Terry W. Winebarger, Murder and Methamphetamine Trafficking, Missouri 2023

ST. LOUIS – A 52-year-old St. Louis County man was sentenced to 25 years in prison for a brutal murder that left one man dead and another facing a lengthy prison term.

Terry W. Winebarger, 52, was found guilty of fatally shooting an acquaintance in the head with the victim's own 10mm Glock handgun on February 18, 2023, in a home in Hanley Hills, Missouri.

After committing the crime, Winebarger stole the gun, jewelry, and some methamphetamine that the victim had purchased earlier. He then attempted to destroy evidence of his crime by purchasing new clothes, disinfectant wipes, and bleach at a store.

The victim's murder was a senseless act of violence that shocked the community, and Winebarger's sentence reflects the gravity of his crimes.

Winebarger pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in July to possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime resulting in death, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Epplin prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the St. Louis County Police Department, the Major Case Squad, and the North County Police Cooperative, with assistance from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the St. Charles County Police Department.

The sentencing of Winebarger serves as a reminder that violent crime will not be tolerated in our community, and those who commit such crimes will be held accountable.

Mandatory facts: Defendant - Terry W. Winebarger, Exact criminal charges - possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime resulting in death, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, City and state - St. Louis, Missouri, Exact date - February 18, 2023, Sentence or outcome - 25 years in prison.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edmo/pr/st-louis-county-man-sentenced-25-years-prison-murdering-acquaintance