Former Virginia State Trooper Allegedly Murdered Mother and Grandparents of Teen He Catfished Online and Abducted
Suspect shot dead by deputies after opening fire on them
A former Virginia State Trooper has been shot by police officers in San Bernardino, California, after allegedly murdering the mother and grandparents of a teenage girl that he catfished on social media. Twenty-eight-year-old Austin Lee Edwards is believed to have driven from Virginia to California to meet the girl after extensive conversations online.
Police believe that after killing the girl’s family members on November 25, 2022, Edwards set fire to their Riverside home and forced the teen to leave with him. He was subsequently located by deputies from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department (SBCSD). The suspect opened fire on responding officers and was shot dead when they returned fire. The teen was physically unharmed in either altercation and has been taken into protective custody by the Riverside County Department of Public Social Services.
An investigation has begun into the events that led to the deaths of 38-year-old Brooke Winek and her parents, 69-year-old Mark Winek and 65-year-old Sharie Winek, and the abduction of the unnamed teenage girl.
