Pubdate: Thu, 22 Mar 2001
Source: Chicago Sun-Times (IL)
Copyright: 2001 The Sun-Times Co
Contact:  401 N. Wabash, Chicago IL 60611
Feedback: http://www.suntimes.com/geninfo/feedback.html
Website: http://www.suntimes.com/
Author: Frank Main And Annie Sweeney

WAS WOMAN KILLED OVER KIN'S DRUG DEBT?

The trees in front of Wardella Winchester's South Side home were decked 
with yellow ribbons Wednesday while her family kept vigil for her safe return.

But their hopes were dashed when the 56-year-old home economics teacher was 
found dead amid trash on a conveyor belt at a south suburban recycling 
center. Tears rolled down the face of her 14-year-old grandson Charles 
Winchester.

"I hoped she would come home," Charles said.

Police sources said they believe she was kidnapped for ransom Friday after 
a close relative stole a large amount of cash and 30 to 40 kilograms of 
cocaine.

Investigators have found more than $100,000--one source put the total at 
$250,000--in savings accounts and safe deposit boxes that Winchester 
recently opened, sources said. They believe the money came from her 
relative's drug ripoff.

Detectives said they don't know whether Winchester knew the cash was drug 
money, but one source said, "It was a lot of money for a teacher. We're 
investigating whether she was laundering or hiding the money."

Police said they were questioning several people Wednesday night but made 
no arrests. Police also had been speaking to Winchester's adopted son, who 
lived with her, all week. Investigators said he was cooperating.

Authorities think someone snatched Winchester outside her three-flat in the 
8200 block of South Marshfield about 7 a.m. Friday when she left for work. 
She called relatives on a cell phone Saturday to let them know she had been 
abducted.

Her body was spotted by workers about 10 a.m. Wednesday at Homewood 
Disposal Co. Broadcast reports said her hands and face had been bound with 
duct tape. Police said relatives identified Winchester from clothing and 
jewelry. Police called the identification temporary because it is pending a 
fingerprint check and family confirmation.

Winchester's body, which will be autopsied today, was at the Cook County 
medical examiner's office completely shrouded to preserve evidence. FBI 
agents were called in to help process evidence because of the nature of the 
crime, a spokesman with the agency's Chicago office said.

Kidnappings are not a rarity in drug disputes, but they generally don't 
involve family members, police said.

Winchester had lived in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood for about 30 years 
and shared her home with her mother, brother and an adopted son. A niece 
said she moved to Chicago in the 1950s from Mobile, Ala., with her husband, 
Charles, who died in a car accident last year.

She had worked at Carver Military Academy since 1983 and was caring and 
unpretentious, colleagues said.

"She worked with the kids who needed a little extra nurturing and was good 
with those kids," Principal Curtis R. Murphy said of Winchester. "She was 
very dependable. She was always there when I needed her."

After learning of the grim discovery Wednesday, Syron M. Smith, leader of 
the Chicago Block Club Union, organized a prayer vigil of about 40 people 
outside Winchester's home.

"We were going to pray for her safe return, but now we will pray for the 
family," Smith said. "This renews my call to Mayor Daley and other leaders 
to take action because these communities are at war right now."

John Allen, a CTA worker, said he didn't know Winchester but went to her 
house to pay his respects to her family.

"I just came over because I was so touched by it," he said. "I hoped no 
harm would come to her. It's time for all this stuff to stop."
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