Eric Wrinkles murdered three people including his estranged wife, this episode of Evil Lives Here spotlights his crimes and his erratic mental health.
Matthew Eric Wrinkles was married to Debra Jean Wrinkles and pair had two children together, but by 1994 their relationship had broken down. The couple had separated and Debra had taken a protective order out against him.
Eric had been behaving erratically and even his mother was concerned about how he acting. She tried to get him committed to a psychiatric facility at the start of July 1994 but was told he not “gravely disabled” and he was discharged.
Meantime Wrinkles made repeated attempts to find Debra and the children, visiting two of her friends and even turning up at her work.
On July 20 he attended a meeting with his wife and their respective attorneys to initiate their divorce and during the meeting Debra agreed to waive the protective order meet up for food later that day with the kids.
However, Debra changed her mind and failed to show up at the restaurant. That night Wrinkles armed himself with a handgun and knife, donned some camouflage gear and headed to his brother-in-law’s house.
Watch the Latest on our YouTube ChannelHe parked some distance away and then cut the telephone wires to their home. He then burst in the back door and attacked the people inside. His brother-in-law, Tony Fulkerson, was shot four times, including once in the face. His wife was killed with a shot to the face and Debra was also shot dead.
Wrinkles fled the scene but was later arrested at his cousin’s house. His trial was held in June 1995 and he was found guilty, though he blamed his methamphetamine addiction for his actions. He was given the death penalty and after various appeals he was executed by lethal injection on December 12, 2009.
His children survived the attack and he later treat to make peace with them.
Evil Lives Here – On the Run airs at 4:00 PM on Investigation Discovery.