Austin Edwards, a former Virginia state trooper, was accused of catfishing a teen girl, then murdering her family when he went to meet her. Virginia State Police said he passed all their background checks.
Austin Lee Edwards was shot and killed by San Bernardino County deputies on Nov. 25, outside of Needles near the California-Arizona border. Edwards was killed after leading deputies on a short chase. Along with him in the car was a teen girl from Riverside.
Edwards was accused of "catfishing" the teen, pretending to be someone else while he established a relationship with her. After he got her personal info, Riverside Police said, Edwards traveled from Virginia to Riverside to meet her, but not before he killed her mother, 38-year-old Brooke Winek, and her grandparents, 69-year-old Mark Winek and 65-year-old Sharie Winek.
According to Virginia State Police, because Edwards was a probationary employee he was subjected to regular performance reviews, and "never exhibited any behaviors to trigger any internal administrative or criminal investigations." In addition, the department said he passed his pre-employment background check, polygraph test, and psychological evaluations.
Edwards joined the Washington County, Virginia, Sheriff's Office just one week before he's accused of killing the Winek family. According to the department, none of Edwards' former employers disclosed anything to cause them any concern. "It is shocking and sad to the entire law enforcement community that such an evil and wicked person could infiltrate law enforcement while concealing his true identity as a computer predator and murderer," said Washington County Sheriff Blake Andis said in a press release. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the Winek family, their friends, officers, and all of those affected by this heinous crime.
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