The jury just reached a verdict in the Stephen Allwine murder trial. He was found guilty of 1st-degree premeditated murder in the poisoning and shooting of his wife Amy.
Stephen Allwine found guilty of killing his wife, staging death as suicide
The Washington County jury deliberated for about eight hours after getting the case earlier in the day following six days of testimony.
Prosecutor Fred Fink, in his closing argument, said evidence showed that Amy Allwine had been drugged with a life-threatening dose of scopolamine before she was shot with a 9-millimeter handgun in a hallway.
Stephen Allwine moved her body to the bedroom where he tried to disguise her murder as a suicide, Fink said.
“Physical and scientific evidence don’t lie,” Fink told the jury.
Fink said evidence showed the victim’s body was “posed,” with no blood spatters on the bedspread or nightstand next to her body and the gun resting on her left elbow even though she was righthanded. STAR Tribune
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Husband accused of trying to stage wife's death as suicide found guilty of first-degree murder
Stephen Allwine faces a mandatory life sentence after a jury in Washington County deliberated for eight hours in the 2016 slaying of 43-year-old Amy Allwine.
Investigators said that Stephen Allwine was having affairs, according to the Star Tribune, and that he searched the dark web in an attempt to find a hit man to kill his wife.
Stephen Allwine was an elder at the United Church of God, which frowned on divorce.
"This defendant wanted Amy Allwine out of his life and wanted to be free to play the field," prosecutor Fred Fink said, according to the newspaper. "He planned, prepared for and was absolutely determined to kill her." NYDailyNews
Stephen Allwine was convicted Wednesday night of first-degree premeditated murder in the killing of Amy Allwine on Nov. 13, 2016. CBSLocal Minnessota
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(KMSP) - After six days of testimony, and six hours of deliberations, a Washington County jury has found Stephen Allwine guilty of first-degree murder in the killing of his wife. He’s expected to spend the rest of his life in prison.
In closing arguments, prosecutors told the jury Stephen killed Amy because he was an elder in his church, and it would be embarrassing to seek a divorce. Evidence revealed Stephen had carried on at least two affairs with women he met on the cheaters site Ashley Madison.
Over six days of testimony, the court room was filled with supporters from the Allwine church, where Stephen was a deacon and church leader. FOX9
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“We believe the jury did the right thing,” Fink said. “They had a lot of pieces of evidence to go through. … I’ve been doing this 43 years and it’s probably the most complex case I’ve ever tried.”
The evidence against Allwine included a trail of digital clues that connected him to a failed murder-for-hire plot hatched on the “dark web,” a hidden portion of the internet associated with crime."
"After a two-month investigation, Stephen Allwine was arrested in March 2017 and charged with Amy Allwine’s murder. Prosecutors alleged that Stephen Allwine was having at least two extramarital affairs. Rather than divorce his wife and jeopardize his position at a local church, he decided to have her killed." Twin Cities Pioneer Express
I have heard similar reports that United Church of God members were filling the courtroom viewing area in support of Allwine. Many UCG members have claimed that this court trial is an attack by Satan on God's true church (UCG). We have all heard that crap before in another court trial! Many of those in attendance were reported to be quite vocal in their support of Allwine.
Thankfully a wise jury made a wise decision.
41 comments:
Why is it that those ensconced in Armstrongism defend and support their abusers? Why would a courtroom be packed with UCG members there in support of him? UCG is sick!
Read UCG's latest weaseling on the topic. They tell us:
Mr. Allwine was technically a lay (unpaid) minister at the time of Amy’s death
When UCG ordains a new elder not on the payroll, do they tell him, "You are now technically a lay (unpaid) minister of Jesus Christ"? I have never before heard an elder described in this way. Until now, they have said, "You are now a minister of Jesus Christ." To distance themselves from the verdict, UCG has shown itself willing to insult scores of unpaid elders who are now merely "technically a lay (unpaid)" minister.
Is Victor Kubik "technically" the President of UCG? Is Peter Eddington "technically" UCG's Media Director? How would a UCG member be treated who called them such? Nevertheless, the message technically has gone out under those two men's names, so they bear responsibility for this ridiculously insulting bit of waffling in the name of damage control. They should technically be ashamed of themselves.
Court room filled with church supporters seems strange and ill advised
Mal 2:16 is often quoted teling us that God hates divorce. This is not the correct reading of the verse. It is the man who hates divorce that he ends up hurting his wife (like what happened to Stephen Allwine). Listen to the audio starting at 1:25:47 where this is discussed - Ki Teitzei (Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19) - Torah Pearls - Nehemia'sWall
Mal 2:16 is often quoted teling us that God hates divorce. This is not the correct reading of the verse. It is the man who hates divorce that he ends up hurting his wife (like what happened to Stephen Allwine). Listen to the audio starting at 1:25:47 where this is discussed - https://www.nehemiaswall.com/torah-pearls-ki-teitzei
Six day trial, and just 8 hours of deliberation? This was obviously an open and shut case, and very quick for a murder trial. There must not have been much of a possible defense that even remotely was credible.
The term supporters is vague. Does it mean that they thought he was innocent, or does it mean that they were there for family members of Gail Allwine and other church members impacted by this heinous crime?
Any time you write a press release that contains the word "technically" you show readers that you are on the defensive and have already lost in the court of public opinion.
Last week: "The indwelling of the holy spirit makes us special, different, and better than all those sick, heathen animals in 'the world.'"
This week: "Why would you expect us to be special, different, and better than all the rest of the people God created for his beautiful, green earth?
Next week: "Remember all those sick, heathen animals in 'the world?' "Yeah, we're definitely special, different, and better than them."
The disUnited Church of Godlessness is where unrepentant, unconverted, unbelieving, uncivilized, unsociable weirdos and perverts go to behave very badly while playing church.
Glad they caught him. Horrible thing to do to his wife and to his innocent son. Imagine the suffering that child will go through.
As far as the church and their stupid view on divorce, it is God who invented divorce and gave it to us through Moses.
In Orthodox Judaism you must give a get to have a divorce. A woman without a 'get' is called an agunah or chained woman who cannot marry again, even though her ex husband can. Its called putting away and it is what Jesus meant.
In Judaism today many men refuse to give the get to punish their ex wife. If she gets remarried anyway she is considered an adulteress.
It is a cruel and ugly thing.
just because someone says Lord, Lord doesnt mean that person is converted...
having been associated with the cog since my birth, i have developed a healthy suspicion of several people in its midst that struck me as hypocritical, or carnal minded, or racist, or just plain mean spirited, etc., that clearly were tares, even amongst the ministry...
like i said before: one of the FEW things i like about this site is their freedom to point out the kinds of sins that church lay people think, but fear, and rightfully so, to go there...
AND YOU MINISTERS WHAT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS SITE? YOU ONLY HAVE YOURSELVES TO BLAME!!! UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLE ALLUDED TO IN THE LAST PART OF TITUS 5:14 IF YOU TRULY ARE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!!!
for more than 2 generations there has been this persistent force infecting the modern cog like a foot fungus that refuses to die: politicking, looking the other way in the wake of sins, love of money, looking down on common people, jealously guarding ones status, racism, you name it; such things have stunted the growth of the Work, and have given sites like these, and justifiably so, plenty of reason to doubt you...
you have profaned the Holy Way of God, the true Gospel, and THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY...
c f ben yochanan
One rude old jerk who hung out at the UCG to spout off his own theories had divorced his wife and married another woman. The flattering jerk liked to talk about how tactful he was and how he got along fine now with his ex-wife. He had complained to the Tkaches in the past and caused trouble for the WCG minister who had not wanted to go along with his plan to divorce and remarry. The old jerk would also get the UCG leaders to kick out anyone who said anything about him harassing them in the UCG. The way he operated, at least he did not have to murder his ex-wife to move on to the next one.
The more I see of the UCG the more convinced I am that technically the people there are not even converted. All they do is love evil and support evil.
All I can say is that this guy was so warped by years of Armstrongism that he wasn't thinking straight! What did he imagine was his future? To get away with this, and to be able to continue his ministry without being cursed for his sin? To find a new church lady that was perhaps free and adventuresome like the ladies on that website? No way would either have happened. Ditto any scenario in which he would have remained a true and sincere member of the church. The lesson here is that if you are going to leave the church by committing a horrible sin like killing somebody, why not leave it in a benign way? Either way, you've left, so why not do it clean, without hurting another?
It seems apparent that there was some radical hatred involved in this case. I've known guys whose wives spent all the communal savings on coke, and became absolute whores, and the guys just walked away, and started over. No need for violence or murder.
BB
Stephen Allwine was an elder at the United Church of God, which frowned on divorce.
Well, yeah but they also frown on having affairs, hiring hit-men, killing your wife, and misleading authorities. So, is the media trying to make the church look bad because they frowned on divorce? Well maybe we should all say "yipee" to divorce, maybe that would help. i.e. as if frowning on divorce was part of the problem here? And what about the other woman/women? No guilt there? But the church is the problem because they frown on divorce? I guess the media would be happier if we all celebrate divorce.
A lot of "analysis" these days is really about constructing fake narratives and I see people on here who are doing exactly that.
"All I can say is that this guy was so warped by years of Armstrongism that he wasn't thinking straight!"
Maybe it wasn't Armstrongism. He might have got the idea from a Hollywood movie. Let's ban Hollywood just in case.
I can see why the natural reaction of people is to support Allwine. Most of their members and even ministers (they are not all like Pack and Herbie) are decent people (though misguided) and so it would be hard to believe that someone in their church would do such a thing, especially if it is someone they knew personally who seemed to be a great guy, and maybe in some ways he was, because people are complicated and everyone has their good side and bad side, and we all suppress or hide the bad side. Perhaps they will change their minds in due course.
"It seems apparent that there was some radical hatred involved in this case."
Yeah, his wife looks really black in that picture. You nailed it. Race is always the problem.
10.34 PM
Please tell us what the fake narratives on this site are?
This is a discussion site, so we would love to hear from you.
When you think you've heard the worst about UCG it gets even more darker. This is bad extremely bad. The response from UCG perhaps it's Eddington influence is not going to help matters.
But are the church members in the courtroom to support the husband or support the deceased wife? Some posters are making assumptions which I question.
They were there to support Stephen Allwine. I have that as a direct quote from a reporter Who was quite shocked at some the comments heard.
What is the affect of brainwashing?
Big Brother Donald Trump stated that he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and he would not lose any support. His base is controlled in its thinking by the biased fact spinners at Fox News. Donald knows that their ability to make moral judgments has been corrupted and Big Brother is explicit about it. This is just where Big Brother wants his base to be. Big Brother can then do anything he wants to do and nobody will object.
David Koresh was in such control of his Millerite followers that he could take any of the women in his congregation as a wife and the husbands would not resist. David Koresh was a kind of messiah in their eyes and they were no doubt happy to offer up their wives as an act of Millerite zeal.
The people who sit in the courtroom in support of Allwine and see this as a conspiracy against "the church" are sick people. They are mentally malformed by listening to the toxic drivel of their ministers. Any judicious discernment is gone. Their distortion of morality has progressed so far, many of them are prepped for another charismatic Millerite leader like David Koresh.
We need to remember that these people are sick. And sick people cannot be judged against normative standards. Instead, they need help. The only encouraging aspect about this is that the UCG is a tiny church and is of no influence anywhere. The number of people suffering this particular pathology is thankfully limited.
10.34 PM calls these "fake narratives"
Is that like "fake news"? (You know, actual news that's labeled as "fake" by those who want to change the narrative?)
Whatever happened to good, old fashioned DIVORCE?
Well, for one, that would have had a negative impact on his church standing, since the Bible seems to frown on divorce...
Better to try to hire someone to kill her, and if that doesn't work out, poison her and then shoot her and make it look like suicide. After all, she's only a woman. BTW, how many women are there on UCG's Council of Elders?
A suicide would actually GAIN him sympathy and support in the church. ("Poor Elder of God, he held to God's Word while enduring a big fat Jezebel of a wife, and now she's made him suffer even more!")
There have been other trials where armstrongists have packed courtrooms to support their men accused of crimes- (or, in the case of Leona McNair, to support the demonization of a woman who had comitted no crime).
Very frequently women are told to honor and obey their husbands because they are to be the leaders of the family. As I see it, a wife's job isn't to blindly follow just anything he says, if she does then she isn't the "help" meet she is supposed to be according to biblical terms. I truly feel a sense of sadness for her and her family, but I wonder if there weren't signs of trouble and they were ignored or she was told to go along with whatever he wanted as he was the leader of the home and the local church. Did she fight back in the times leading up to this event? Maybe she did and didn't get out soon enough. We are told that God protects the innocent, where was her protection from him? It just goes to show that not everyone is protected from everything or everyone, including those of your own household. I can honestly understand how and why people become atheists, I am not but I can understand it.
Their child was adopted if they'd divorced Amy would highly likely have been awarded custody especially if his extra marital affairs came to light. At best in a divorce he could have shared custody. He had everything to lose.
Ucg members attending the trial to support allwine is shocking. Kubic should have stopped it.
Hurtful comments. Not a fan of the COGs but I don't think his being an unpaid elder contributed much to this. I don't think it was thinking murder was more moral than divorce. I simply think it was about a man who let his mind entertain and then slowly turn to evil things.
Ekklesia,
So you think 'the Devil made him do it', and he never entertained a thought about what his church peeps may think and how he may get away with it?
Yep, let's just blame Satan, LOL!
And of course, you also have righteous indignation toward those who write "hurtful comments"
Your comments remind me of an Abbott and Costello routine, called, "SLOWLY I TURNED", which has also been performed by the Three Stooges, among others.
Steve Allwine wanted to keep his position in the church. Do you know how we know this? Because he stayed in the church during the two years he was actively attempting to kill his wife through a series of failed attempts, because he didn't just divorce her, because he kept giving sermons after he had killed her, and he has promised to preach COG doctrine in prison going forward. To say that for Steve, in his brain, that the church wasn't any kind of consideration in his plans to commit this atrocity, is completely delusional, and the prosecution was correct to call attention to that into their arguments.
I get that church people feel hurt by the notion that their community culture could be entangled in the origins of such a terrible crime, but these things don't happen in a vacuum. Steve Allwine didn't just instantly become evil. His thoughts are actions were influenced by the various presences in his life, as it is with all of us, and the church was one of them. Adulterous dating websites were another. An unhappy marriage yet another. There's no telling what else he was up to and what else was leaking into his brain. But to try and disconnect him from the church, as UCG has desperately been trying to do, is completely missing the mark.
Well said, Silenced. Yes, despite UCG trying to wash its hands of Stephen Allwine, the fundamentalist doctrines of Armstrongism and UCG church culture are contributing factors to the psychology that led to this crime, and clearly reveal just one of the ways that the church's influence is toxic.
Armstrongism breeds actors. Members are deprived of their own opinions and personalities, and must resort to reciting their programming instead. There are also those who do not “walk the talk”, and end up leading dual lifestyles, one for sabbath, and one for the rest of the week.
Still, that’s no excuse for killing one’s wife. I don’t know either of these people, and we simply cannot know how they treated each other. Though sometimes the aggressors, the departed are often accorded the status of sainthood. The ACOGs, rather than universally backing a man’s authority in the household, ought to teach conflict resolution. The ACOGs’ dogma makes a man feel like an absolute loser if he cannot control his wife and children, yet there are people who cannot be controlled, and who will always take the wrong side of an ultimatum. This is why people have been known to spank and mistreat their wives. That’s certainly not the ticket to a loving relationship, but church members have most certainly been known to do it.
BB
The rumors of court room filled with supporters for Steve is just flat out false. His parents/siblings and maybe 4-5 others sitting on defense side.
Steve's parents there in support of him.. maybe 4-5 other people sitting on defense side.
Church members in support of Amy's family were in attendance.
Those that saw who was there first hand know this is false.
I was in that courtroom and know for a fact that there were a lot there in support of Stephen and heard their conversations of support in the hallway and as we were waiting for proceedings to start. Friends of Amy and her family were also present.
Re Anonymous 2/1 3:13PM
God does hate divorce! A related word(s) for it are repeated throughout Scripture in relation to “dealing treacherously.” When an individual or nation makes a covenant with another it is meant to be life-long. When Israel broke its covenant time and again with God it was said they had “dealt treacherously” with Him. When Israel’s and Judah’s allies betrayed them breaking the covenant they had previously made they were said to have “dealt treacherously” with Israel and Judah. The Golden Standard is that marriage is a life-long covenant between a man and woman that ends only with the death of one of the partners who entered therein as our Saviour noted in Mark 10:2-12. Today’s society is just as it was in Christ’s time, if not more so(!), in that we are an “adulterous and sinful generation” (Mark 8:38) professing Christian standards, but watering them down to avoid offense or persecution. Note even how the UK’s Brexit is being referred to as a “divorce” so like most divorces it surely won’t end well for her whose “dealing trecherously” with Continental Europe will lead to the latter seeking vengeance due to the wounds inflicted.
Supporters were there for Amy and her family. Yes they were church goers, but not in support of Steve. He did have a small group there for him. Mainly family. I've followed this case closely and went to the trial. Most everything reported is true, but this narrative about Steve having a large support group is just plain false. This got skewed in reporting because Amy's family and supporters would not talk to media. In fact, one might say they were very opposed to any media attention and let them know about it
Funny, I went to the trial as well and wouldn't call one row of family and maybe 3-5 others "a lot" of support for defense. Maybe any support for defense could be looked at as a lot, or at least too much given what we know. Sure there was a 'core' of support, but the large group was there for Amy and her family. Media was forced to sit on defendant side of the courtroom. I heard conversations too. I found this blog to get insight into this church. These comments are very insightful, indeed, but some wreak of people just bitter and spiteful at the church. Mostly likely even rightfully... Hearing the father's statement read at sentencing has me believing that not all aspects of this church are not bad.
I very much believe the religion played into this. No doubt Steve was a sick person and his mind got the best of him. It's my opinion his position in the church had him believing he had God's will at his side. Right or wrong if it was God's will, things would be fine. The evil and torture he inflicted on this family knows no bounds. Almost made worse by saying he didn't do it, when sentenced. Steve may have convinced himself he didn't?
Radical is not the same as racial.
Radical has zero to do with race.
Turns out not everything is about race after all.
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