Horry County man dies in prison while serving life sentence for death of estranged wife

GEORGETOWN, SC (WMBF) - A South Carolina inmate has died.

The South Carolina Department of Corrections announced that 66-year-old inmate Louis Michael Winkler Jr. died on Monday at Kirkland Correctional Institution.

He was pronounced dead 8:49 a.m. in the infirmary after an extended illness.

Winkler was sentenced for murder, first-degree burglary and assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature in the death of his estranged wife, Rebecca Grainger Winkler of Loris.

In 2006, he was out on bond for kidnapping, rape and assault charges involving Rebecca when he kicked in her door and shot her in the face at close range in front of her teenage son.

He then hid in a wooded area for two weeks before being captured by police.

He was tried and sentenced to death in 2008.

In 2012, a Georgetown County judge overturned the original death sentence and converted it to life in prison instead.

The department of corrections said that an autopsy will be performed.

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