Austin Lee Edwards, killed in a police shooting, was catfishing the teen daughter of Brooke Winek before the Winek family murders in Riverside, CA.
The murders of a husband and wife and their daughter in Riverside allegedly stemmed from a catfishing incident involving the teenage daughter of one of the victims, police said.
Firefighters with the Riverside Fire Department worked to put out the fire and found the bodies of all three Winek family members laying on the ground in the front entry way. Detectives said Edwards had met the teen girl online "through the common form of online deception known as catfishing." Later that day, police say Edwards was found driving with the teen through San Bernardino County when he was located by the county sheriff's department in the unincorporated area of Kelso.
"Our hearts go out to the Winek family and their loved ones during this time of tremendous grief, as this is a tragedy for all Riversiders," stated Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez. "This is yet another horrific reminder of the predators existing online who prey on our children. 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.
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