CA, Winek, Mark 69, Sharie 65, Brooke 38--deceased, teen kidnapped, Riverside 11/25/22

[katydid23]

Police: Former law enforcement worker ‘catfished’ teen, murdered 3 family members in Riverside

The suspect in a triple homicide in Riverside, who was shot and killed by deputies with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Friday, has been identified as a 28-year-old man who used to b…

ktla.com

Authorities with the Riverside Police Department said that around 11 a.m. on Nov. 25, officers had been dispatched to a welfare check of a young a woman who appeared to be in distress while getting into a red Kia Soul with a man in the 11200 block of Price Court and leaving with him.

While officers were responding, reports of a fire at a home, just a few houses away from where the welfare-check call originated, came in.


“Their bodies were pulled outside where it was determined they were victims of an apparent homicide,” officials with RPD said in a news release.

A preliminary investigation revealed that the young woman was a teenager who lived where the house fire and the homicides occurred.


“Detectives determined Edwards had met the female teenager through the common form of online deception known as ‘catfishing,’ where someone pretends to be a different person than they actually are,” authorities said in the release. “It is believed Edwards had developed an online relationship with the teen and obtained her personal information. He traveled from Virginia to Riverside where he parked his car in a neighbor’s driveway and walked into the teen’s home.”

That’s when police say Edwards murdered the teen’s grandfather, grandmother and mother.

“Detectives learned Edwards had worked for the Virginia State Police until recently employed at the Washington County Sheriff’s office in Virginia,” the release noted.

 

[katydid23]

So this poor girl in Southern Cali got catfished by a LE Officer from Virginia. And he drove across country, walked into her home, killed her mother and grandparents, then set the house on fire and kidnapped that poor child.

 

[katydid23]

Austin Edwards, 28, was accused of murdering three family members in Riverside.

According to authorities, on Nov. 26, deputies spotted 28-year-old Austin Edwards driving a red Kia Soul south on Highway 247. Aircraft tracked Edwards until SWAT units could get in place. The planes followed Edwards onto Highway 62 and ultimately Kelso Cima Road before the deputies could get in position.

When the team intercepted the vehicle, Edwards continued to drive away, shooting at deputies as he tried to get away.

He lost control of the car when he drove off the road. Shortly after the crash, Edwards exited the car and pointed his gun toward a Sheriff's helicopter.

Deputies shot Edwards and pronounced him dead at the scene.

Edwards was accused in the murder of 69-year-old Mary Winek, 65-year-old Sharie Winek and 38-year-old Brooke Winek. He was also accused of kidnapping a teenage girl after murdering the three people.

The girl was not harmed during the pursuit. She is currently in protective custody.

According to the Riverside Police Department, Edwards was involved in a "catfishing" scheme, where he developed a relationship with the teenager. Officers believed he obtained the teen's personal information and traveled from Virginia to Riverside.

 

[marypretzels]

Austin Edwards, 28, was accused of murdering three family members in Riverside.

According to authorities, on Nov. 26, deputies spotted 28-year-old Austin Edwards driving a red Kia Soul south on Highway 247. Aircraft tracked Edwards until SWAT units could get in place. The planes followed Edwards onto Highway 62 and ultimately Kelso Cima Road before the deputies could get in position.

When the team intercepted the vehicle, Edwards continued to drive away, shooting at deputies as he tried to get away.

He lost control of the car when he drove off the road. Shortly after the crash, Edwards exited the car and pointed his gun toward a Sheriff's helicopter.

Deputies shot Edwards and pronounced him dead at the scene.

Edwards was accused in the murder of 69-year-old Mary Winek, 65-year-old Sharie Winek and 38-year-old Brooke Winek. He was also accused of kidnapping a teenage girl after murdering the three people.

The girl was not harmed during the pursuit. She is currently in protective custody.

According to the Riverside Police Department, Edwards was involved in a "catfishing" scheme, where he developed a relationship with the teenager. Officers believed he obtained the teen's personal information and traveled from Virginia to Riverside.

Creepy looking dude!

 

[scapa]

This is an absolutely horrifying crime -- surprised it isn't getting more attention.

Echoes of Jayme Closs, Libby & Abby, and the list goes on...

 

[Arkay]

This is terrifying.

 

[PriorTheCreator]

This is utterly disgusting. What kind of world do we live in.
I bet there was plenty of red flags, ugh

 

[Marysmith]

I just saw this on the news. Absolutely horrifying that this happened. It’s pure evil!

 

[JoeFromLB]

There are maniacs out there, who draw young girls into online 'relationships' which often end in horror.
The girl is unharmed physically but probably scarred for life. Tragic all around.

 

[TwoLea]

How do so many of these horrible creatures get badges in the first place?

 

[brm1960]

So this poor girl in Southern Cali got catfished by a LE Officer from Virginia. And he drove across country, walked into her home, killed her mother and grandparents, then set the house on fire and kidnapped that poor child.

Was he a police officer or did he just work for the law enforcement agencies?

 

[TwoLea]

Was he a police officer or did he just work for the law enforcement agencies?

He graduated from the state academy, becoming a Virginia state trooper in January of this year. He resigned from that job October 28 and was then employed at a county sheriff's office.

Ex-trooper dies in shootout after killing family of teen he catfished, police say

Before he drove away with the girl, police believe, he set a fire at the home where her grandparents and mother were found slain. The teen is in protective custody.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[livewiiiiire]

How do so many of these horrible creatures get badges in the first place?

Many are drawn to the power of being LE, and ability to take human life by killing "bad guys" and be applauded for it. Types who see themselves as soldiers but couldn't/wouldn't actually join the army. IMO.

 

[TwoLea]

Many are drawn to the power of being LE, and ability to take human life by killing "bad guys" and be applauded for it. Types who see themselves as soldiers but couldn't/wouldn't actually join the army. IMO.

You're right - but how can they not weed out something like this? 9 months on the job and he commits multiple serious crimes and apparently nobody knew? I don't buy that.

 

[caradana]

Hopeful that someone experience in law enforcement in VA can advise: is that a strange career move after 1.5 years on the job as a state trooper, to move to a county sheriff’s office role? He resigned about two and a half weeks before he started the new role, which to me suggests voluntary resignation (and I’m sure VA isn’t allowed to say for individual cases, personnel matter). Are there reasons why an officer would make that change ($? Hours? Home base?) or is it really a demotion no matter how you cut it? I can’t tell.

 

[livewiiiiire]

You're right - but how can they not weed out something like this? 9 months on the job and he commits multiple serious crimes and apparently nobody knew? I don't buy that.

I don't think nobody knew, I think that departments prefer to deal with things internally to keep their image clean. As far as weeding out people who are unwell or seem to get off on the power they have - I don't think that behavior is exactly discouraged. The vetting and training procedures may not be as complex and thorough as we hope they are. MOO based on what I have experience and researched about police departments, but it is different everywhere. I honestly don't know how this monster slipped through the system, I hope he is sentenced to a miserable life in prison as an ex-cop, ideally in forced solitude.

 

[katydid23]

It feels to me like there had to be some red flags before he actually snapped and committed such a heinous crime.

As a trooper, did he ever get complaints from young women , for leering or coming on to them?

 

[TwoLea]

I don't think nobody knew, I think that departments prefer to deal with things internally to keep their image clean. As far as weeding out people who are unwell or seem to get off on the power they have - I don't think that behavior is exactly discouraged. The vetting and training procedures may not be as complex and thorough as we hope they are. MOO based on what I have experience and researched about police departments, but it is different everywhere. I honestly don't know how this monster slipped through the system, I hope he is sentenced to a miserable life in prison as an ex-cop, ideally in forced solitude.

He is dead. No prison for him.

 

[TwoLea]

It feels to me like there had to be some red flags before he actually snapped and committed such a heinous crime.

As a trooper, did he ever get complaints from young women , for leering or coming on to them?

I'm thinking he could have used privileged access to certain systems used by LE to find this child's home address, etc.

 

[caradana]

I'm thinking he could have used privileged access to certain systems used by LE to find this child's home address, etc.

More likely that she gave it to him. Not her fault in the slightest. Going to talk with my daughters about this tonight.
Am absolutely confident VA LE is scouring every search he ever performed today.