet.
O'BRIEN: OK. Are there any other suspects that you're naming, or pointing to or thinking about?
JOHNSON: No, not at all. We did obtain a search warrant last night and started the process of going through that van. I'm not at liberty to discuss what we found in there. But to my knowledge, there has been nothing else to indicate any other names or any other suspects.
O'BRIEN: Are you at liberty to explain why she might be in Alabama, 400-some odd miles from the crime scene?
JOHNSON: No. And that's part what we're trying to piece together. When we put the Amber Alert out, we had some sightings in about six different southeastern states. Now we're starting look back to those to figure out which may have been credible, to try to maybe assess where she went during that time period.
When the authorities in Orange County found her, she was literally parked along the side of the road in that van, so, you know, it's unclear if she was traveling that whole time, if they stayed anywhere. Those are all things that we're trying to piece together.
O'BRIEN: Matthew Winkler, the pastor, is described as outgoing and charismatic. She has been described by friends and neighbors as unassuming. Do you have any information -- I know it's got to be part of your investigation -- about the couple's relationship?
JOHNSON: We looked -- at the very onset, we looked to see if there was any history of domestic violence or anything that would lead us down a path of that nature, and there simply was nothing.
You know, we've heard from various people who said, you know, maybe they may have been having problems about this, that, or the other, but certainly nothing that would warrant something like this, or really even be unusual in any marriage.
O'BRIEN: They have three daughters, as we mentioned. The girls found in the minivan with the mom ages one, six and eight. What kind of shape are the girls in when they were found? Did they have any knowledge that something had happened back at home?
JOHNSON: I don't believe that they did. They seemed to be in good physical condition. I don't know what may have happened overnight, because it's my understanding that the Alabama Children Services, or whatever the department is there in Alabama that works with children, has been taking care of them overnight, and I can't really say what the children may have said during that period.
O'BRIEN: So does that mean the girls have been now taken away from the mother and there is an arrest pending?
JOHNSON: Well, she is, you know, being detained for questioning, so clearly, it wouldn't have been a good situation to have the children there, you know, in that -- in the police station or whatnot.
So that's my understanding, is that the Alabama Department of Children Services was called in to really take care of them. You'd really have to talk to them to find out what's happened to the children. They may be back in the hands of family members this morning. I don't know those details.
O'BRIEN: All right. Jennifer Johnson with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Thank you for talking with us this morning.
JOHNSON: Thank you.
O'BRIEN: What a bizarre case. More information coming out soon -- John.
ROBERTS: Thanks, Soledad. Coming up on AMERICAN MORNING, more on those two boys that are missing in Milwaukee. They disappeared on Sunday, and there's still no lead in the case. We'll talk with a police spokeswoman and see where the search goes from here.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MARKET REPORT)
O'BRIEN: A look at the top stories straight ahead this morning, including some troubling videotape out of Los Angeles. Take a look at these pictures. This is a hospital patient, a woman, apparently dumped on skid row by the hospital. Police say it's not the first time it's happened. We'll look into that.
And then, after two vacation tragedies this week that we've been reporting, the deadly tour bus crash and Thursday's cruise ship fire, we'll take a look at what you can do to make sure you travel safely. Some tips ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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