Riverside homicides: Virginia cop 'catfished' teen before murders, police say - CBS Los Angeles

The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department killed the fishy wanted successful a gruesome triple homicide successful Riverside aft helium opened occurrence connected a SWAT squad Friday.

According to authorities, connected Friday, Nov. 25, deputies spotted 28-year-old Austin Edwards driving a reddish Kia Soul southbound connected Highway 247. Aircraft tracked Edwards until SWAT units could get successful place. The planes followed Edwards onto Highway 62 and yet Kelso Cima Road earlier the deputies could get successful position.

When the squad intercepted the vehicle, Edwards continued to thrust away, shooting astatine deputies arsenic helium tried to flee. 

Austin Edwards, 28, is accused of murdering 3 radical successful Riverside connected Friday, Nov. 25, 2022. Riverside PD

He mislaid power of the car erstwhile helium drove disconnected the road. Shortly aft the crash, Edwards exited the car and pointed his weapon toward a sheriff's helicopter. Deputies changeable Edwards. He was pronounced dormant astatine the scene. 

Edwards is accused of murdering 69-year-old Mark Winek, 65-year-old Sharie Winek and 38-year-old Brooke Winek astatine their home, located connected Price Court successful Riverside.

He is besides accused of taking a teenage girl, believed to beryllium 15 years old, aft murdering the three people. Riverside Police said Monday greeting it was not an authoritative lawsuit of kidnapping.

The miss was not harmed during the pursuit. She is presently successful protective custody. Police said they did not judge she was progressive successful the murders oregon with mounting the fire.

"We judge astatine this constituent that the fishy was the lone 1 progressive successful the murders and successful mounting the fire," said Riverside Police Officer Ryan Railsback.    

In updated details released Monday morning, a Virginia State Police spokesperson said Austin L. Edwards was hired and entered the academy connected July 6, 2021. Edwards graduated connected Jan. 21, 2022, arsenic a trooper and was assigned to Henrico County, wrong the Richmond Division.

Edwards resigned connected Oct. 28, 2022, according to Virginia State Police.

The Washington County, Virginia, Sheriff's Office said Austin Lee Edwards was inactive employed arsenic a trooper with Virginia State Police erstwhile helium applied to the sheriff's office.

During his inheritance cheque of erstwhile employers including the authorities police, "no employers disclosed immoderate troubles, reprimands, oregon interior investigations pertaining to Edwards," according to the Washington County Sheriff's Office.

Edwards was hired by the Washington County Sheriff's Office connected Nov. 16, 2022, and had precocious begun predisposition earlier being assigned to the patrol division.

Riverside Police said detectives determined Edwards had met the teenage miss online arsenic helium was pretending to beryllium a antithetic person, besides known arsenic "catfishing." Police were investigating whether Edwards had targeted different victims.

"He developed a narration with her, capable wherever we judge determination mightiness person been an speech of texts, possibly telephone calls. And helium was capable to get her idiosyncratic information. He was capable to get her address," said Riverside Police Officer Ryan Railsback.

Officers judge Edwards traveled from Virginia to Riverside, and reportedly parked successful a neighbor's driveway earlier walking to the teen's residence connected Friday, according to Riverside Police. He subsequently murdered the teen's grandfather, grandma and parent earlier walking with the teen backmost to his conveyance and leaving the scene, constabulary said.

Someone reported a distressed miss getting into the suspect's car. Hours later, authorities spotted the vehicle, and a pursuit began that ended with Edwards dying successful a shootout.

The victims' bodies were recovered successful the residence erstwhile firefighters responded to the burning location Friday. Firefighters "discovered the 3 big victims laying connected the crushed successful the beforehand entryway," Railsback said. Their bodies were pulled outside, wherever it was determined they were victims ... of homicide."

The causes of the deaths of the victims were not instantly released. Arson was determined to beryllium the origin of the location fire.

"This is yet different horrific reminder of the predators existing online who prey connected our children," said Gonzalez. "If you've already had a speech with your kids connected however to beryllium harmless online and connected societal media, person it again.  If not, commencement it present to amended support them."  

"The process of gathering idiosyncratic online and portraying to beryllium idiosyncratic who you're not, successful bid for your ain gratification, whether it's sexual, financial, immoderate the lawsuit is, is highly common," said Officer Railsback.

"Our hearts spell retired to the Winek household and their loved ones during this clip of tremendous grief, arsenic this is simply a calamity for each Riversiders," said Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez.