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.

Now relatives of the Riverside family have filed a lawsuit  against the Virginia sheriff’s office that hired Austin Edwards. Edwards was employed by the Washington County  sheriff’s office.  The teen’s aunt, Mychelle Blandin, claiming the agency did not do its due diligence in hiring Edwards.  .

Joining Nancy Grace Today:
Darryl Cohen - Former Assistant District Attorney, Fulton County, Georgia, Defense Attorney, Cohen, Cooper, Estep, & Allen, LLC, CCEAlaw.com 
Dr. Scott A. Johnson - Forensic Psychologist (Minnesota), 32 years specializing in addressing sexual predators, Author: "When “I Love You” Turns Violent" and "Physical Abusers & Sexual Offenders"
Dr. Tim Gallagher - Medical Examiner State of Florida; Lecturer: University of Florida Medical School Forensic Medicine; Founder/Host: International Forensic Medicine Death Investigation Conference
Detective Rich Wistocki: Child crime expert, president of BeSure Consulting for 30 years, decorated member of Law Enforcement, 23-year SWAT team member; Formed the Will County Illinois States Attorney’s High Technology Crimes Unit that made over 90 sexual predator arrests in its first 3 ½ years. 
Titania Jordan  - Chief Parenting/Marketing Officer, Bark Technologies, Author: "Parenting In A Tech World;" Instagram/Twitter: @TitaniaJordan, @BarkTechnologies 
Kristen Quon - reporter WCYB, @WCYB_Quon  
Dave Mack - CrimeOnline Investigative Reporter

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.
Now relatives of the Riverside family have filed a lawsuit  against the Virginia sheriff’s office that hired Austin Edwards. Edwards was employed by the Washington County  sheriff’s office.  The teen’s aunt, Mychelle Blandin, claiming the agency did not do its due diligence in hiring Edwards.  .
Joining Nancy Grace Today:
<ul>
<li><a href="CCEAlaw.com ">Darryl Cohen</a> - Former Assistant District Attorney, Fulton County, Georgia, Defense Attorney, Cohen, Cooper, Estep, &amp; Allen, LLC, CCEAlaw.com </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="ForensicConsultation.org ">Dr. Scott A. Johnson</a> - Forensic Psychologist (Minnesota), 32 years specializing in addressing sexual predators, Author: "When “I Love You” Turns Violent" and "Physical Abusers &amp; Sexual Offenders"</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="PathcareMed.com">Dr. Tim Gallagher</a> - Medical Examiner State of Florida; Lecturer: University of Florida Medical School Forensic Medicine; Founder/Host: International Forensic Medicine Death Investigation Conference</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> <a href="https://www.besureconsulting.com/%20">Detective Rich Wistocki</a>: Child crime expert, president of BeSure Consulting for 30 years, decorated member of Law Enforcement, 23-year SWAT team member; Formed the Will County Illinois States Attorney’s High Technology Crimes Unit that made over 90 sexual predator arrests in its first 3 ½ years. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> <a href="http://www.Bark.us">Titania Jordan</a>  - Chief Parenting/Marketing Officer, Bark Technologies, Author: "Parenting In A Tech World;" Instagram/Twitter: @TitaniaJordan, @BarkTechnologies </li>
<li>Kristen Quon - reporter WCYB, @WCYB_Quon  </li>
<li>Dave Mack - CrimeOnline Investigative Reporter</li>
</ul>

Nancy Grace dives deep into the day’s most shocking crimes and asks the tough questions in her new daily podcast – Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Nancy Grace had a perfect conviction record during her decade as a prosecutor and used her TV show to find missing people, fugitives on the run and unseen clues. Now, she will use the power of her huge social media following and the immediacy of the internet to deliver daily bombshells!

Theme Music: Audio Network

Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

CATFISH Drives Cross-Country to Murder Family of Teen Girl: FAMILY SUES

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/a4c616e3-6e04-4b8a-ac3b-b0dd00fa3cd1/transcript

Advertisement