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The upcoming Dateline episode titled Deadly Twist, explores the case of Todd Winkler, who was found guilty of murdering his wife, Rachel Winkler. Rachel was found stabbed in her baby’s nursery, and Todd claimed that he killed her accidentally in self-defense after a violent struggle.
But investigators quickly uncovered contradictions in his story, Rachel’s secret plans to leave the marriage, and unsettling details about Todd’s past that finally led to Todd being charged with murder. The episode re-airs on September 17, 2025, on Oxygen.
Who is Todd Winikler, and what did he do? All about Rachel Winkler's death
On the morning of February 27, 2012, El Dorado County investigators responded to a call from Todd Winkler and arrived at a suburban home in Cameron Park, California. As reported by CBS, the 44-year-old former Air Force fighter pilot stood on the front steps as deputies arrived. He informed officers that his wife, Rachel, was dead inside the house.
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Rachel Winkler, who was 37 years old at the time of her death, was found in her infant child’s nursery, dead. Blood was spattered across the room, and officers found a pair of scissors covered in blood at the scene of the crime. Rachel had been stabbed multiple times in the neck by her husband, Todd Winkler.
According to Todd Winkler, the act was in self-defense. He claimed that the fatal confrontation began hours earlier, around 4 AM. He alleged that Rachel, enraged during a heated argument, lunged at him with a pair of scissors. He told detectives he wrestled them from her grasp and stabbed her to save himself, as reported by Oxygen.
However, detectives were skeptical of Todd's account of the incident as the timeline did not add up. Todd had waited six hours before asking a neighbor to call 911. He also admitted to cleaning the crime scene. Moreover, the wounds on him were superficial scratches, which contrasted starkly with Rachel’s extensive injuries, undermining his claims of a desperate fight to save his own life.
Disturbing details about their relationship revealed
According to CBS, when investigators started probing further, they learned that Rachel had been preparing to leave the marriage. Friends and neighbors described her as a devoted mother, but also as a woman trapped in a failing relationship. She was also having an affair with James White, a maintenance worker she met at the airport where she worked.
White told detectives that he and Rachel had plans for a future together and that, on the night before her death, he had been helping her with divorce papers. He also revealed troubling details about Todd and Rachel's relationship. He alleged that Todd had asked Rachel to fake a car accident for an insurance payout.
Moreover, Rachel had also discovered a box hidden under their bed containing the ashes of Todd’s first wife, Catherine. When detectives looked into Catherine Winkler’s death in Georgia in 1999, they discovered that she died when her truck veered off the road, crashed, and burst into flames. Todd, who had been riding in the back of the truck, was unscathed.
Investigators in Georgia at the time noted suspicious details about the accident, like Todd never called 911, and that Catherine was alive when the fire began. But without enough evidence, her death was ruled accidental, and Todd Winkler collected $1.2 million in life insurance. This led investigators to look further into Rachel's death.
Moreover, forensic analysis of blood patterns in the Cameron Park home indicated that Todd’s self-defense story was inconsistent with the evidence. Prosecutors argued that Todd staged his minor injuries to bolster his claims.
Todd Winkler was found guilty
As per CBS, two days after Rachel’s death, Todd Winkler was charged with murder. His trial began in September 2014 with the defense painting him as a man struggling with dissociative disorder who acted in fear. The prosecution countered with a narrative of control, deceit, and violence, describing Todd as a pathological liar who sought to cover up his crime.
After an hour of deliberations, the jury found Todd Winkler guilty. On October 22, 2014, he was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 26 years to life in prison.
Catch all about the case on the upcoming Dateline episode this Wednesday.
