Horrifying scene at Riverside home where police say catfishing of teen led to 3 killings
LA TimesA woman looks at a memorial for three people whose bodies were found inside the burning Riverside home on Friday. “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. Edwards completed training with the Virginia State Police Academy in January, according to a statement from Washington County Sheriff Blake Andis, and was hired as a patrol deputy with the sheriff’s office in rural, southwest Virginia on Nov. 16 — less than 10 days before he arrived in Riverside and killed the Wineks before the shootout with local law enforcement, officials say. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the Winek family, their friends, officers and all of those affected by this heinous crime.” Andis and a spokesperson for the Virginia State Police said none of Edwards’ prior employers had disclosed issues. “I don’t want the legacy to be what’s happened, because he was a really special man.” The GoFundMe campaign called Mark Winek “a loving father, grandfather, uncle, brother and coach” and Sharie Winek “a sweet and caring mother, grandmother, sister and aunt who cherished spending time with her family.” The page said Brooke Winek was “a beloved single mother with the biggest heart.”