A South Carolina death row inmate died of illness, prison officials say

John Monk, The State (Columbia, S.C.) on Sep 7, 2026

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A S.C. Death Row inmate Louis Michael Winkler Jr. died Monday morning at Kirkland Correctional Institution.

Louis Michael Winkler, 66, of Horry County, was pronounced dead 8:49 a.m. in Kirkland’s infirmary after an extended illness, prison officials said in a press release on X, formerly known as Twitter. They did not identify the illness.

An autopsy will be performed, the release said.

Kirkland, where Winkler died, is located on Broad River Road several miles north of downtown Columbia. It has both a maximum security unit and a 24-bed infirmary, according to information on the prison department’s internet site.

At the time of his death, Winkler was appealing his sentence. He had been on Death Row since his conviction in 2008.

Winkler was convicted of murder, first-degree burglary and assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature in the death of his estranged wife, Rebecca Grainger Winkler of Loris, the release said.

At the time, Winkler was out on bond for kidnapping, rape and assault charges involving his estranged wife when he kicked in her door and shot her in the face at close range in front of her teenage son in 2006, the release said.

Winkler then hid in a wooded area for two weeks before being captured by police. He was tried and sentenced to death for his crimes in 2008, the release said.