Bad Romance: Web of Lies

Summary

Podcast Summary: 20/20 - "Bad Romance: Web of Lies"

Episode Information:

• Title: Bad Romance: Web of Lies
• Host/Author: ABC News
• Release Date: April 8, 2025

---

Introduction: The Winger Family Dream

The episode opens by introducing Mark and Donna Winger, a seemingly idyllic couple who have longed to start a family. After struggling with infertility, their dream comes true when they adopt a three-month-old baby girl named Bailey. The narrative paints a picture of a perfect American family, filled with love and hope.

• Mark Winger: "A couple's dreams have just come true and their world is shattered in an afternoon. Could love put a family together? Or will everything be caught in a web of lies?" (00:44)

• Donna Winger: "On this very special day at this very special house, a very special little baby is going to come live with us." (01:03)

A Picture-Perfect Family

Mark and Donna’s life appears harmonious. Mark is a nuclear engineer, and Donna works as a technician at Memorial Medical Center. Their bond is strong, and they are excited about their new role as parents.

• Mark Winger: "Mark and Donna had a very nice married life." (02:54)

• Donna Winger: "Here comes our special delivery." (01:32)

The Harrowing Ride

Tensions rise when Donna discovers she cannot conceive, leading to strain within the marriage. Amidst this turmoil, Donna connects with Bailey’s birth mother through her job, setting the stage for a tragic turn of events.

• Donna Winger: "Donna called up and she was hysterical. She had just found out that she could not get pregnant." (03:09)

• Mark Winger: "Mark was unhappy for the fact that I know he wanted to have a big family." (03:28)

One afternoon, after Donna drops off Bailey at the airport, she encounters Roger Harrington, a troubled driver who begins to exhibit disturbing behavior.

• Mark Winger: "Donna describes a terrifying ride where the driver, a man named Roger Harrington, drove erratically at 75 miles an hour, talking about demons with Donna and baby Bailey in the backseat." (05:17)

The Tragedy Unfolds

The situation escalates when Donna becomes the victim of violent attacks. The Winger family is thrust into chaos as Mark attempts to protect his wife and child.

• Deann Schultz: "On August 29, 1995, the Springfield Police Department responded to a 911 call." (08:08)

• Mark Winger: "He was working out downstairs on his treadmill when he had heard a thump upstairs." (09:07)

Upon discovering Donna severely injured and Roger Harrington dead, Mark calls 911, believing he acted in self-defense.

• Mark Winger: "I shot him. Please, he was killing my wife." (06:49)

• Deann Schultz: "Mark Wenger wanted to kill his wife. And then opportunity presented when Roger Harrington drove Donna Wenger and he told deann that he needed to get that man into his house." (26:05)

Initial Closure and a New Beginning

Authorities initially conclude that Mark acted to defend his wife, closing the case swiftly. The Winger family attempts to rebuild their lives, but underlying tensions and Mark's behavior hint at deeper secrets.

• Deann Schultz: "Donna was clinging to life. She had been hit no less than seven times in the head with a hammer." (08:20)

• Mark Winger: "Donna's family reports that during this time period, Mark was withdrawn. He was drinking a lot and watching violent movies." (12:02)

Entering Rebecca's Life

To support a struggling marriage, Donna hires Rebecca as a nanny. Rebecca becomes an integral part of the family, deepening the narrative with her presence.

• Rebecca Winger: "I just felt like she deserved the best." (13:42)

• Mark Winger: "Mark put pressure on me to marry him and have children with him." (16:36)

The Affair and Hidden Motives

A shocking revelation surfaces when Deann Schultz, Donna’s best friend, admits to an affair with Mark. This disclosure uncovers a possible motive for murder, suggesting Mark's unfaithfulness and desire to remove Donna from his life.

• Deann Schultz: "Deann Schultz explained that she had been having an affair with Mark Wenger. Prior to the murder of Donna Wenger." (23:10)

• Donna Winger: "I think that whole time Mark was giving a grand performance. I could never come back and say, oh, he got angry or he was rough with the kids." (39:35)

Reopening the Investigation

New evidence and testimonies lead detectives to reopen the case against Mark Winger. Key inconsistencies, such as the positioning of bodies in polaroids and Roger Harrington’s presence, reveal the possibility of a staged homicide.

• Mark Winger: "There's a note with the name Mark Winger, the address and the time." (28:29)

• Deann Schultz: "Mark Wenger wanted to kill his wife." (26:05)

The Trial and Conviction

The trial unfolds with compelling testimonies and forensic evidence. Despite Rebecca’s support, Mark's facade begins to crumble as the jury becomes convinced of his guilt.

• Mark Winger: "There was no way this murder could have happened." (26:41)

• Deann Schultz: "He was obviously unhappy, was unfaithful, and who had specifically talked about wanting to kill his wife." (35:00)

After deliberation, the jury finds Mark guilty of murdering both Donna Winger and Roger Harrington, sentencing him to life in prison without parole.

• Donna Winger: "I know, I was sitting next to my husband when I heard the judge say that the verdict was guilty." (37:24)

• Mark Winger: "Mark was sentenced to life in prison with no parole. He had two counts against him. One for Donna, one for Roger." (39:27)

Aftermath: Families Torn Apart

The conviction leaves both the Winger and Harrington families grappling with grief and betrayal. Donna’s family continues to honor her memory through a fund supporting women in distress, while Rebecca faces homelessness and the loss of her family life.

• Roger Harrington: "Would just tell him, no. I truly love you." (42:48)

• Donna Winger: "He is like a chameleon. I believe that Mark is a monster." (39:12)

Conclusion: A Legacy of Pain and Resilience

"Bad Romance: Web of Lies" delves deep into the complexities of love, betrayal, and justice. It highlights how appearances can be deceiving and the profound impact of hidden secrets on families. The episode underscores the enduring pain of loss and the pursuit of truth amidst deception.

• Donna Winger: "Nothing that we've done or will do in the future will ever replace her." (43:48)

• Roger Harrington: "He was an innocent victim." (38:37)

---

Notable Quotes:

• Mark Winger: "Mark and Donna had a very nice married life." (02:54)
• Deann Schultz: "Mark Wenger wanted to kill his wife." (26:05)
• Rebecca Winger: "He [Mark] was a monster." (39:21)

Key Moments with Timestamps:

• 00:44: Introduction of the Winger family's seemingly perfect life.
• 05:17: Donna's terrifying ride with Roger Harrington.
• 08:08: The tragic 911 call and discovery of Donna and Roger.
• 23:10: Revelation of Mark's affair with Deann Schultz.
• 35:32: Deann's testimony linking Mark to the murders.
• 39:27: Mark's conviction and sentencing.

---

This comprehensive summary captures the essence of "Bad Romance: Web of Lies," providing an in-depth look into the Winger family's tragic story, the unraveling of hidden motives, and the pursuit of justice. For those who haven't listened, this summary offers a clear and engaging overview of the episode's key points and emotional depth.

Transcript

[Narrator]

Hey, prime members, are you tired of ads interfering with your favorite podcasts? Good news. With Amazon Music, you have access to the largest catalog of ad free top podcasts included with your prime membership. To start listening, download the Amazon music app for free or go to Amazon.com ADFreePodcasts that's Amazon.com ADFreeP Podcasts to catch up on the latest episodes without the ads.

[Mark Winger]

A couple's dreams have just come true and their world is shattered in an afternoon. Could love put a family together? Or will everything be caught in a web of lies?

[Donna Winger]

On this very special day at this very special house, a very special little baby is going to come live with us. And who do we see but the mommy?

[Mark Winger]

A new beginning. A family built on love.

[Narrator]

Mark and Donna were sort of put on this pedestal as this beautiful young couple who had struggled to have kids. And now they finally were able to adopt this three month old baby.

[Donna Winger]

Here comes our special delivery.

[Narrator]

Oh, look.

[Donna Winger]

Oh, sweet.

[Mark Winger]

Of course, these home movies are bittersweet. They have no way of knowing that within just a few months, their beautiful new family unit will cease to exist. Donna Brown grows up in a family of sisters in Florida. Donna was the oldest of the three girls.

[Donna Winger]

She was outgoing. She loved life. Donna always said what was in her heart and in her mind.

[Narrator]

Mark's brother set Donna and Mark up on a blind date and things moved pretty quickly. He was smart, Jewish, he was attractive, and he was fun. She just felt like she had found her person. We always joked about that when one sister marries, that husband marries three sisters. When Don and Mark got married, he received a job offer that brought him to Springfield, Illinois.

[Mark Winger]

Mark and Donna had a very nice married life. He was a nuclear engineer.

[Roger Harrington]

Donna Winger was a technician at Memorial Medical Center.

[Mark Winger]

The only thing was she would have liked to have had a child.

[Donna Winger]

Donna called up and she was hysterical. She had just found out that she could not get pregnant.

[Narrator]

And so when this didn't happen, it took a toll. There was a lot of tension in their home.

[Mark Winger]

Mark was unhappy for the fact that I know he wanted to have a big family.

[Narrator]

The way Bailey came into Donna's life is a really special story.

[Mark Winger]

Donna is working the operating room when one of the doctors comes in and says, there's a young teen mother who wants to put her baby up for adoption.

[Donna Winger]

And this was the baby that they were going to adopt.

[Narrator]

Doesn't she look pretty?

[Donna Winger]

She sure does.

[Narrator]

Hi, Bailey. Say hi, Grandma Sarah. Nicki poo. For my mother, becoming a grandmother was something that she had waited for for quite A while.

[Mark Winger]

Here's Grandma Drescher, new father. Mark always seems to have the video camera in his hand.

[Narrator]

Mommy's feeling very comfortable these days with Bailey, and I think we've sort of bonded a little bit. Oh, I think we bonded a lot. Mark was just as excited to become a dad as Donna was to become a mom.

[Mark Winger]

They were just a model American couple.

[Donna Winger]

Donna told me that Mark had a conference. I said to her, why don't you come to Florida? It would be so wonderful. Donna was excited to show off her baby. And as all of her trips, it was always very sad to see her go.

[Narrator]

Say, hi, daddy, say, we miss you.

[Donna Winger]

I dropped her off at the airport and she left. We had hired a driver to pick her up. This way she could just take care of the baby.

[Narrator]

It was about a two hour drive. And so this gentleman started opening up to Donna about issues he was having. He had a voice in his head named Dom. Recently, Dom was telling him to hurt people.

[Roger Harrington]

And then he started flirting with her, saying that he liked older women and he liked to have sex parties. And he invited Donna to join him.

[Mark Winger]

Donna describes a terrifying ride where the driver, a man named Roger Harrington, drove erratically at 75 miles an hour, talking about demons with Donna and baby Bailey in the backseat.

[Narrator]

She calls me, she tells me this whole story. And I said to her, you had a really crazy driver, but you're home, you're safe, you're gonna be okay. She said, I really, I am really scared.

[Deann Schultz]

After the harrowing ride, Donna had been the victim of some strange phone calls. They had believed that the driver had been stalking and was a danger.

[Narrator]

So Mark started calling the limousine company and filing a complaint.

[Deann Schultz]

Roger got suspended from his job because of the complaint.

[Mark Winger]

Mark suggests Donna write down the full account of her ride with Roger to get the facts down. Less than A week later, 911 operators receive a terrifying call.

[Narrator]

911 emergency. What's emergency? Emergency. Emergency. Ms. Manchester, you need my wife. I shot him. Please, he was killing my wife.

[Mark Winger]

Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. I don't know if you knew this, but anyone can get the same Premium Wireless for $15 a month plan that I've been enjoying. It's not just for celebrities. So do like I did and have one of your assistant's assistants switch you to Mint Mobile today. I'm told it's super easy to [e-mail].

[Narrator]

Switch upfront payment of $45 for 3 month plan equivalent to $15 per month Required intro rate first 3 months only, then full options available. Taxes and fees extra. See full [e-mail] at Capella University, you can learn at your own pace with our Flexpath learning format. Take one or two courses at a time and complete as many as you can in a 12 week billing session. With Flexpath, you can even finish the bachelor's degree you started in 22 months for $20,000. A different future is closer than you think with Capella University. Learn more at capella Eduardo fastest 25% of students cost varies by pace, transfer credits and other factors. Fees apply.

[Deann Schultz]

On August 29, 1995, the Springfield Police Department responded to a 911 call.

[Narrator]

Is the man still in your house? Yes, he's laying there on four with a bullet in his head.

[Deann Schultz]

When they arrived, they found a very grisly scene. Donna was clinging to life. She had been hit no less than seven times in the head with a Hamm.

[Roger Harrington]

The second victim was an unknown white male lying on the floor.

[Deann Schultz]

He still had signs of life and a pulse with two gunshot wounds to the head.

[Roger Harrington]

In his wallet he had a driver's license which identified him as Roger Arrington. I proceeded back to the master bedroom to talk with the husband, Mark Winger. He kept asking, who's that man that was in my house? And even though I knew who it was, I did not want to let him know. At that point we got him calmed down. Then we started getting into what had occurred.

[Mark Winger]

He was working out downstairs on his treadmill when he had heard a thump upstairs.

[Roger Harrington]

When he got to the master bedroom, he seen his three month old child laying on the bed, which he said Donna would have never done.

[Deann Schultz]

He then said he heard noises which made him believe that Donna was in distress.

[Roger Harrington]

So at that point he got his semiautomatic weapon out of the nightstand and.

[Mark Winger]

As he walked down the hallway, he observed a man beating her with a hammer.

[Roger Harrington]

The male subject looked up at him and then lowered his head again to take another swing at his wife. And that's when he shot him. At one point he said, is that guy's name Roger? And at that point I felt that I needed to answer his question. I told him yes, his name was Roger Harrington.

[Deann Schultz]

And Mark was shocked and he said, oh my God, that's the man who's been harassing my wife. This week.

[Mark Winger]

An officer sees that note Donner wrote. It's on the fridge. He introduced himself as Roger. He told me things like dumb makes him do things like set car bombs and killing people.

[Roger Harrington]

It got us up to speed on why they were worried about this guy and why this guy come to his house? I owned a trailer park in town and him and his wife rented a trailer from me. Roger and his wife had had domestic disputes that I had to get involved in. Knowing what I knew about Mr. Harrington in the past, how quick he was to anger. I thought that he very well could have went over there to try to get his job back. And he snapped. I told Mark that he had done everything he could to try and save his wife, but we still needed to tell him that his wife had passed away.

[Mark Winger]

It was around 11:03 on a Tuesday evening when all of a sudden we got a phone call.

[Donna Winger]

I remember screaming, ira, tell me. Tell me what is wrong. And finally he said to me, sarah Jane, Donna was murdered. And I said to him, murdered? What are you talking about? And then I finally said to him, we have to tell the girls and I have to break their hearts. And Wednesday morning we were on an 8 o'clock plane to Springfield.

[Roger Harrington]

When Mark.

[Mark Winger]

Walked in with the baby in his hand.

[Roger Harrington]

Everybody cried.

[Narrator]

We had heard right away that it was Roger.

[Donna Winger]

I couldn't imagine what an evil person he was and why he would do such a horrendous thing.

[Deann Schultz]

When the police examined the scene and when they listened to Mark's explanation of what happened, the detectives came to the conclusion that Mark Wenger acted in self defense. And the case was closed. Within approximately 48 hours.

[Narrator]

My mother and I started to go to Illinois.

[Donna Winger]

We were taking turns in taking care of the baby.

[Mark Winger]

Donna's family reports that during this time period, Mark was withdrawn. He was drinking a lot and watching violent movies.

[Donna Winger]

I didn't understand it, but I loved him because he loved Donna and that's what was important to me.

[Narrator]

We needed to get him some help.

[Donna Winger]

So I suggested to Mark that he hire a nanny.

[Narrator]

And in comes Rebecca. This young, beautiful, tall, blond nanny who has a heart of gold, wants to help out this poor man. This is Rebecca. Interview, take one. Soft sticks.

[Rebecca Winger]

This is the first time I've sat down to tell my story. Bailey, you look a mess. I was going to become her nanny or governess. Can you say hi? I would move into the home and take care of her basic needs and I just felt like she deserved the best.

[Narrator]

Peekaboo.

[Donna Winger]

Mark asked me to show her all the things about the baby and I felt really good about that.

[Rebecca Winger]

Say hi.

[Narrator]

Seeing her with Bailey, there was really nothing bad we could say about her.

[Rebecca Winger]

Stand up here. Show grandma how you stand in your crib. I was blown away at what this little girl had been through. Can you say Hi. It was a big responsibility, but I was ready for her. Bailey made me a mom. And sometimes a child has to appear for the mom to be created. There she is. Most beautiful girl in the world. There she is.

[Donna Winger]

Someone's here, baby.

[Rebecca Winger]

Someone's here.

[Mark Winger]

Hey.

[Narrator]

Good afternoon.

[Rebecca Winger]

When you live with someone and you're taking care of a child together, knock him down. She only does that with me. It's very easy to kind of play house. You're already put in those roles.

[Donna Winger]

Mark called up one day and he said to me, I just want to tell you some good news. The nanny was pregnant. And I thought, oh, my God, what is happening here?

[Rebecca Winger]

When I first met Mark Bailey Elizabeth, Happy Father's Day. Dear Daddy, he was just a provider and a protector and just a stand up guy.

[Narrator]

You are hungry. I see. I know. I don't.

[Rebecca Winger]

There was nights where we would sit up talking and having wine.

[Narrator]

The relationship between Rebecca and Mark grew from a business relationship to a romantic relationship.

[Rebecca Winger]

And I remember asking how he could move on so quickly. And he explained to me that when you have a good marriage, it's natural for you just to want that again.

[Narrator]

Grab the cookie.

[Mark Winger]

Now. Mark's home movies show a family remaking itself.

[Rebecca Winger]

Look at daddy.

[Mark Winger]

Say, hi, Daddy.

[Narrator]

Bailey's been walking for about a week.

[Rebecca Winger]

Go see him.

[Narrator]

Come here, sweetheart. Yay.

[Rebecca Winger]

Mark had always told me that he was not capable of having children.

[Mark Winger]

Good girl.

[Rebecca Winger]

I was very surprised to find out I was pregnant. He was thrilled. He was absolutely thrilled. Mark put pressure on me to marry him and have children with him. Immediately he started going to church with me to persuade me that we could have that life. He writes to me, I love you, you love me, and you're pregnant with our child. I believe that you and I together can raise a family in a truly Christian home. I would be honored to be your husband and blessed if you were my wife. Mark and I eloped. We went to Maui, and it was kind of a secret and a surprise. And I didn't even tell my own family.

[Mark Winger]

Here's Mrs. Winger on film for the first time.

[Narrator]

It was just so hurtful in knowing that in his life Donna could be replaced so, so easily. I said to myself, what now? Rebecca's pregnant. Now they're going to Hawaii and getting married. Like, seriously, Can I say it on camera? What the.

[Mark Winger]

They move to a house in the country for a new start, away from that room where Donna was killed. They have three more children of their own. And home videos show all of the milestones you'd expect for a Growing family.

[Narrator]

Where's Anna?

[Rebecca Winger]

I was so busy with life and kids. We were just living our best lives.

[Mark Winger]

For Donna's mother, seeing Mark with Rebecca and her granddaughter is bittersweet.

[Rebecca Winger]

Sometimes when Sarah Jane would be around Bailey, she would just cry because she would see Bailey and she would just want so badly to share that with Donna, and she would just get emotional. That bothered Mark because he didn't want her to cry around Bailey.

[Donna Winger]

I remember visiting the new house.

[Mark Winger]

Sarah Jane had the baby in her arms, and she had a necklace that had Donna's significance on it.

[Rebecca Winger]

She wanted to put it on Bailey, and it upset Mark.

[Mark Winger]

Mark said, mom, could you please take the necklace off? It makes me feel bad. That was the first instance where we felt that Mark said something that was inappropriate.

[Rebecca Winger]

That was kind of the beginning of the end.

[Donna Winger]

I received a letter from Mark one day saying to me I could not be called grandma. So I wrote him back and I begged him, please let her call me grandma. And he said, I'm sorry, there's no way that I am going to allow her to call you grandma. And that's the way it is.

[Narrator]

We really all decided together that we just couldn't continue enduring this type of pain. And Mark was somebody that we just no longer knew. Every year for my birthday, they would always send a birthday card. And I always remember asking my mom, who's Sarah Jane? And Ira? And my mom would always explain, like, those are Donna's parents. And they just, you know, want to let you know that, like, they love you and that they remember you.

[Rebecca Winger]

Mark wanted to go and be checked out at the emergency room because he wasn't feeling well. And I looked over in the waiting room, and I saw deanne.

[Mark Winger]

Deann had been Donna's best friend and was in so many of their home movies. She was close to the family before Donna died.

[Narrator]

Say, hi, here's aunt deanne. There's deanne.

[Rebecca Winger]

And she glared at me like she was just very angry.

[Mark Winger]

Donna's old friend had something to reveal, something Mark had left out of the story. And without that moment at the emergency room, the case might have stayed closed. Deanne Schultz's statements were an absolute bombshell now that this woman came forward. Hello. There's your motive.

[Narrator]

This message comes from greenlight. Ready to start talking to your kids about financial literacy? Meet Greenlight, the debit card and money app that teaches kids and teens how to earn, save, spend wisely, and invest with your guardrails in place, with Greenlight, you can send money to kids quickly, set up chores, automate allowance and keep an eye on your kids spending with real time notifications. Join millions of parents and kids building healthy financial habits together on Greenlight. Get started risk [e-mail] Spotify this episode.

[Mark Winger]

Is brought to you by Lifelock. It's tax season and we're all a bit tired of numbers, but here's one you need to hear.

[Narrator]

$16.5 billion.

[Mark Winger]

That's how much the IRS flagged for.

[Narrator]

Possible identity fraud last year.

[Mark Winger]

Now here's a good number. 100 million.

[Narrator]

That's how many data points LifeLock monitors every second.

[Mark Winger]

If your identity is stolen, they'll fix it. Guaranteed. Save up to 40% your first [e-mail] podcast terms apply.

[Rebecca Winger]

I see here on the bottom of the stairs the winger in established 1996, which was the year that we got married. Everything was supposed to be perfect, just like in this picture. Thank you for my message, but I have learned that things just aren't always what they seen.

[Narrator]

It's been three and a half years since Donna was murdered and Mark's married and has a couple kids, and Donna's family is still sort of dealing with their grief.

[Mark Winger]

Right after that chance encounter in the hospital waiting room. When Donna's best friend deann sees Mark and Rebecca, deanne goes to the police. When with a clue they never had.

[Deann Schultz]

Deann Schultz explained to the police that she had been having an affair with Mark Wenger. Prior to the murder of Donna Wenger.

[Narrator]

Mark was having a romantic relationship with DeAnn, one of our sisters, as we considered her, and that was something that we never ever suspected.

[Mark Winger]

In home videos from that time, deanna really seems like a member of the family. Remember, she's Aunt deann.

[Narrator]

This is my just the sweetest little niece.

[Deann Schultz]

Deann Schultz also stated that prior to the murders, Mark made a number of incriminating statements.

[Narrator]

She tells them that he said things like, it would be easier for us to be together if Donna just died. All you'd have to do is come in and find the body.

[Deann Schultz]

Deann stated that she declined to participate in that. After Mark learned about the trip that Donna took with Roger Harrington, he told deanne, I've got to get that driver in my house.

[Roger Harrington]

Deann said the day of the murder, he called and said, will you love me no matter what? To which he replied, yes, I would. Mark and deanne continued their affair for about six months after the murder and of course, at which point he had already hired Rebecca as the nanny.

[Mark Winger]

Deanne struggled to make sense of the information that only she knew it Weighed on her and left her in a fragile state.

[Deann Schultz]

Deanne Schultz. After the murders, her life went on a downward spiral to the point to where she had engaged in multiple suicide attempts.

[Mark Winger]

She never came forward until that chance encounter at that local hospital.

[Deann Schultz]

That was a catalyst that caused her, for the first time, to reach out to someone other than her physician to discuss the case. Now, the police were able to look at that case through an entirely different perspective, through the eyes of a man who was unhappy in his marriage. Now we have a motive. The first step when you reopen a closed case is to go back and look at what you already have.

[Narrator]

Now approaching the entrance, there are several pieces of evidence that they're looking at that just don't sit well with the detectives as they're re examining everything.

[Mark Winger]

Things they noticed at the scene now take on a new meaning. For example, Roger brought his cigarettes and his coffee mug into the house.

[Roger Harrington]

Who would do that if they were planning on killing someone?

[Mark Winger]

There was no signs of forced entry. Not only that, but Roger Harrington left what was clearly could be used as weapons inside the vehicle.

[Deann Schultz]

There was a tire iron. They also found a knife inside of his vehicle.

[Roger Harrington]

Why would Roger come into the house with mayhem on his mind and just happen to find a hammer on the table?

[Deann Schultz]

Mark Wenger wanted to kill his wife. And then opportunity presented when Roger Harrington drove Donna Wenger and he told deann that he needed to get that man into his house. And that's exactly what he did.

[Narrator]

One of the first officers to arrive at the scene had a polaroid in his vehicle, and he happened to take three photos of the scene. They showed the positions of the bodies before the bodies were rushed to the hospital.

[Mark Winger]

And when investigators take a look at those polaroids, they realize something isn't adding up.

[Deann Schultz]

Mark Winger had stated that Roger Harrington was kneeling down right next to Donna Winger's head, and he was beating her with a hammer. He stated that he shot him and that the man fell backwards so that his feet remained near Donna's head. In reality, the polaroid photographs show the exact opposite. And as such, there's no way this murder could have happened. The way Mark Winger described the physical.

[Mark Winger]

Evidence, along with the fact of the affair, it was clear that this was a staged domestic homicide.

[Narrator]

They had just come to a reckoning with themselves that they had made a mistake.

[Donna Winger]

The detective said to me, I just wanted to tell you that we now suspect Mark to be the murderer of Donna. And I said to him, what are you saying? That's not possible.

[Rebecca Winger]

It went from Winger as a Hero who was defending his wife to manipulative, deviant murderer.

[Mark Winger]

Investigators now go back to Roger Harrington's roommate. Susan Collins had been briefly spoken to initially, and she had claimed that she was present when Roger Harrington fielded a phone call from someone asking to meet him. The day of the murders.

[Deann Schultz]

Police found a note inside of the vehicle. It was a bank deposit slip, and on the back was the time of 4:30pm the address and the name Mark Winger. Roger Harrington was not an intruder, but rather he was lured into that home by Mark Winger.

[Narrator]

Roger's name would be cleared.

[Roger Harrington]

That was one of the biggest reliefs I had, just knowing that people would.

[Narrator]

Not think that my little brother was a killer.

[Mark Winger]

Mr. Winger made some comments about perhaps it would be easier if his wife were dead.

[Rebecca Winger]

I didn't see it coming. I didn't know that this whole investigation was brewing. I never thought the whole time that they thought my husband was a diabolical murderer. Here she comes. Here comes the world's best daddy. I remember making it to 2001 and thinking, I think we're okay. It's been a whole year, and they still haven't arrested him. They must not have a case.

[Deann Schultz]

We were conducting an exhaustive investigation during that same time frame. Mark Wenger was a free man.

[Mark Winger]

And when you look at their home videos, Mark just looks like a normal dad raising four happy kids. You want to blow a kiss for Daddy?

[Narrator]

Blow a daddy kiss. Awesome.

[Roger Harrington]

People still wanted to give Mark the benefit of the doubt because he now had a new wife and a new family and had shown no indication of being a criminal since his wife was murdered.

[Deann Schultz]

We knew the stakes of this case. This was a big case, and it was one that on the front end, some mistakes had been made. So we knew that on the second go around, we had to have it right.

[Mark Winger]

But the evidence mounts, and two years of pouring over the evidence gives investigators enough to get an arrest warrant.

[Rebecca Winger]

I got a phone call, and it was Mark's secretary. And she told me that Mark had just been arrested, and the whole body just kind of went numb to see.

[Narrator]

Him finally get arrested and indicted, I think people were just absolutely shocked. I was six years old when my dad was arrested, and I just remember, like, everyone just trying to remain calm and kind of at the time be like, dad's just going away for a while and that he'll be back soon.

[Deann Schultz]

The moment he was indicted, we moved from the investigative phase into the next chapter, which was prosecution.

[Narrator]

After dad was arrested, he was always writing us letters. Bailey. I remember the very first time I ever held you in my arms. You were so small. But I fell in love with you immediately.

[Rebecca Winger]

I felt that I owed it to him and to my kids to just stand by him. Nobody wants to go through a murder trial. It's very surreal. I just had to tell myself, walk, sit down, don't fall, cry. In my mind, Mark was innocent before. He was innocent from the start. That's what everybody thought.

[Narrator]

Winger said he found Harrington beating his wife with a hammer. And to save her, he shot Harrington twice in the head.

[Deann Schultz]

Well, I don't think that Roger would.

[Donna Winger]

Have ever done what they accused him of doing.

[Roger Harrington]

All we wanted was his name.

[Mark Winger]

Clitherdon, you know, key for the prosecution evidence that Roger Harrington had come to the house only because Mark had asked him to. Not to kill Donna. If he'd wanted to kill her, why bring in his cigarettes? Why bring in his coffee mug and a note with the name Mark Winger, the address and the time.

[Deann Schultz]

And for us, it was very simple. If it's a meeting, it's a murder.

[Narrator]

Mark stage attorney, argued that Roger was mentally ill. He had this mask that he sort of worshiped, that he had had other erratic behavior and that he was capable of this. They put on their own experts to verify this.

[Roger Harrington]

Mark's defense was that everything occurred just the way he said, and the Polaroids he tried to explain away, that perhaps the paramedics moved the bodies.

[Mark Winger]

It's our belief that Roger comes to the house, he is allowed into the home, and there was no signs of forced entry, and he was executed at that time. Hearing the gunshot, Donna Winger then comes from the bedroom to investigate. He then beats his wife to death with a hammer. Mark then calls 91 1.

[Narrator]

Is the man still in your house? Yes, he's laying there on four of the bullet in his head. Did you shoot him? Yes, I shot him. He was killing my wife.

[Roger Harrington]

The 911 call to most people, I think, showed that Mark was very upset and very worried about his wife.

[Rebecca Winger]

Who is this man?

[Narrator]

I don't know who he is.

[Deann Schultz]

In the 911 call, you can actually hear Roger Harrington moaning in the background.

[Narrator]

Is he dead? I don't know. He's making weird sounds.

[Mark Winger]

It's our belief that Roger is not dead.

[Deann Schultz]

At the time, he told the 911 operator that he could hear his baby crying.

[Narrator]

My baby's crying. My baby's crying.

[Mark Winger]

I gotta go.

[Narrator]

I'll call you right back.

[Mark Winger]

He had already said that he had shot the man and there was a bullet in his head. When police arrive, there's Two bullets in his head. And then there's the evidence from the woman Mark was having an affair with.

[Narrator]

He said that, you know, it would be easier if Donna just died. I thought it was crazy talk. Deann testified to some of the statements that Mark had made after the chance meeting at doctor's hospital where they run into each other. I just said, you know, how do you live with yourself? He said that he had found Jesus Christ and that he was forgiven.

[Mark Winger]

He.

[Narrator]

Well, he told me that if I told anybody, our gooses will be cooked.

[Deann Schultz]

Deanne Schultz's testimony was able to demonstrate that in reality, Mark was obviously unhappy, was unfaithful, and who had specifically talked about wanting to kill his wife.

[Roger Harrington]

The defense had answers to deanne's testimony that she was emotionally unstable. Could have been a woman's scorn.

[Rebecca Winger]

I didn't think that anybody would believe her. And I just thought if that was truly the case and Mark truly did, that she would have come forward right away.

[Deann Schultz]

Deann Shultz was granted immunity for her testimony. There was no direct evidence that linked deann to actively participating in this crime. But at the end, she was such a valuable witness as it relates to presenting the motive.

[Narrator]

When the case went to the jury, I was sort of thinking, you never know. You just had to wait it out and, you know, it was really nerve wracking.

[Rebecca Winger]

I really believe that at the end of that trial that he was gonna walk out and walk home with us.

[Mark Winger]

It takes 13 hours to deliberate. Then the judge announces the verdict.

[Narrator]

I instinctively just wailed out loud. The missing child is Lucia Blix, 9 years old. Please let her come back home safely. April 16th.

[Rebecca Winger]

The kidnappers plundered meticulously. If money is what it takes to get her back, we're gonna pay it.

[Narrator]

The secrets they hide.

[Donna Winger]

You can't talk about this.

[Narrator]

You can't write about it. Are the clues. The mother's hiding something. I know it. To find her, tell me where she is. The Stolen girl series premiere April 16 on Freeform and stream on Hulu.

[Mark Winger]

This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. It's Brad Milkey, host of ABC's Daily News podcast. Start here. Fiscally responsible financial geniuses. Monetary magicians. These are things people say about drivers who switch their car insurance to Progressive and save hundreds. Visit progressive.com to see if you could save Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states or situations.

[Narrator]

When we found out that the jury had come up with a verdict, our hearts were racing. We had pits in our stomach.

[Donna Winger]

I know. I was sitting next to my husband when I heard the judge say that the verdict was guilty.

[Rebecca Winger]

It just kind of rings in your head and echoes. Guilty, guilty, guilty. I didn't understand how 12 jurors could be so certain that that's how it went down when I had so many questions.

[Narrator]

Heartbreak came first, anger came second, acceptance came third, and sadness never end.

[Donna Winger]

My first thought was to turn around and give Mr. And Mrs. Harrington a hug because they buried a son who the whole city of Springfield felt was a murderer.

[Roger Harrington]

We knew that Roger was innocent, and.

[Narrator]

It finally got proven.

[Roger Harrington]

He was branded a murder at the time.

[Narrator]

But then all this came to an end.

[Roger Harrington]

I was ashamed of the way the investigation went. I hurt Roger Harrington's family. I run this kid through his name through hell for no reason. I mean, he was an innocent victim.

[Mark Winger]

And to right such a wrong, it felt great.

[Narrator]

Say bye.

[Mark Winger]

Bye.

[Donna Winger]

Bye, Daddy.

[Narrator]

We were so convinced that, you know, our dad was gonna come home, and now he's not.

[Donna Winger]

He is like a chameleon. I believe that Mark is a monster.

[Narrator]

The final chapter of the Mark Winger.

[Mark Winger]

Murder trial comes to a close as.

[Narrator]

Winger is given his sentencing.

[Donna Winger]

Mark was sentenced to life in prison with no parole. He had two counts against him. One for Donna, one for Roger.

[Rebecca Winger]

It wasn't just him being sentenced to life. We were sentenced to a life of a father in prison. I do feel that that whole time Mark was giving a grand performance. I could never come back and say, oh, he got angry or he was rough with the kids. I had nothing. I had nothing. He was perfect.

[Narrator]

You say, I love you and daddy loves Bailey.

[Rebecca Winger]

Okay, let me see a kiss. Close up kiss.

[Narrator]

Close up kiss.

[Rebecca Winger]

Give daddy a kiss.

[Narrator]

The first thought I thought when I was watching that was how much more Bailey, this has affected you. And you just remember so much more about Mark and that family unit in that house. Looking at like, the pictures in the videos, it's like it just all feels so fake to me.

[Rebecca Winger]

I just learn him as this evil character. So, like, even though it looks like a genuine smile here, it's just like.

[Narrator]

In my head, it's like, oh, that's all fiction.

[Rebecca Winger]

I was married to a murderer then after he was convicted, I went from being a stay home mom to being homeless overnight. I didn't have anything to give my kids. Everything had been taken away. All I had was love.

[Mark Winger]

I love, after all, and the gift of her maiden name.

[Rebecca Winger]

Do you remember when we changed your names from Winger to Simmons? I do. I think you. Yeah. It gave us a lot of Pride as a family.

[Narrator]

When we changed our name, it was.

[Rebecca Winger]

Just a fresh start.

[Narrator]

And it's so symbolic. Like, I'm not a Winger, so that shouldn't be the name I'm called. Rebecca felt that it might be helpful for Bailey to come meet us, that it was time.

[Rebecca Winger]

I think the last time they saw Bailey was when she was 3. Maybe I thought they could teach her about Donna and her love in a way that I couldn't.

[Narrator]

We knew that this would have been Donna's wish, that Bailey would continue to be a part of our lives. Sarah Jane still has my baby picture on her kitchen counter with all of her other grandkids.

[Rebecca Winger]

Happy birthday. It was also Bailey's birthday that weekend, and they wanted to throw a birthday party for Bailey for all the birthdays that they had missed. We'd been hurt a lot by the same person, but it didn't break us.

[Mark Winger]

In 2022, Winger's appellate attorneys told us that his appeal had been denied. He is currently serving two life sentences for the murders of Donna Winger and Roger Harrington.

[Roger Harrington]

There's not a day that goes by that I don't.

[Narrator]

I think about him. I miss him. If I seen him right now, I.

[Roger Harrington]

Would just tell him, no.

[Narrator]

You know I truly love you.

[Donna Winger]

There is never closure when somebody murders your daughter. Never. I think of Donna every day of my life. We've set up a fund in her name so that we can help other people.

[Narrator]

Donna's fund is a part of women in Distress, a shelter women can go to to escape those abusive relationships. I think her legacy will live on through the people that we help. She was so beautiful, and you could, like, see how much she loved me and how much she really wanted me. So we'll say bye bye for now.

[Donna Winger]

Okay. I missed hearing her voice. Nothing that we've done or will do in the future will ever replace her.

[Mark Winger]

Like your favorite travel guide, T mobile's network knows all the spots because T mobile helps keep you connected from big cities to your hometown on America's largest 5G network. Switch now keep your phone and T mobile will pay it off at the $800 per line via prepaid card. Visit your local T mobile location or learn more at T mobile. Com Backslash KeepAndSwitch up to 4 lines of your virtual prepaid card. Allow 15 days qualifying unlock device, credit.

[Narrator]

Service port in 90 plus days device.

[Mark Winger]

Knowledgeable carrier and timely redemption required card is no cash access and expires in six months.