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Reward Offered in Ohio County Cold Case

Photo by Heather Ziegler Shawna Winkler and her son, Jonathan, are still searching for answers concerning the death of their son and brother, 17-year-old Andrew Winkler, in 2003.

WHEELING – Shawna Winkler stood looking out at the Ohio River at Heritage Port on Tuesday morning, still angry over the death of her son, whose body was found floating in the river more than a decade ago.

It’s been 13 years since Andrew Winkler’s death, which his mother, brother Jonathan and local cold case investigators believe was murder. With some new information about Winkler’s death, the family is offering a cash reward of up to $20,000 for anyone who provides new information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the death.

“This is all about Aug. 27, (2003), the evening of Aug. 27 in the river behind the water department and what happened to my son. My son was killed. My son was murdered that day and justice has not been done for 13 years,” Shawna said during a brief press conference at Heritage Port.

Winkler, 17, of Wheeling was found in the river near Viking Drive in Warwood on Aug. 29, 2003. A man walking along Heritage Trail at 8:30 a.m. spotted Winkler’s body floating about 50 feet off the West Virginia shore, 30 feet north of the city of Wheeling’s water intake valve.

Family members have continued to suspect foul play despite a state medical examiner’s conclusion that the death was caused by accidental drowning. The case went cold and remained that way until four years ago when the Ohio Valley Cold Case Task Force began looking into it.

Two task force members – Tom Burgoyne and Harry Croft – have spent hundreds of volunteer hours investigating the case. Their efforts have shed light on the case but they are looking for enough new information to bring it to closure.

Fred Connors, Ohio Valley Cold Case Initiative coordinator, said this morning, “We’re very close. We just need a little bit more information. The family has always felt this was foul play.”

Croft said investigators have interviewed people in six states since Winkler’s death and believe they know what happened that night. They need people to corroborate that information, but no one has come forward.

Croft said the man investigators now believe to be responsible for Winkler’s death allegedly threatened others to compel their silence.

“We pretty well know what happened, according to witnesses. We know that three people went down to the river and only two people came back up. Our victim was left in the river,” Croft said.

According to witness accounts, Croft said the suspect reportedly made sexual advances toward a woman while swimming in the river. When the woman refused, the suspect became violent, reportedly striking her in the face. Winkler came to the woman’s aid and a fight ensued. The female reportedly said she heard the fight but ran away.

“Our victim had some CDs with him. When the suspect came up from the river he told an individual, ‘You can have them. He won’t need them anymore,'” Croft said Tuesday.

The suspect allegedly said he left Winkler dead in the river. Croft said three months before Winkler’s death, the suspect had been charged and convicted of sexual assault but only spent a few days in jail.

“We were concerned that no one picked up the ball and checked on his probation,” Croft added.

Connors said Andrew Winkler’s photo appeared on the front page of the Wheeling News-Register on May 27, 2000. He was diving off the diving board at the swimming pool at Wheeling Park.

“He was an excellent swimmer,” Connors said.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call 304-312-7896 or 304-280-0729.

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