Larry Wilder Pursues Insanity Defense in Bryce Winnecke Murder Case
In August 2025, Jeffersonville resident Bryce Winnecke was charged with murder and abuse of a corpse after allegedly stabbing and decapitating his father, Erich Winnecke. The case quickly drew statewide attention due to its graphic nature and the prosecutor’s call for a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
Defense attorney Larry Wilder now represents Bryce Winnecke and has filed motions for both a mental health defense and an insanity defense. Wilder emphasized that the case must be viewed through the lens of mental illness and family tragedy. He noted that psychiatrists will examine his client to determine his mental state and competency for trial.
Wilder, who has known the Winnecke family for decades, described the devastation they are facing. “They don’t see what happened as anything other than a horrible tragic event, and they are doubly overcome with the anguish that comes along with losing a parent and essentially losing a brother,” he said. Wilder explained that while the community sees a violent crime, the family sees overlapping losses and a son whose mental health struggles may have fueled the tragedy.
Court filings reveal that the defense is preparing to argue Bryce’s delusional behavior leading up to the incident supports an insanity claim. According to police records, Bryce’s mother reported that he had been acting “delusional and very weird” in the days prior, sending disturbing messages to his father and later confessing to her over the phone.
Wilder acknowledged the seriousness of the charges but stressed his role in ensuring that mental illness is considered fully in the judicial process. He emphasized that his client’s family continues to support him, seeking not vengeance, but justice: “What they want is ‘just,’ and they understand that that may not be what other people think ‘just’ is.”
As the case proceeds, Wilder’s defense highlights both the legal and human complexities of addressing violent crime when severe mental health issues are involved. His approach underscores the balance between community safety, accountability, and the obligation to consider mental illness in the courtroom.