Frederick C. Wininger

Frederick Charles Wininger (October 5, 1947 – December 2, 1990) was a murderer.

On June 17, 1969, the 21-year-old Wininger, with his girlfriend's two-year-old daughter in tow, stopped by the house of 57-year-old George C. Crown at 7300 Rolling Road in Springfield, intending to burglarize the home of the man he had befriended a few weeks before.[1][2]

Upon discovering Crown was home, Wininger instead shot him in the neck with a small-caliber rifle in the basement of the house, then stole his wallet and checkbook.[1]

Following the murder, Wininger fled, spending several days hiding in the woods, eating berries and drinking water. Police were able to develop Wininger as a suspect due to his parking the red Corvair he'd driven to the scene near Crown's house.[3][4] On June 22, a warrant was issued for Wininger, and he was arrested by Fairfax County Police officers Daniel Mustaine and Gene King on June 28.[4][5]

Wininger plead guilty to a general charge of murder on February 19, 1970. Under the law at the time, such a plea was considered to be second-degree murder, punishable by 5 to 20 years in prison. However, Wininger got a nasty surprise when, after hearing four hours of testimony, Judge Albert V. Bryan, Jr. found him guilty of first degree murder, which meant Wininger would be sentenced to 20 years to life in prison, or even sentenced to death.[2]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Scannell, Nancy. "Veteran Held for Jury in Fairfax Slaying Case." The Washington Post, Times Herald (1959-1973): 1. Oct 08 1969. ProQuest. Web. 20 Feb. 2017.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Bredemeier, Kenneth "Man Guilty in Slaying of AID Official." The Washington Post, Times Herald (1959-1973): 1. Feb 20 1970. ProQuest. Web. 20 Feb. 2017.
  3. ↑ "Fairfax Police Hunt Man with a Rifle in Slaying." The Washington Post, Times Herald (1959-1973): 1. Jun 21 1969. ProQuest. Web. 21 Feb. 2017.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Warrant Issued in Crown Death." The Washington Post, Times Herald (1959-1973): 1. Jun 22 1969. ProQuest. Web. 21 Feb. 2017.
  5. ↑ "GI Arrested 11 Days After Fairfax Slaying." The Washington Post, Times Herald (1959-1973): 1. Jun 30 1969. ProQuest. Web. 21 Feb. 2017.