WI WI - Christopher Winkler, 19, Burlington, 16 February 1987

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Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance
Missing Since: February 16, 1987 from Burlington, Racine County, Wisconsin
Classification: Endangered Missing
Date Of Birth: 1967
Age: 19
Height: 71-74"
Weight: 190-220 lbs.
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Blue
Race: White
Gender: Male
Distinguishing Characteristics: Approximate 2 inch round scare above the knee.
Clothing: Blue jeans, brown work type boots/shoes, and grey jacket (possibly leather). Secondary description could possibly be blue jeans, flannel shirt with thermal type shirt underneath and brown work type boots/shoes.

Details of Disappearance
Christopher Winkler disappeared under suspicious circumstances from Burlington, Wisconsin on February 16, 1987. A month and a half later, his mother reported him missing.

According to his family he would not have just left as he was very close to his family and would return for dinner every night.

He had been a suspect in a burglary before he went missing, but the charges were dropped. Friends of his did serve time.

Foul play is suspected.

Burlington teen disappeared 29 years ago today

Chris' family believes he was murdered. He had been getting into trouble and was involved in a robbery a few months before he disappeared. Eventually, the family eventually had a funeral for Chris 10 years after he disappeared and put up a gravestone. But his mom never gave up hope of finding his body.

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When their grandma died, Tonya and her sister, Jenna Winkler, felt compelled to keep the search going. Their fear now? The people who know something might also let that secret die with them.

"We don't know what occurred that night, we don't know why it occurred but we forgive them. We just want Chris buried properly," says Jenna Winkler, niece.

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Cold case: Nieces searching for answers to what became of Racine County man - July 2015

Missing, mysterious - March 1991

The Vanished Podcast -
EPISODE 88:
Christopher Winkler

Bumping

Anniversary of disappearance today.

The Journal-Times (Racine, WI), 12 Feb 98, pg 20

Christopher James Winkler​

Updated: Jan 12, 2022

On the evening of February 16th 1987, 19 year old Christopher Winkler knocked on his friend Donald's door. His friend wasn’t at home. His friend's grandfather answered the door and observed that Christopher appeared upset and thought he was being followed by a black truck but asked him to leave. He has never been seen or heard from since.

Just two months prior in December of 1986, Chris and three of his friends were charged with breaking into Auctioneer’s Inn, an upscale restaurant that Chris had previously done maintenance work at. Many rumors circulated that the restaurant was being used to smuggle drugs through seafood shipments for local biker gangs and during the burglary these drugs were stolen. These accounts, however, could never be verified.

After his disappearance Chris’ family went to his house but his belongings were missing and his roommates refused to talk. Two of Chris’ friends who were involved in the burglary owned a black truck, similar to the one seen following Chris on the night of his disappearance, and it mysteriously vanished shortly after.

Even though Law Enforcement and Chris’ family believe that he was murdered on the night of his disappearance, there is no evidence of a crime and his case remains unsolved.

“We’re just so worried if we wait too much longer, everybody who knows something will be gone.” - Jenna Winkler, niece of Christopher Winkler

Christopher James Winkler

On the evening of February 16th 1987, 19 year old Christopher Winkler knocked on his friend Donald's door. His friend wasn’t at home. His friend's grandfather answered the door and observed that Christopher appeared upset and thought he was being followed by a black truck but asked him to leave...

www.wimissing.org