Former Virginia State Trooper Austin Lee Edwards Accused of Killing Three People and Kidnapping a Juvenile

Accident – Death – Obituary News : Former Virginia State Police trooper, Austin Lee Edwards, who had been hired by the Washington County, Va. Sheriff’s Office, traveled to Riverside, California on November 25, 2022, where he committed a triple homicide and kidnapped a juvenile whom he had deceived online. The victims of this tragic incident were identified as Mark Winek, aged 69, Sharie Winek, aged 65, and Brooke Winek, aged 38. Following the murders, Edwards abducted Brooke Winek’s 15-year-old daughter before setting fire to the Winek family home and driving into the desert.

In a confrontation with the police, Edwards ultimately took his own life through a self-inflicted gunshot. Fortunately, the kidnapped juvenile was unharmed during the ordeal. However, almost a year later, on November 16, 2023, the sister of the teenage victim and her aunt, Mychelle Blandin, filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Central California against the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and Edwards’ estate. Blandin, who is identified as the daughter of Mark and Sharie Winek and the guardian of the other victim’s sister, alleges multiple violations in the lawsuit, including violations of 4th Amendment rights, battery, violation of California’s Bane Act, as well as negligent hiring, supervision, or retention by the sheriff’s office.

The plaintiffs’ attorneys argue that Edwards should have never been hired by the sheriff’s office and should have been prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm. The lawsuit seeks an unspecified amount of financial compensation for the victims and their families.

When reached out for a statement regarding the lawsuit, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office did not respond to News Channel 11’s inquiry. However, on November 28, 2022, Sheriff Blake Andis issued a statement expressing shock and sadness over the events, extending condolences to the Winek family, their friends, and all those affected by the heinous crime.

Virginia State Police leadership had previously acknowledged that “human error” had led to Edwards’ hiring as a state trooper. An administrative review revealed an incomplete search of database records during the hiring process. Edwards resigned from his position with the Virginia State Police in October 2022 and subsequently began the process of joining the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s office clarified that Edwards had not yet engaged in any active duty in Washington County and was still in the orientation stage at the time of the Winek killings.

Earlier reports from the Abingdon Police Department revealed that Edwards had been held in custody in 2016 after making threats of suicide and homicide. However, this information was not disclosed by Edwards during the hiring process, according to state police authorities.

The tragic events surrounding Austin Lee Edwards’ actions have highlighted the need for stricter background checks and thorough vetting procedures in law enforcement agencies to prevent similar incidents in the future. The lawsuit filed by the victims’ family seeks justice and accountability for the failures that allowed Edwards to carry out such a horrific crime..