reporter: and? she won. and so, in september of 2014, when todd winker went on trial charged with first-degree murder of second wife rachel, lisette suder could use the georgia story about first wife cathy s death 15 years earlier against him. and the defense? dismissed the georgia case out of hand. irrelevant, said todd s attorney. cathy winkler s death was thoroughly investigated, he said. and it was not ruled a murder, because it was not a murder. there s no evidence of anything other than an accident. reporter: todd s attorney was able to explain away the things that had raised suspicion. cathy s family was wrong, said the defense. she loved camping. a ranger who saw them making their dinner way up in this remote spot, so far from any other living soul, said they seemed happy. and the insurance money, remember that? that wasn t motive, just business as usual for a pair of upper-middle class professionals. in addition to the insurance
against him. and the defense? dismissed the georgia case out of hand. irrelevant, said todd s attorney. cathy winkler s death was thoroughly investigated, he said. and it was not ruled a murder, because it was not a murder. there s no evidence of anything other than an accident. todd s attorney was able to explain away the things that had raised suspicion. cathy s family was wrong, said the defense. she loved camping. a ranger who saw them making their dinner way up in this remote spot, so far from any other living soul, said they seemed happy. and the insurance money, remember that? that wasn t motive, just business as usual for a pair of upper-middle class professionals. in addition to the insurance policy of about $1.1 million that cathy had at the time of her death on her own life, he had $1.2 million on his own life. no, cathy and todd were a young upwardly mobile couple. life insurance was cheap, easy to get.
cathy winkler s death was thoroughly investigated, he said. and it was not ruled a murder, because it was not a murder. there s no evidence of anything other than an accident. todd s attorney was able to explain away the things that had raised suspicion. cathy s family was wrong, said the defense. she loved camping. a ranger who saw them making their dinner way up in this remote spot, so far from any other living soul, said they seemed happy. and the insurance money, remember that? that wasn t motive, just business as usual for a pair of upper-middle class professionals. in addition to the insurance policy of about $1.1 million that cathy had at the time of her death on her own life, he had $1.2 million on his own life. no, cathy and todd were a young upwardly mobile couple. life insurance was cheap, easy to get. they both had it. anyway, todd loved cathy. why else would he keep her ashes all these years. cathy s death, said the defense, had nothing whatever to do with
i felt confident that i had the law behind me on that. and i submitted my brief, and i that supported that. reporter: and? she won. and so, in september of 2014, when todd winker went on trial charged with first-degree murder of second wife rachel, lisette suder could use the georgia story about first wife cathy s death 15 years earlier against him. and the defense? dismissed the georgia case out of hand. irrelevant, said todd s attorney. cathy winkler s death was thoroughly investigated, he said. and it was not ruled a murder, because it was not a murder. there s no evidence of anything other than an accident. reporter: todd s attorney was able to explain away the things that had raised suspicion. cathy s family was wrong, said the defense. she loved camping. a ranger who saw them making their dinner way up in this remote spot, so far from any other living soul, said they seemed happy. and the insurance money, remember that? that wasn t motive, just business as usual for a pai
she won. and so, september of 2014, when todd winker went on trial charged with first-degree murder of second wife rachel, lisette suder could use the georgia story about first wife cathy s death 15 years earlier against him. and the defense? dismissed the georgia case out of hand. irrelevant, said todd s attorney. cathy winkler s death was thoroughly investigated, he said. and was not ruled a murder, because it was not a murder. there s no evidence of anything other than an accident. reporter: todd s attorney was able to explain away the things that had raised suspicion. cathy s family was wrong, said the defense. she loved camping. a ranger who saw them making their dinner way up in this remote spot, so far from any other living soul, said they seemed happy. and the insurance money, remember that? that wasn t motive, just business as usual for a pair of