Who is Austin Lee Edwards?
Southern California law enforcement has identified former Virginia State Trooper Austin Lee Edwards as the man who allegedly killed a Riverside family last week.
According to authorities, Edwards was accused of murdering a 15-year-old's grandmother, grandfather and mother before setting their home on fire and taking the teenage girl away. Hours after the alleged murders, and with the teenage girl in the car, Edwards led the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department on a dangerous pursuit, opening fire on a SWAT team before being gunned down by police.
"We believe at this point that the suspect was the only one involved in the murders and in setting the fire," said Riverside Police Officer Ryan Railsback.
According to a Virginia State Police Department spokesperson, Edwards was hired and entered the academy last year on July 6. Upon his graduation on Jan. 21, 2022, officials assigned him to Henrico County, within the Richmond Division of Virginia. He resigned from the department on Oct. 28, 2022, a little less than a month before the gruesome murder.
Virginia State Police denied revealing why Edwards resigned since it was part of his personnel file.
He then continued his law enforcement career with the Washington County Sheriff's Office on Nov. 16, 2022. He recently began the orientation process with the department before being assigned to the patrol division.
During his background check of previous employers including the state police, "no employers disclosed any troubles, reprimands, or internal investigations pertaining to Edwards," according to the Washington County deputies. The sheriff's office said that he was still employed as a trooper with Virginia State Police when applied to be a deputy.
The Riverside Police Department believes that Edwards had met the 15-year-old girl online through a "catfishing" scheme, where he pretended to be a different person.
"He developed a relationship with her, enough where we believe there might have been an exchange of texts, maybe phone calls. And he was able to get her personal information. He was able to get her address," said Railsback.
Police believe Edwards then traveled from Virginia to Riverside and killed the teen's 69-year-old grandfather Mark Winek, 65-year-old grandmother Sharie Winek and 38-year-old mother Brooke Winek before fleeing with the girl.
"This is yet another horrific reminder of the predators existing online who prey on our children," said Gonzalez. "If you've already had a conversation with your kids on how to be safe online and on social media, have it again. If not, start it now to better protect them."