WELLINGTON — Donnah Winger, a 33-year-oldmother and nurse, wasbeaten to death with a hammer inside her home in Springfield, Illinois, during the summerof 1995.For seven years, her husband, Mark,got away with themurder.
Mark Wingerframed another manfor her death. A man whomhe had shot that day. Years went by before the casewasre-opened and Mark Wingerwas sentenced to life in prison for plotting adouble-murder.Donnah's family was devastated.
On Sunday, her sister, Jenny, and her husband, Stephen A. Levin,will host a community bikeride in Wellington to raise funds for Donnah's Fund,the family's nonprofit thatsupports women suffering domestic abuse. It has helped more than 300 families regain their independence, working with Women In Distress of Broward County, a domestic violence treatment center based in Lighthouse Point.
"We conceived the Western Rideto combine Donnah'stragedy with a sport that I loveand continue to keep her memory alive," said Stephen Levin, an avid cyclist who has lived in the village since 2003."It's a ride, not a race."
Sunday's ride in Donnah Winger's memory offers 15-, 30-, 60-mile loops
The event will feature courses of15, 30and 60 mileswith entries in each priced at $75. All proceeds will go to Donnah's Fund, the nonprofitfounded bySara Jane Drescher,Donnah'smother, onthe 15th anniversary of her death in 2010.
The village is co-sponsoring the ride, whichwill start and end in front of Village Hall on Forest Hill Boulevard.
The 15-mile ride, recommended for novices,will stay close to the village's center. Participants will start on Forest Hill, head east to Lyons Road, then south to Pierson Road before returning to the starting point,crossing through GreenviewShores Boulevard.
For the 30-mile route, intermediate riders will pedala loop starting on Forest Hill, head east to Lyons, then south toState Road 7 before turning west onto 50th Street South and then north along South Shore, Pierson, Greenbriar Boulevard and Aero Club Drive before returning to the start.
The 60-mile ride is a two-loop version of the 30-mile course. Deputies from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office will guard all intersections.
"As an emergency-room nurse, she was always about helping others," StephenLevin said. "We wantto make sure that Donnah's Fundcontinuesto help others."
Mark Winger tried to pin Donnah's murder on Illinois airport shuttle driver
TheWingersseemed to have theperfect marriage, Donnah'smother, Sara Jane Drescher, said in an email to The Palm Beach Post.
"We never knew or suspected abuse in Donnah’s relationship," Drescher wrote. "Sothere was no way we could have prevented her murder."
It was 1995,and the couple had been married for 10 years.Mark worked as a nuclear engineer, and they lived in a comfortable home. In June that year, theyadopted a child.
Three months later, on Aug.29, everything changed.
Mark called 911 saying a man hadbrokeninto their home and killed Donnah after repeatedly striking her with a hammer. He told police he had shot the man in self-defense.
The man in question was airport driver Roger Harrington. Almost a weekearlier, he had driven Donnah and the babyhome when theyreturned from visiting her parents in Florida.Donnahtold her husband that Harrington was speedingand talkingabout killing people during the half-hour ride, according to Mark Winger. He promised to call the company, according to police records.
Six days later, Mark told policehe shot Harrington when he found himlaying on topof Donnah, hitting her with ahammer that was left in the living room.Only three Polaroid pictures of the scene were taken before DonnahandHarringtonwere rushed to ahospital, where they died.
Police confirmedthe meeting fromthe airport between the two and learned Harrington had a record of poor mental health.A prosecutor closed the case the following day.
Donnah's parents and friends and other community memberssupported Mark and called him ahero.Almost everyone believed hisstory.Harrington's family and a local detective, however, never did.
Donnah Winger's friend toldpolice of Mark Winger's fantasies of killing wife
Three years later,a witness came forward with revelations that reopened the case.
Donnah'sfriend, DeAnn Shultz, told police she was having an affair with Mark at the time of the murder. She said heconstantly fantasized aboutkilling his wife, and even talked of a planto get Harringtonto the house.
Officers questioned Mark, who admitted the affair but denied ever wanting to kill his wife. Police re-examined the pictures taken of the bodies and found evidencethatMarkhad talked withHarrington toset up ameetingat the house.
Detectivesarrested Mark Winger in 2002, andseven years afterDonnah's murder,he was sentenced to life in prison without parfor bothmurders, an outcome that drew national media attention.
In 2005, Markplottedfrom his prison cell tokill DeAnn Shultz, and two years later was found guilty of soliciting murder. The convictionadded 35 years to his life sentence.
Drescher saysthe nonprofithas given the familythe opportunityto save other women andis grateful the ride will provide them funds to keep going.
"It also keeps Donnah’s spirit alive, and that has helped us endure these past 27 years," she wrote.
The Western Ride
What: Bicycle rides of 15, 30 and 60 miles through Wellington. The entry fees will raise money for Donnah's Fund. The nonprofit helps Women In Distress of Broward County provide services to domestic violence victims in South Florida.
When: Sunday, starting at Village Hall atForest Hill Boulevard and Wellington Trace. The 60-mile ride starts at 7 a.m., followed by the 30-mile at 7:10 and the 15-mile at 7:20.
Cost: The entry fee is $75.
Details:Go online towww.bikereg.com/56916.
Valentina Palm covers Royal Palm Beach, Wellington, Loxahatchee and other western communities in Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post. Email her at vpalm@pbpost.com and follow her on Twitter at@ValenPalmB.
