[ad_1]
A Virginia legislation enforcement employee was killed in a shootout with deputies in California after he allegedly killed the mom and grandparents of a teenage woman he had catfished on-line, police stated Sunday.
The employee had pushed off with the woman after the killings, police stated.
Officers had been initially known as to the La Sierra South neighborhood in Riverside, California, on Friday simply after 11 a.m. to examine on the welfare of a woman who appeared distressed whereas getting right into a crimson Kia Soul with a person, the Riverside Police Division stated in a information launch.
Whereas officers had been responding, police started to obtain calls a couple of structural fireplace only a few homes away from the place the welfare name was reported, they stated.
The Riverside Fireplace Division arrived on the residence to discover a fireplace on the primary ground. Once they made entry they found three grownup victims mendacity on the bottom, police stated.
“Their our bodies had been pulled outdoors the place it was decided they had been victims of an obvious murder,” the Riverside Police Division stated, including that firefighters had been in a position to put the hearth out.
Throughout a preliminary investigation, detectives came upon that the woman described within the preliminary welfare name had lived on the home the place the three folks had been discovered useless, police stated.
Authorities had been additionally in a position to determine the person she was seen with as 28-year-old Austin Lee Edwards of North Chesterfield, Virginia, who detectives discovered had labored for the Virginia State Police till being not too long ago employed on the Washington County Sheriff’s Workplace in Virginia.
A number of hours later, authorities had been in a position to monitor Edwards’ car as he was driving with the teenager by means of San Bernardino County within the unincorporated space of Kelso.
When deputies with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Division caught up Edwards, the suspect fired gunshots at them, earlier than being fatally shot by no less than one deputy, police stated. Edwards was pronounced useless on the scene, they stated.
The teenager was unhurt and was positioned into protecting custody of the Riverside County Division of Public Social Companies, police stated.
“Detectives decided Edwards had met the feminine teenager by means of the widespread type of on-line deception often called ‘catfishing,’ the place somebody pretends to be a unique individual than they really are,” the Riverside Police Division stated.
Police stated it was believed Edwards had developed a web based relationship with the teenager and was in a position to receive her private data.
He travelled from Virginia to Riverside, the place he parked his car in a neighbor’s driveway and walked to the teenager’s residence, sooner or later killing her mom, grandfather and grandmother earlier than strolling again to his car with the teenager and leaving, police stated.
The slain members of the family had been recognized as 69-year-old Mark Winek; his spouse, 65-year-old Sharie Winek; and their daughter, 38-year-old Brooke Winek, police stated. The precise trigger and method of their deaths had been nonetheless pending, they stated. The reason for the hearth on the residence was additionally nonetheless below investigation, however police stated it appeared to have been deliberately ignited.
Mark Winek’s older brother, John Winek, declined to remark, saying in a short telephone name Monday that the household remains to be processing the killings. Extra data will likely be launched throughout a information convention with authorities on Wednesday, he stated.
In a web based fundraiser that John Winek stated was began by one other relative, Mark Winek was described as a “loving father, grandfather, uncle, brother and coach at Arlington Excessive College.”
The Riverside Unified College District didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
“Sharie Winek was a candy and caring Mom, Grandmother, Sister, and Aunt who cherished spending time together with her household,” the relative wrote within the fundraiser. “Brooke Winek was a beloved single mom with the most important coronary heart and located her most immense pleasure in following her daughter within the Shade Guard at Arlington Excessive College.”
A spokesperson for the Virginia State Police stated Edwards entered its academy July 6, 2021, and graduated as a trooper on Jan. 21 of this yr. He was assigned to Henrico County, which is throughout the Richmond Division, they stated, earlier than resigning on Oct. 28. Requested for extra data on the circumstances surrounding Edwards’ resignation, the spokesperson stated state legislation prohibits state businesses from releasing something aside from a date of resignation.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Workplace stated in an announcement that Edwards was employed on Nov. 16 and not too long ago started orientation there. The workplace was on the point of assign him to the patrol division.
“Previous employers and the Virginia State Police had been contacted through the hiring processing,” the sheriff’s workplace stated, “nevertheless, no employers disclosed any troubles, reprimands, or inside investigations pertaining to Edwards.”
The company stated it’s at the moment aiding the Riverside Police Division in California with this investigation.
“It’s stunning and unhappy to all the legislation enforcement group that such an evil and depraved individual may infiltrate legislation enforcement whereas concealing his true identification as a pc predator and assassin,” Washington County Sheriff Blake Andis stated.
Police stated the investigation into the incident was nonetheless ongoing. They requested anybody with data to contact them and stated these wishing to stay nameless can e-mail RPDTips@RiversideCA.gov.
Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez inspired households to speak to their youngsters about tips on how to use the web safely in an announcement shared in regards to the triple murder.
“Our hearts exit to the Winek household and their family members throughout this time of super grief, as this can be a tragedy for all Riversiders,” he stated. “That is yet one more horrific reminder of the predators current on-line who prey on our kids.”
[ad_2]
Source link