Winters Murder Victim's Friends, Family Relieved After Gardner's Arrest
WEST SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Friends of murder victim Leslie Pinkston say the arrest of her alleged killer in Las Vegas brings some closure after her death.
Her ex-boyfriend, William Gardner III, was arrested early Tuesday morning after a standoff at a Las Vegas apartment.
One of Pinkston's friends says she didn't want her face on camera, or even for us to disclose the location of the interview. Despite Gardner's arrest, she's concerned for her safety.
"I was blessed to have as much time with her as I could," she said. "When I got the news, my heart was broken."
She says she and Pinkston were close, and she also knows Gardner very well.
"William's a liar, a manipulator, a thief, a troll," she said.
When CBS13 first broke the news of Gardner's arrest in Las Vegas, there was relief. In the weeks following Pinkston's death, her family and friends feared they could be targeted, too.
"It was horrible," said Pinkston's friend. "You had to look over your shoulder, take your children out of school."
Despite not wanting to show her face on camera, she says she's going to be in the courtroom for Gardner's first court appearance.
Some of Pinkston's friends have also vowed to get more involved with domestic violence awareness and legislation.
