Killer Stories with Harvey Guillén - “The Sweetheart Murderer” Edward Wayne Edwards Pt. 1

Episode Date: August 9, 2021

Beginning with a traumatic childhood is a common origin story among serial killers. But not every child with a troubled upbringing sets out to become a lifelong criminal. That's what makes Edward Wayne Edwards so unusual — he wanted to be a crook. And there weren’t many lines he wouldn’t cross.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Due to the graphic nature of this killer's crimes, listener discretion is advised. This episode includes discussions of murder, assault, and domestic violence that some people may find offensive. We advise extreme caution for children under 13. In the summer of 1959, Ed Edwards drove into the city of Idaho Falls, doing his best to keep a low profile. As he cruised the streets, he checked out all the young women he passed. Sure, he found almost all of them attractive, and if he had the time, he'd like to take each of them to bed. But Ed was on a mission.

He was looking for one woman in particular, his ex-wife, Jeanette. But it wasn't a friendly visit. Ed wanted to kill her. When Jeanette left Ed, she hadn't given him a forwarding address. She never wanted to see him again. But now he'd found her. Ed slowed to a stop just down the street from Jeanette's house. He sat behind the wheel, preparing himself.

He'd never killed anyone before, but he felt ready to do it now. Rage coursed through his veins as he thought about this woman who had promised to stay with him through thick and thin, and then went back on her word as if it meant nothing. He was supposed to be the liar in their relationship. He was the one with the power, and she took that away from him. Infuriatingly, Jeanette looked exactly as she had when he'd last seen her two years prior. He, on the other hand, was harder, angrier. She had hurt him, and everyone could see it on his face.

For that, she was going to pay. Hi, I'm Greg Poulson. This is Serial Killers, a Spotify original from Parkast. Every episode, we dive into the minds and madness of serial killers. Today we're taking a look at Ed Edwards, the seasoned criminal, loving father, and serial killer. I'm here with my co-host, Vanessa Richardson. Hi, everyone. You can find episodes of serial killers and all other Spotify originals from Parcast for free on Spotify,

or wherever you listen to podcasts. Today, we'll explore Ed's twisted and traumatic adolescence and his resultant desire to pursue a life of crime. We'll also discuss how we made good on that plan and the prison stints that followed. Next time, we'll detail Ed's transformation from crook to killer. We'll examine what drove Ed to commit the most heinous of crimes and how he managed to hide them for so long. We've got all that and more coming up. Stay with us. This episode is brought to you by ZipRecruiter.

Whether you're hiring for a role or searching for a killer, the hunt can be exhausting. When detectives looked and searched to find any kind of evidence to find the person they were looking for, like Jack the Ripper, the Golden State Killer, the Unit Bomber. It's tedious work to find what you're looking for. So, if you're hiring, I've got news for you. You can skip the lengthy investigation

and the tiresome process of sorting through hundreds of resumes. Just use ZipRecruiter. Try for free at ZipRecruiter.com slash killers. Because not only does ZipRecruiter have the technology to match you with potential candidates quickly, it also just added a new feature that pushes candidates who are qualified and interested in your role

to the top of the list. They can even tell you why they're interested, making it easier for you to get a sense of who they are. Cut through the standard and get to the standouts with ZipRecruiter. Four out of five employers who post on ZipRecruiter get a quality candidate within the first day. And now, you can try it for free.

at ZipRecruiter.com slash killers. That's ZipRecruiter.com slash killers. Meet your match on ZipRecruiter. This episode is brought to you by Shopify. Bonnie and Clyde, the Lonely Hearts Killers, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. These are infamous criminal duels. But you don't need to break any laws

to find your perfect business partner because you have Shopify. It's the commerce platform that can help you with literally everything, website design, marketing, shipping, and more. So start your business today with the best partner, Shopify, and get that. Sign up for your $1 per month trial today at Shopify.com slash killers.

That's Shopify.com slash killers. Transport your senses with Solte-Janetos limited edition perfume mist collection. At Sephora, spritz on lush notes of rainforest orchid and crisp sea breeze with he fresco paraizzo. Embrace a floral and fruity scent inspired by Reefiore. nude beach with cheeky bikini or capture sun-kissed bliss with immonada jolada, where zesty Brazilian lemonade accord meets coconut milk and golden brown sugar. Don't miss Sol de Janeiro's limited edition perfume mist collection only at Sephora. While many serial killers crave attention for their crimes,

they often prefer to keep their personal lives private. Edward Wayne Edwards was not one of these killers. There's a lot of information available concerning Ed Edwards, Plenty of it supplied by the man himself. Ed kept copious records of even the most mundane events, and he wrote an entire autobiography. A basic internet search returns legal documents, letters from family members and psychiatrists, and photos of Ed from almost every life stage. On the surface, chronicling Ed's life might seem easy. But that couldn't be further from the truth. Ed Edwards is still an enigma.

Many people have made up stories about him, linking him to crimes he didn't commit through nothing more than conjecture and fantasy. But it's also because Ed Edwards was a liar, a con man, someone who enjoyed fooling people as much as he liked killing them. So it's a good idea to take much of his story with a grain of salt. To be fair, Ed was also lied too. Throughout his adolescence, Ed never knew the truth about his real mother, and even his his birth date is a mystery. But he was aware of his birthplace, Akron, Ohio. But for years, Ed thought that his biological parents were Fred and Maryethel Edwards.

But Ed's birth mother was Mary Ethel's sister, Lillian Myers. Lillian named her newborn son Charles Murray after the father. It was a futile gesture of respect, considering Charles Sr. skipped out on his pregnant girlfriend before their child was born. Lillian faced serious social stigma for her illegitimate son, but she was too busy trying to make ends meet to give it much thought. In October of 1934, Lillian was so desperate for money that she stole $100 from one of her housekeeping clients.

The woman caught Lillian in the act and called the police. Lillian was sent to prison for one year on a charge of grand larceny. It's unclear who looked after Lillian's son during her stint behind bars, but when she was released in December of 1935, the boy was placed back in her care. He remained with her for the next three years until August of 1938. By then, Lillian found herself unable to cope with the judgment of being a single mother with a criminal record. The constant scrutiny became too painful to bear, and she took her own life. Lillian's sister, Mary Ethel Edwards, took in her orphaned nephew,

and changed his name from Charles Murray to Edel. Edward Wayne Edwards. She decided to tell him that Lillian was his aunt, hoping it would encourage stability in his development. However, his life with Mary Ethel and her husband Fred was far from stable. Fred had a drinking problem and he abused both Mary Ethel and Ed. Mary Ethel also lived with multiple sclerosis, which left her unable to care for Ed or even for herself. So, just two years later, Marietel and Fred took the seven-year-old 33 miles north to Parma, Ohio, abandoning him at the Parmadale Orphanage. Ed was completely bewildered.

Marietel and Fred never explained why they were leaving him, nor had they prepared him for this new chapter in his life. On his first day, Ed hid behind a tree and wept. When the nuns discovered him, they berated him for his childish behavior. This was only the beginning of the mistreatment Ed endured at Parmadale. He was prone to bedwetting, and the nuns chose to deal with the issue through humiliation, public shaming, and physical abuse. It's little surprise that Ed was a bedwetter. Several studies have asserted that bedwetting is often associated with emotional distress, which Ed was all too familiar with.

Vanessa is going to take over on the psychology here and throughout the episode. Please note, Vanessa is not a licensed psychologist or a scientist. psychiatrist, but we've done a lot of research for this show. Thanks, Greg. While bedwetting has long been linked to various psychological issues, psychiatrists are still in the process of investigating the causes and effects. They want to know if bedwetting is caused by psychological factors or whether these problems develop as a result of shame.

In 2016, a group of UK psychiatrists examined data on early childhood psychological problems and compared it to subsequent data focused on bedwetting during school age. These psychiatrists discovered that difficult temperament and behavioral problems were indeed risk factors for later bedwetting. They found that many children who display these issues sometimes had problems with normal conduct and social interaction. The psychiatrists also found that early exposure to family adversity and stress contributed to the development of psychological problems,

which could then interfere with bladder-conference. control. And all of these issues were linked in terms of severity. That is to say, the worse the behavioral problems or family stress, the more severe the bedwetting. The study highlighted the fact that further emotional distress could emerge once the children understood that bedwetting was unusual, especially after facing negative reactions from parents or peers. It's no surprise that Ed tried to escape from the orphanage several times during his stay. He was sick of being punished and humiliated because he couldn't control his bladder. Ed estimated that between 1940 and 1944, he tried to run away about 15 times. After countless disputes with the nuns,

they finally gave up on Ed. In late 1944, they called his grandmother, Annabella, to take him home for good. Upon her arrival, one of the sisters told her that 11-year-old Ed was a thief and a generally immoral person. To prove her point, the woman looked at in the eyes and asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. Ed replied, Sister, I'm going to be a crook and I'm going to be a good one. And he was true to his word. While living with Annabella back in Akron, he worked hard to become the best criminal he could. He stole money from his grandmother's purse, vandalized churches and homes, and got into fights almost every day.

Ed also dabbled in arson. In late 1945, 12-year-old Ed set fire to his neighbor's truck. He gleefully watched from his home as the ambulances and fire trucks arrived, mesmerized by the chaos. The authorities knew exactly who to go to when they began investigating the arson. By this time, his grandmother was losing her patience, and the local police department was too. In the spring of 1946, when Ed was a teenager,

he was sent to a reform school in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. Ed hated his new school. It was filthy, the students were violent, and the staff was abusive. Sometimes guards took kids into their rooms and closed the door. The boys would emerge an hour or so later and refused to talk about what had happened. However, Ed managed to make the best of things. He spent most of his time learning from the more seasoned kids, who were happy to teach him useful skills for his future criminal endeavors. From them, he learned to pick locks, hotwire cars, and forge checks. Ed finally left the school after years of abuse and went to work for a local Mennonite farmer. But when the farmer's wife found out he was a juvenile delinquent, she fired him

on the spot. Rather than head back to the school, 16-year-old Ed traveled over 300 miles back to Akron, where he moved back in with his grandmother. She was reluctant, but Ed somehow convinced her that this was the best place for him. Back home, Ed continued to burglarize homes and set small fires all over town. He also started having sex, lots of it. Ed loved the feeling of absolute control whenever he engaged in intercourse and felt compelled to take every girl he met to bed. But it was less than a year before the law finally caught up with him.

In early 1950, Ed was sent to a detention prison where he was subjected to several psychological exams. One of these reports stated that he was a highly disturbed individual, possibly psychotic, and in need of serious psychiatric help. But before Ed could get the mental health care he needed, he escaped from the prison. He and some other inmates headed to the city of Cleveland, where Ed enrolled in the U.S. Marine Corps. Then in June of 1951, just after a 17th birthday, Ed reported, a basic training in Parris Island, South Carolina. On his 10-day leave between boot camp and leaving for his assignment,

Ed returned to Akron, where he paraded around town in his uniform, basking in the attention. This was part of the reason he'd wanted to join the Marines in the first place. He wanted to be seen as a hero. But just before Ed was to report for active duty, Congress passed a bill raising the age for deployment to 18. This meant that he would have to wait a year, before starting his service. Crestfall and he decided not to go back to the Marines. At least that's the way Ed told it.

In reality, we're not sure why he decided to go AWOL, but he did. Whatever the truth behind his change of heart, Ed was suddenly without a purpose and he felt lost. The only activities he enjoyed were committing crimes and having sex. So he decided to lean into them, hard. For the next several months,

he roamed the country, burglarized, homes, stealing cars, and sleeping around. He also continued wearing his Marine uniform, despite going AWOL. Ed even bought a collection of ribbons at the Army surplus store to make people think he was a decorated veteran. This got him the attention he craved, particularly from women. Unfortunately, it also caught the attention of the local authorities. In late 1951, Ed was arrested in Pennsylvania for stealing a car. Ed was taken to the local jail where he was.

sat behind bars. But when someone finally came to speak with him, it wasn't the arresting officer. Instead, he was facing down two FBI agents. The agents seemed calm, happy even. One of them grinned and said, it's taken us a long time to track you down, Ed. Coming up, Ed's life of crime leads to an unsurprising destination. Prison. Massive spiders, fierce crocodiles, silent kangaroos. With all of the dangers lurking within Australia, one species remains feared above the rest. Humans.

Hi listeners, it's Alastair from Parkast, and I'm hosting a new Spotify original called Crime Down Under. Every Sunday on Spotify, take a trip to the oldest continent for some of the most shocking true crime cases in modern history. Featuring a compilation of episodes from shows across Parkast Network, Crying Down Under exposes the vicious serial killers, mysterious disappearances,

and terrifying crime families whose stories still stop Aussies dead in their tracks. From the beaches and deserts to the cities and suburbs, the land down under may be vast, but the horrors are hiding around every corner. Catch a new episode of Crime Down Under, every Sunday. Listen free only on Spotify. It's brought to you by Prime. Obsession is in session. And this summer, Prime Originals have everything you want. Steamy romances, irresistible love stories, and the book to screen favorites

you've already read twice. Off campus, L, every year after, the love hypothesis, Sterling Point, and more. Slow burns, second chances, chemistry you can feel through the screen. Your next obsession is waiting. Watch only on Prime. Now back to the story. Ed Edwards was arrested for driving a stolen car in Norristown, Pennsylvania. Ed expected a slap on the wrist or maybe a few weeks in jail. However, the arresting officer had discovered that Ed was wanted by the FBI. Two agents came down from Philadelphia and calmly explained that they'd been after Ed for

some time. Ed was transported to prison in Philadelphia and charged. with interstate transportation of a stolen motor vehicle and impersonating a Marine. In April of 1952, Ed pled guilty to both charges and was sentenced to two years in federal prison. Ed was terrified. Even though he'd been to reform school and juvenile prison, he'd never been in federal lockup. When he arrived at the Chillicothe Federal Reformatory in Ohio, he was shocked at the size of the institution. He recalled thinking it was akin to a small city. But as it turned out, Ed fared relatively well.

He made friends, got along with the guards, and basically ran out the clock on his sentence. As a result of good behavior, Ed was released early. He was ready to go back to conning the nation. For the next two years, Ed hopped around the country, behaving almost exactly as he had before prison. He stole lots of cars and slept with plenty of women. But he did make one big change to his routine. He got himself a legitimate job in every city he visited. Ed wanted a legal source of income.

Just in case he got arrested again, he forged all of his applications, pretending he was a Marine, and smooth talked his way through interviews. He preferred working in clothing stores because they allowed him to accumulate a fancy wardrobe. Clothing stores usually employed a lot of women, and he made it his mission to sleep with almost everyone.

Ed loved the conquest, And when he felt like he'd cycled through all the women at one store, he'd move cities and start all over again. Even though Ed was making a regular hourly wage, he continued to burgle people's homes mostly for the thrill. And just like it had a few years ago, his criminal activity eventually caught up with him. In March of 1955, he was arrested for burglary.

But this time, Ed was determined not to return to prison. He spent a few weeks in county jail, contemplating how he could avoid more hard time, but he knew he'd be convicted for his crimes, which left only one option, escape. Ed didn't see a world in which he'd be able to break out of county jail, but he figured there might be a chance to do it when he was taken to court, and during his first court appearance, he saw an opportunity. He noticed that whenever an inmate made a phone call or had a visitor, the guard had to unlock the steel door separating the bullpen from the rest of the courthouse.

If Ed could make a phone call at the same time another inmate got a visitor, the guard would have to keep the door open just long enough for Ed to run out. So he asked the guard if he could call his grandmother to request bond money. He was allowed out of his cell and into the bullpen, where he pretended to make his call. He faked a long conversation, waiting until a bondsman showed up for another prisoner. The guard abandoned his post, walked over to the steel door to open it for the bondsman,

then escorted the bondsman into the bullpen without closing the door. And Ed made a break for it. He shoved the bondsman aside and sprinted out of the bullpen. With officers at his heels and sirens blaring, Ed ran through the courthouse and into town. He dashed through an arcade, sped down Main Street, and hopped onto a bus. At the end of the line, he got off and began hitchhiking to clear. From there, Ed found his way to Pennsylvania. He spent the next few months traveling up and down the East Coast, swindling people out of money.

He used a slew of fake identities and eventually managed to procure a phony Social Security card, which helped him obtain jobs and occasionally get out of trouble. Ed's fake ID bore the name James Jim Langley, so that's how he introduced himself to all of the women he tried to date. He was still obsessed with sex, both the act at sea. the act itself and the pursuit. In the summer of 1955, Ed met a woman who was infatuated with him. 22-year-old Ed's fiancé was a shy 17-year-old named Verna, who wholeheartedly believed she was going to marry Jim Langley.

Engagement seemed enough of a commitment for Verna, and she quickly got pregnant. The couple decided to travel out west together, hoping it would be easier for Ed to find work across the country. Ed quickly grew tired of his teenage fiancé, so only a few months after meeting Verna, Ed ditched her for another woman, an 18-year-old named Jeanette. While Verna was out shopping, Ed packed his bags and ran off with Jeanette, headed toward the Midwest. No one knows what happened to Verna after that, nor do we have any idea where Ed's child might be. Because of this, many have speculated that Ed killed Verna and his unborn baby, but there's no proof of this murder ever taking

place. Ed certainly never thought twice about them. He was too infatuated with Jeanette. He claimed that she was the first woman he ever truly loved, which he proved by marrying her almost immediately under his fake name, Jim. The newlyweds traveled to Atlanta, where Ed started cheating on Jeanette. In his autobiography, he wrote, I couldn't control my impulse. My love for Jeanette had not dissolved my need for sexual conquest. Based on Ed's pattern of behavior with women, it's possible that he was hypersexual. According to Dr. Rory C. Reed, hypersexuality can be recognized by recurring intense sexual fantasies and sexual behavior for a period of at least six months. Furthermore, a person will be consumed by these daydreams and urges and act on them

repeatedly. That said, it's important to note that experts disagree on whether or not hypersexuality is actually a psychiatric disorder. But according to those who support its classification as such, people with hypersexual tendencies will usually engage in sexual behavior as a response to specific moods or life events. Dr. Reed specified the difference between what he refers to as hypersexual disorder and sex addiction by emphasizing that the treatment goals for each don't align. For an addiction, Abstinence is typically the ultimate goal. However, with hypersexual disorder, the doctor can help the patient reorganize their relationship

with sexual cravings in order to cultivate healthy expressions of sexuality. Unfortunately, Ed Edwards was about as far from receiving mental health treatment as possible. Not only was he not interested in solving his problem, he also couldn't afford to. His cons were starting to run dry, and he was having trouble finding work. He and Jeanette even went to Nevada to try and change their luck. They weren't successful. They left Las Vegas three days later with only $35 to their names. Depressed and exhausted, Ed decided it was time to finally reveal his true identity to his wife.

He told her his real name and discussed his sordid past, preparing for Jeanette to leave him. Instead, she told him she loved him more than ever. She had always figured he'd been lying to her about something, but she wanted him to come to her before investigating herself. Ed was overjoyed. Keeping up his ruse was exhausting. Plus, he was relieved to learn that he still loved Jeanette, even when he wasn't playing a character.

Energized by his confession, Ed made a snap decision that the best way for the couple to get some quick cash would be for him to rob someplace. He wanted a gun to do it because he figured that's the only way he'd be taken seriously. So he spent $29 on a handgun and some bullets, and he and Jeanette drove over 400 miles northwest to Reno, with only a few dollars left to their names. They decided that Reno probably had just as much capital as Las Vegas, but not as much security. Upon their arrival, Ed chose a gas station to hold up.

He told Jeanette to wait in the car with the lights out while he went inside and robbed the place. Before he left, Jeanette suggested he wear some kind of. disguise. Ed waved this off, telling her he'd be fine. But secretly, he wanted people to notice him. He craved attention, and he felt certain that he was about to get it. Ed walked into the station, and when he reached the counter, he pulled the gun out of his jacket. He screamed at the attendant to open the cash register and give him everything inside, which the frightened man did without hesitation. Then Ed instructed him to open the safe. Ed took the cash from the safe. Ed took the cash from the safe, as well as a gun that was kept in a filing cabinet nearby. Then he ran outside,

and he and Jeanette sped off. As the pair headed to Sacramento, Jeanette pleaded with Ed to make this as only armed robbery. They'd only grossed $171, which she didn't think was enough to warrant the risks. But Ed had tasted what it felt like to cause another person real fear, and he'd loved it. He didn't care about the money at this point. He just wanted to relive the sensation. again. So he robbed another gas station in Sacramento, and then a third in Oakland. As the couple made their way to Portland, Oregon, Jeanette begged Ed to slow down. She wanted to at least have a date night. Jeanette had some big news to share, and she wanted to do it in the right setting. She was pregnant. Ed was thrilled. He swore to Jeanette that they would start abiding

by the law straight away. After that, they decided to have to be able to. head east and drove to Great Falls, Montana, where Jeanette's brother lived. Ed only robbed one service station during their visit, just to get them a little cash, and the couple spent the rest of their two weeks' stay hanging out with Jeanette's family. To Jeanette, things seemed almost normal. Ed hadn't stopped his criminal activity, but he had slowed down. Because of this, she didn't protest much when he told her he wanted to rob a gas station in Billings. Ed hoped there would be more money floating around thanks to the city's larger population. So they drove about 200 miles south, and Ed quickly found a place to target.

He gathered out the money he'd stolen and went straight back to their motel room where Jeanette was waiting for him. They started to pack up. Ed wanted to get out of town before the police could track him down. But just as they were about to head out, there was a loud knock on the door. Ed looked through the peephole and saw two cops standing outside. They were too late. Ed had been caught.

Coming up, Ed serves his second prison sentence. Kayak gets my flight, hotel, and rental car right, so I can tune out travel advice that's just plain wrong. Bro, Skycoin, way better than points. Never fly during a Scorpio full moon. Just tell the manager you'll sue. Instant room upgrade. Stop taking bad travel advice.

Start comparing hundreds of sites with Kaiiq. and get your trip right. Kayak, got that right. Make Mother's Day even more special at Whole Foods Market. Kick off brunch or dinner with quality cheese and charcutory with no synthetic nitrates. Then go seafood. There's an abundance on sale at Whole Foods Market, where it's all sustainable while caught are responsibly farmed. At the bakery, grab seasonal treats like their strawberry pretzel cream pie,

and you can't go wrong with a ready-to-heathe-Lorraine, devil-degs, and fresh-cut fruits to Go celebrate mom with Whole Foods Market. Now back to the story. Ed Edwards spent the first few months of 1956 robbing gas stations all over the northwest United States. His pregnant wife, Jeanette, reluctantly accompanied him on his criminal journey, praying every step of the way that he would stop. It soon became clear to her that Ed wasn't going to give up until someone made him. In March of 1956, that's exactly what happened.

Two police officers showed up at Ed and Jeanette's motel room, an arrested Ed for armed robbery. That wasn't all. Ed was also wanted for jailbreak in Ohio and for fraud in Florida. The authorities didn't seem to know yet about Ed's other stickups in Nevada, Oregon, California, and Washington. Eventually, Ed had his day in court, and he was sentenced to 10 years in the Montana State penitentiary. Jeanette tearfully promised Ed she would write to him every day to update him on the pregnancy and that she would stick by him no matter what. True to her word, Jeanette stayed in

constant contact with Ed. Jeanette soon gave birth to their son and a couple months later moved close to the prison so that she could visit Ed. Although Jeanette was centering her entire life around Ed, that didn't mean he was going to stay loyal to her. His need for sex was too overpowering, but rather than arrange conjugal visits with his wife, Ed regularly slept with sex workers. He bribed the guards, who then let these women into a conjugal trailer for him. Ed never expected that Jeanette would find out about these dalliances.

Frankly, he didn't see how she ever could. While he was in prison, Jeanette filed for divorce. She left Ed, and made a point not to leave any forwarding information. She didn't want him to find her or their son. Ed felt destroyed. He was reminded of his childhood when he was continuously deserted by his caretakers. Jeanette was the only person he'd ever loved, and her abandonment caused him to sink into depression.

But eventually, that sadness turned into rage. In his autobiography, he wrote, If I'd been able to get my hands on her, I truly believe I would have murdered her. Throughout the next two years, Ed made several failed attendants, to escape from the penitentiary. He wanted revenge on Jeanette, and he was determined to do anything he could to get it.

But he never actually made it out, and luckily for him, the guards could never prove he was trying to leave. Because Ed appeared to be a well-behaved prisoner, he was granted parole in July of 1959, after serving just over three years of his 10-year sentence. However, the seasoned criminal wasn't out of the woods yet. As soon as he was released, two detectives. two detectives picked him up at the penitentiary and took him to Portland, where he stood trial

for some of the armed robberies he'd committed. Ed had prepared for this. In an attempt to secure his probation, he asked the guards in Montana to send letters of recommendation on his behalf to the judge in Portland. He also completed several applications for woodworking jobs in the area. He wanted to be able to present a job offer as proof of his stability and willingness to stay straight. Ed's plan worked. His charges were reduced and he was given a sentence of five years probation. He was extremely fortunate given the circumstances, and yet he was about to push that luck. As soon as Ed walked free, he began looking for Jeanette.

He was still livid with her for leaving him and he wanted to kill her for it. He figured she'd probably move back to her hometown in Idaho Falls, which was about 700 miles east of Port. He could make the drive in 10 hours if he was willing to break his probation. Of course, Ed was. So he headed to Idaho, concocting a plan to obtain Jeanette's address as he drove. When he got to Idaho, Ed broke into Jeanette's relative's house and looked up Jeanette's information in her address book. Early the next morning, he parked outside her house, careful not to be seen, and waited

for Jeanette and their son to wake up and leave for the day. When they did, Ed was surprised to see that they were joined by another man. Jeanette had clearly started dating again, or possibly remarried. Ed followed the family around for the rest of the day. He kept hoping he'd find the right moment to make his move, but that time never came. Jeanette, the baby, and the mystery man ended their day by going to Jeanette's mother's house, and Ed sat in his car defeated. Something about seeing the whole happy family together

made him realize he was never going to get up the courage to kill her. At least, not that day. In his autobiography, Ed wrote that he planned to return to Idaho Falls another time when he would, quote, "'Mall her face enough so people would throw her peanuts "'if she happened to be at a zoo.'" The fantasy of attacking Jeanette gave Ed enough adrenaline to make the drive back to Portland.

Luckily, no one had discovered he'd been gone, so his probationary status was safe. Upon his arrival, Ed started working as a salesman. However, it didn't take long for Ed to go back to his old ways. He began staging car accidents, slamming on his brake so that he'd get rear-ended, and then cash out on the insurance payments. He also fooled store managers into thinking he was stealing, then sued them for false arrest. His biggest mark was a poor unsuspecting woman named Marlene.

He wanted to sleep with Marlene, but he didn't want to be loyal to her. So he told her he worked for a secret division of the government, one that required him to date women who were suspected of being communists. As long as she was fine with that, they could go out. Marlene was more than okay with it. She fell hard for Ed, and the two got married soon after. Anytime Ed wanted to go to bed with another woman or pull a con, he told Marlene he was doing it for his job.

She bought it, and for a couple of months, Ed lived the life he'd always dreamed about. He continued to con people, but it wasn't giving him enough of a thrill. He wanted the adrenaline rush that came from committing real crimes. But because he was still on probation, he didn't want to risk it. In November of 1960, Ed decided it would be fun to run around Portland and pulling fire alarms at every box he saw. He could just imagine everyone running out of buildings

and into the streets confused and scared. However, he got caught almost immediately. The police dragged it to jail, assuming they were dealing with a low-grade crook. But when they discovered who Ed was and that he was on probation, they knew they couldn't let him off with a warning. However, Ed staged an elaborate ruse, using an accomplice to pose as his probation officer,

and once again managed to evade the authorities. He also told Marlene that Russian agents were on his tail and that the two of them needed to get out of state fast. In December of 1960, Ed and Marlene traveled all over the country. Along the way, Ed conned everyone he could. He also continued sleeping with other women, promising Marlene they were suspected communists. But the Portland police had put out an alert for Ed,

and now several states were involved in the search. That's how in December of 1961, Ed Edwards ended up on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list. At the time, Ed had no idea how many people were on his tail. He and Marlene were shacked up in Houston, happily living under the names Gene and Ricky Star. That is, until I discovered that Marlene was having a love affair of her own. Ed found a love note Marlene had written to a man named Jim, and he went ballistic. He threw Marlene onto the bed, demanding to know if she'd slept with him.

He slapped and punched her until she finally admitted that she had, hoping Ed would stop beating her. It didn't work. He called her names and threatened to cut off her breasts. Ed's jealousy had almost instantly transformed into rage, and his out-of-control feelings were putting Marlene in serious danger. According to a 1996 study by three psychologists in the Journal of Family Violence, this transition from envy to anger is a common one,

especially amongst men with insecure attachment issues, abandonment sensitivity, and early shaming experiences. With his history, Ed fits into all of these categories. He was abandoned by almost every parental figure he had, and the people who did take care of him chose to deal with his issues via public, Like the other men in this study, Ed was unable to recognize the broader concept of attachment and abandonment. He became momentarily obsessed with the idea of Marlene having sex with someone else and couldn't take a step back to recognize that the real source of his anger was his own fear. Once again, Ed wasn't alone in this malappropriation.

The study discovered that abusive men often misconstrue attachment anxiety under the umbrella of sexual themes. Psychologist Donald G. Dutton believes this is at least partially a byproduct of the way boys are raised to look at their own role in sexual socialization. They believe they're supposed to be in control, and when their partner does something unexpected, it doesn't just surprise them. It upsets them. Therefore, it's easy to see why Ed panicked at the thought of his wife slipping away. It also makes sense that even as an adult, Ed wasn't able to deal with those negative feelings in a healthy way. His reaction to his own behavior also mimics the results of Dr. Dutton's study, as Ed felt serious shame after battering Marlene. But rather than admit to his own insecurities,

Ed told Marlene that the reason he got upset was because she could have jeopardized the safety of the entire country. If this gym person had discovered who Ed really was, the Russians would find him, and then they would attack. Marlene wept, furious with herself for being so careless. She promised dead, it wouldn't happen again. Reassured of Marlene's loyalty, Ed finally calmed down. Shortly after this, they left Houston. Shockingly, the relocation had nothing to do with his jealousy. Ed had finally discovered his position on the FBI's most wanted list,

and he knew they couldn't stay in one place too long. So they left for Minneapolis, where they stayed for a couple of weeks. But Ed started to suspect he was being followed by the FBI. FBI, so they packed up and moved yet again. They took a bus to Cleveland, where Ed dealt with the same suspicions and forced his wife to go with him to Atlanta. Each time, he concocted a story about work, and Marlene seemed to always believe him. Ed wasn't sure if the FBI really was tracking him or whether he was being paranoid, but in January

of 1962, not long after their arrival in Atlanta, he got his answer. FBI agents showed up at Ed's door and told him the jig was up. They had indeed been following him since Minneapolis and missed him by only minutes in Cleveland. Ed was promptly extradited to Ohio. Then a couple of months later, he was sentenced to 16 years in federal prison for his myriad crimes. In 1962, Ed began serving his time in the Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary. When Ed arrived at Leavenworth, he immediately started formulating a place. to leave, not to escape, to get transferred somewhere else where he might have a better chance

of making parole. The best way for him to do that was for him to behave well, take classes, make nice friends, and keep his eye on the prize. So that's what Ed did. His first step was to finish high school, which he managed in four months. Then he moved on to college. By 1966, Ed had obtained an associate of arts degree. Throughout his four years at Leavenworth, Ed was so preoccupied by his education that he didn't have time to get into trouble. So when Ed wanted to transfer to a smaller prison, the authorities granted his request. In early 1967, Ed was taken to the Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary in Pennsylvania. He prepared to prove that he was worthy for parole by teaching first aid courses and working construction

jobs to improve the prison grounds. For the first time in his life, Ed really seemed to be like he had gone straight. He liked his work, he was trusted by the guards, and he refused to associate with any unruly inmates. That didn't mean that Ed didn't have any friends, however. In fact, Ed had gotten close with one particular prisoner since the moment he entered Lewisburg. His best friend in the prison was none other than 54-year-old Jimmy Hoffa, the man notorious for leading the Brotherhood of the Teamsters Union and engaging in some serious organized crime. Jimmy used his connections to line up a job offer for Ed with the Teamsters Union,

which Ed could show the parole board. So, thanks to Jimmy's help and his own good behavior, Ed was paroled in the fall of 1967. Ed swore to himself that this time he would remain an upstanding citizen for the rest of his days. He would abide by the law. He would treat women with respect, and he would never, ever commit a. another crime.

But some habits are hard to break, and Ed Edwards was about to find a new hobby, murder. Thanks again for tuning into serial killers. We'll be back soon with part two of Ed Edwards. We'll take a look at Ed's disastrous transformation from reformed criminal into serial murderer. For more information on Ed Edwards, amongst the many sources we used,

we found Ed's autobiography, metamorphosis of a criminal extremely helpful to our research. You can find more episodes of Serial Killers and all other Spotify originals from Parcast for free on Spotify. We'll see you next time. Have a Killer Week. Serial Killers is a Spotify original from Parcast.

Executive producers include Max and Ron Cutler, sound designed by Michael Motion, with production assistance by Ron Shapiro, Trent Williamson, Carly Madden, and Bruce Kitovich. This episode of Serial Killers was written by Ellie Reid, with writing assistance by Tony Goodman and Joel Callan, fact-checking by Amber Hurley, and research by Brian Petrus and Chelsea Wood. Serial killers stars Greg Paulson and Vanessa Richardson. Hi there, it's Alastair from Parkast. You may have heard of the

Somerton man, Azaria Chamberlain, or the Wonder Beach murders. But do you know the whole terrifying truth. Be sure to check out my new series, Crime Down Under, where we travel to the land down under to explore the most shocking true crime cases in Australian history. Follow the Spotify original from podcast, Crime Down Under, and catch a new episode every Sunday, free and only on Spotify. Yamava Resort and Casino at San Manuel is California's number one entertainment destination for today's superstars. Catch the Jonas Brothers return to the Yamava Theater stage on April 30th, the powerful vocals of Demi Lovato on May 17th,

and the signature Southern Country Rock of Eric Church on July 19th. Tickets on sale now at Yamavatheater.com, only at Yamava Resort and Casino, celebrating its 40th anniversary. You in? Must be 21 to enter. Ryan Reynolds here for Mint Mobile. I don't know if you knew this, but anyone can get the same premium wireless for $15 a month plan

that I've been enjoying. It's not just for celebrities, so do like I did and have one of your assistants' assistants to switch you to MintMobile today. I'm told it's super easy to do at mintmobile.com slash switch. Upfront payment of $45 for three-month plan

equivalent to $15 per month required. Intro rate first three months only, then full price plan options available. Taxes and fees extra. See full terms at mintmobile.com.