Sharon L. Winker, a 25-year-old woman from Saint Clair, Illinois, tragically lost her life on June 18, 1983. She was engaged to be married to Kevin Paule, who was also killed in the incident. The couple was found shot near Silver Creek in Mascoutah, Illinois. Sharon was shot behind the left ear, and the bullet lodged in her brain, causing fatal injuries.
Kevin Paule was found approximately 20 feet away, also shot in the head.
The investigation into their deaths revealed that Charles Walker, a man with a history of criminal activities, was responsible for the murders. Walker admitted to shooting the couple during a robbery, claiming he needed money for alcohol. He was apprehended in Walden, Colorado, on July 15, 1983, and later convicted of two counts of murder and one count of armed robbery. Walker was sentenced to death and executed by lethal injection on September 12, 1990.
The case drew significant attention due to the brutality of the crime and the subsequent legal proceedings. Walker's execution marked the first in Illinois since the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1977. The Supreme Court of Illinois affirmed Walker's death sentence, citing the presence of statutory aggravating factors and the absence of mitigating circumstances.
Sharon Winker's death was a tragic event that shook the community of Saint Clair, Illinois, and led to a lengthy legal battle that ultimately resulted in the execution of her killer.
