Austin Lee Edwards poses as a 17-year-old boy to talk online with a 15-year-old girl. He then drives across the country to her Riverside home when she stops responding. Edwards parks in a neighbor’s driveway and goes inside the Winek home. Edwards kills the girl’s mother and grandparents, sets the home on fire, and leaves with the girl.
A neighbor calls police after noticing Edwards leading the girl, who “appeared distressed,” into his car. Another neighbor also calls 911 after seeing flames coming from the home. When police arrive, Edwards and the girl are gone. Brooke, Sherie, and Mark Winek’s bodies are found inside the home; Brooke Winek’s other daughter is not home.
Police get Edward’s license plate from cameras in Winek’s neighborhood and track him into the Mojave Desert. A helicopter spots the car and cops pursue Edwards, who fires at the officers. Edwards turns the gun on himself and crashes the car. The girl was unharmed during the kidnapping and is now in protective custody.
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[Featured image: Austin Lee Edwards/Virginia State Police]
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