Virginia
Family of Riverside victims killed by ‘catfish’ cop to sue Virginia police agencies
Relatives of three Riverside family members slain last year by “catfish” cop Austin Lee Edwards plan to file a lawsuit next month seeking more than $100 million in damages from two Virginia law enforcement agencies that hired him even though he failed a preemployment mental health screening.
Mychelle Blandin, who is the daughter of Mark Winek, 69 and Sharie Winek, 65, and sister of Brooke Winek, 38, submitted a tort claim this week against the Virginia State Police as a precursor to a formal lawsuit. All three were killed and their home set on fire by Edwards on Nov. 25.
Brooke Winek’s 15-year-old daughter was kidnapped by Edwards during the crime, but managed to escape unharmed before Edwards fatally shot himself during a confrontation with sheriff’s deputies.
Officer Ryan Railsback, a Riverside Police Department spokesperson, said Friday the agency is still analyzing more than 1 million pages of internet and social media content involving the suspect and kidnapped teen.
The lawsuit will allege that Virginia State Police were grossly negligent in hiring Edwards as a state trooper in January 2022 and buried the results of his failed mental health evaluation.
Blandin also has filed a separate tort claim against the Washington County, Virginia, Sheriff’s Office alleging the agency was negligent because it relied on the Virginia State Police’s mental health evaluation of Edwards and did not complete its own background investigation before hiring him as a deputy in November 2022.
Shouldn’t have had badge, attorney says
“There is not a law enforcement agency in the country that would have hired Austin Lee Edwards,” said David M. Ring, a Manhattan Beach attorney representing Blandin and the 15-year-old girl’s younger sibling. “Yet, in Virginia there are two separate law enforcement agencies that completely dropped the ball, allowing him through without checking his background. It’s due to ineptitude and outdated policies. Frankly, it’s careless and reckless.”
Riverside police said Edwards, 28, pretended to be a 17-year-old boy to establish an online, “catfishing” relationship with the 15-year-old girl. He drove across from southern Virginia to meet her at her family’s Price Court home after she rejected his request to send him nude photos of herself.
A short time after the slayings, Edwards, who at the time was employed as a Washington County sheriff’s deputy, used his service revolver to kill himself during a shootout with San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies in the town of Kelso in the Mojave Desert. The kidnap victim escaped from Edwards’ vehicle unharmed.
The Virginia State Police declined to comment on the tentative lawsuit because it is pending litigation, said an email from Corinne Geller, a spokesperson for the agency. Officials with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office did not respond to a request for comment.
The Virginia State Police have claimed that Edwards’ hiring was due to “human error,” a notion Ring disputes.
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin had asked the state’s Office of Inspector General for a full investigation into Edwards’ hiring.
But due at least in part to a previously existing mutual agreement between state police and the OIG, state police appear to have simply investigated the matter themselves, according to The Associated Press, which obtained a policy document through a public records request.
A memorandum of understanding between state police and the OIG, the watchdog agency tasked with investigating waste and rooting out inefficiencies in state government, says that in nearly all cases, Virginia State Police retains responsibility for “the oversight and conduct of internal investigations of its personnel,” according to the AP.
Victims stabbed, smothered
Meanwhile, Ring offered a timeline of Edwards’ 2,300-mile odyssey from Virginia, which included a stop in San Diego, where he went to the home of a woman whom he had catfished for several years but had never met in person.
The woman, who was not identified in the tort claim, allowed Edwards to stay with her for several days before he mysteriously disappeared, Ring said. The woman became concerned when Edwards didn’t respond to her texts and notified police he was missing. However, by that time, Edwards was already dead, Ring said.
The tort claim states Edwards displayed his law enforcement badge and service weapon to gain entry into the Wineks’ home by falsely claiming he was conducting a law enforcement investigation.
Edward then had Sharie Winek contact Brooke Winek, allegedly directing her to bring her 15-year-old daughter to the home immediately. Once there, he told Brooke to come into the house and to leave the girl and all cellphones inside her car, the claim states.
After a few minutes, the girl got out of the car and entered the home, where she encountered a grisly scene and her dead family members.
Edward slit Brooke Winek’s throat and asphyxiated Mark and Sharon Winek, who were both hogtied with bags over their heads, the tort claims. Finally, Edwards set the home on fire and kidnapped the girl at gunpoint.
“The guy is a nut case and clearly had some serious mental health issues,” Ring said. “He came out to California for a definite reason and that was to kill people and kidnap the girl. He also planned to take the girl back to a stash house in Virginia, where he had darkened the windows. Edwards was unhinged and dangerous. He never should have been a cop.”
Previous mental health issues
In his application to become a Virginia state trooper, Edwards disclosed that he had voluntarily checked himself into a mental health facility in 2016 after cutting his hand and threatening to kill his father, the tort claim states.
In response, Virginia State Police ordered Edwards to undergo a mental health evaluation, which he failed and the agency did not investigate further, ultimately hiring him, Ring said.
After the 2016, mental health crisis, police and emergency medical technicians took Edwards into custody at a local hospital, where he was detained under an emergency custody order. A judge approved a temporary detention order and Edwards was transferred to a psychiatric facility.
Shouldn’t have had firearm
Under Virginia law, anyone held on a temporary detention order and subsequently admitted to a treatment facility is prohibited from buying or possessing a firearm until that right is restored by a court, according to the claim.
“In Edwards’ case, his right to buy or possess a firearm was not restored by a court when he applied to become a Virginia state trooper,” the claim says. “Despite this, the Virginia State Police hired him, issued him a service pistol, and trained him in law enforcement tactics that he used in carrying out the plot to kidnap … and murder.”
Formal lawsuits against Virginia State Police and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office are expected to be filed in June.
Staff writer Brian Rokos contributed to this report.
It’s the final day of the Battle 4 Atlantis and the West Virginia Mountaineers are hoping to leave the Bahamas with a third-place finish in the event. Winning the whole thing would have been extremely impressive considering the field, but Darian DeVries’ squad has already notched a key resume-building win over Gonzaga and can do so again today against No. 24 Arizona.
Here are my picks for today’s game. Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
1 Star – Not very confident
2 Star – A little confident
3 Star – Fairly confident
4 Star – Very confident
5 Star – Should be a lock to happen
3-star play on Arizona (-6.5): This is a really tough matchup for the Mountaineers playing its third game in three days. When these two meet later in the year, I believe WVU will put together a much stronger showing and potentially even win the game. Not there, though.
The Wildcats have a nine-man rotation, which occasionally will be a ten-man. WVU’s key players have logged a ton of minutes over the last two days, with both games going to overtime. As evidenced in yesterday’s game, if the Mountaineers face serious foul trouble, it impacts them more than most teams due to a lack of depth. Amani Hansberry should be able to produce a third straight big game, but if he starts picking up fouls left and right, WVU will be in trouble. Arizona’s guard-heavy lineup will attack and finish around the rim with ease.
I’ve got the Wildcats pulling away with a strong second half.
1-star play on the under: Arizona is a high-scoring team that likes to push the tempo. They’ve averaged 67 field goal attempts in this tournament, whereas WVU has attempted 59 and 63 in games that went to overtime. For West Virginia to win, they’re going to have to slow things down when they have the ball, much like they did in the opening-round game against Gonzaga.
I mentioned fatigue setting in as a possibility in the WVU-Louisville game yesterday, and although Darian DeVries isn’t using that as an excuse, you can tell it played a factor for both teams, especially in the first half. Both squads looked sloppy, slow, and disjointed. I seriously doubt WVU and Arizona will have an extra bounce in their step today, playing for the third time in three days and in a game deciding who takes home third place.
ATS: 3-3 (50%)
O/U: 4-2 (66%)
Overall: 7-5 (58%)
Odds Disclaimer
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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A Virginia woman has been arrested and charged in connection with a murder-for-hire plot, according to the Henry County Sheriff’s office.
Gennevieve McGhee, 44, was allegedly captured via audio and video evidence in the meticulous planning of a murder for hire, the sheriff’s office said.
McGhee is accused of meeting with a confidential source at her residence in Ridgeway, Virginia. The source was acting under law enforcement direction and utilizing a recording device to capture evidence.
TEXAS INFLUENCER SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS IN PRISON FOR MURDER-FOR-HIRE PLOT
Henry County Sheriff’s Office charged Gennevieve McGhee, 44, with criminal solicitation of murder following an investigation that revealed her alleged involvement in planning a murder for hire. (Henry County Sheriff’s Office)
She allegedly discussed detailed instructions on payment arrangements and instructions for carrying out a robbery and murder.
McGhee is charged with criminal solicitation of murder and conspiracy to commit a felony.
INDIAN INTELLIGENCE OFFICIAL CHARGED IN MURDER-FOR-HIRE PLOT ON SIKH SEPARATIST LEADER IN NEW YORK CITY
Gennevieve McGhee, 44, is charged with criminal solicitation of murder and conspiracy to commit a felony. (iStock)
McGhee was taken into custody by deputies from the Henry County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday and is being held at the Henry County Adult Detention Center with no bond.
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The case remains under review by the Henry County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.
Additional information on the case is not available at this time, officials said.
The West Virginia Mountaineers (4-2) will meet the No. 24 Arizona Wildcats in the third place game of the Battle 4 Atlantis midseason tournament for the sixth meeting between the two programs.
West Virginia vs. Arizona Series History
Arizona leads 2-3
Last Meeting: March 28, 2008 (NCAA Tournament) WVU 75-65
When: Friday, November 29
Location: Paradise Island, Bahamas, Imperial Arena (3,900)
Tip-off: 3:00 p.m. EST
Stream: ESPN2
Announcers: Beth Mowins and Debbie Antonelli
Radio: Tony Caridi (PBP), Brad Howe (analyst) Mountaineer Sports Network from Learfield IMG College(Radio affiliates)
WVU Game Notes
– West Virginia was scheduled to play in the 2020 Battle 4 Atlantis. The tournament was moved to Sioux Falls, S.D., due to COVID, and the Mountaineers won the renamed Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic.
– WVU is 45-16 in in-season tournaments since 2007.
– With a win over No. 3 Gonzaga, WVU defeated a Top 5 AP team for the second consecutive season. Last season, the Mountaineers downed No. 3 Kansas in Morgantown, 91-85.
– Prior to the overtime win over No. 3 Gonzaga, WVU had lost six straight overtime games.
– This is WVU’s fourth trip outside the United States and Puerto Rico to play a regular season game. WVU played in Cancun in 2013 and 2019 and opened the season in Germany in the 2017 Armed Forces Classic.
– West Virginia is the only team in the country that has two players on the same team who averaged more than 20 points per game from last season — Tucker DeVries (21.6 ppg) and Jayden Stone (20.8 ppg)
– West Virginia is 201-55 against nonconference teams in regular season games in the last 21 seasons.
– The Mountaineers have posted a winning nonconference record in 31 of the last 32 seasons.
– WVU is 265-99 in its last 362 games against unranked teams, including winners of 148 of its last 180 at the WVU Coliseum.
– This is the 116th season and 122nd year overall for WVU basketball, which began in 1903.
– Darian DeVries, who led Drake to six consecutive 20-win seasons and has a career .731 winning percentage as a head coach, was named the 23rd head men’s basketball coach at West Virginia University on March 24, 2024.
– DeVries has a record of 154-57 (.731) in seven seasons as a head coach, including a 59-16 (.787) mark in the last two-plus seasons.
– This past August, the men’s basketball team went to Italy for a 10-day tour and won all three of its games against international competition.
– West Virginia returns just 2.8 percent of its scoring from last season’s team (Ofri Naveh).
– The Mountaineers are led by a pair of transfers in Tucker DeVries (Drake) and Javon Small (Oklahoma State). Last season, DeVries was named an Associated Press All-American Honorable Mention selection, while Small earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors.
– In addition, Eduardo Andre (Fresno State), Joseph Yesufu (Washington State), Sencire Harris (Illinois), Amani Hansberry (Illinois) and Jayden Stone (Detroit Mercy) will all see considerable action this season.
– Tucker DeVries was named to the 20-member Julius Erving Preseason Watch List, giving annually to the nation’s top small forward.
– Tucker DeVries was named to the preseason Naismith Trophy Men’s College Player of the Year Watch List.
– Tucker DeVries was named to the John R. Wooden Award Top 50 Preseason Watch List.
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