Killer Stories with Harvey Guillén - “The Sweetheart Murderer” Edward Wayne Edwards Pt. 2

Episode Date: August 12, 2021

After spending much of his early life as a devoted career criminal, Ed Edwards emerged from prison willing to turn things around. But after playing the role of devoted husband and father for a few years, his darker impulses emerged, and he started killing — first for revenge, then for fun, and then for profit. 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 sexual abuse of children, rape, and murder that some people may find offensive. We advise extreme caution for children under 13. On the night of August 6, 1977, 44-year-old Ed Edwards calmly biked from his home in Doylestown, Ohio, to a local park. He seemed like a man coming home from a bar, or maybe one dealing with a case of insomnia. But his intentions were far more nefarious. He came to a stop, stashed his bike behind a tree,

and wandered out into the weeds. His face was a blank slate as he trekked through the mud, but his mind was racing. Ed was overwhelmed with anger and fueled by rage. He crouched down hiding, waiting. Ed had been to jail and knew it wasn't punishment enough for the man he hunted tonight. This man was going to pay the ultimate price for what he'd done to Ed's daughter,

and Ed wouldn't regret his actions for a second. Hi, I'm Greg Poulson. This is Serial Killers, a Spotify original from Parcast. Every episode, we dive into the minds and madness of serial killers. Today, we're finishing our look at the life and crimes of Edward Wayne Edwards. I'm here with my co-host, Vanessa Richardson. Hi, everyone. and episodes of serial killers and all other Spotify originals from Parcast for free on Spotify. Last time we explored Ed's traumatic childhood, filled with lies, abuse, and a lack of love.

We also discussed how this drove him to become a perfect criminal. Today, we'll detail Ed's brief flirtation with rehabilitation. We'll also explore his transition from expert crook to serial killer, and how he continuously managed to evade justice. We've got all that and more coming up. Stay with us. 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.

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 it 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. Transport your senses with Sol de Janeiro's 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 Rio's nude beach with cheeky bikini. Or capture sun-kissed bliss with limonada gelada, 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. In September of 1967, Edward Wayne Edwards was paroled after serving five years of a 16-year prison sentence. Overjoyed, Ed promptly returned to his hometown of Akron, Ohio, where he moved into Denton House, a halfway house for ex-cons.

Ed hoped to find friends at Denton House, people who would understand his criminal past, and support his goal of a better future. But he had no such luck. The other men were already discussing how to get back to their old ways, so Ed isolated himself, determined to stay reformed. Luckily, Ed had a job to help keep him on the straight and narrow. His friend from prison, the notorious Jimmy Hoffa, had secured him a dockman position through the Teamsters Union. Ed was a hard worker, and he quickly moved up the ranks to Doc Foreman and driver. Despite Ed's steady job, his relatives had a hard time accepting him back into their lives.

Still, his grandmother eventually came around. She convinced Ed's aunts and uncles that Ed really had changed, and soon enough, Ed had a family again. In late October, about a month after his release, Ed added someone new to his support network. He met 20-year-old Kay Hederley on the bus, and it was Love at Versaite. Kay was a senior at the University of Akron. After a whirlwind two-month courtship, Ed proposed that December, and Kaye, accepted, but he hadn't yet told Kay about his criminal past, and he didn't want any secrets between them when they were married. So a couple of days after their engagement, he sat her down

and spilled everything. He detailed his rough childhood, revealed that he'd been married before, and told her about all of the crimes he'd committed. Ed expected Kay to leave. He assumed she was going to stand up, walk out the front door, and run for the hills. But she stayed. She promised, him that she loved him no matter what, and that the past deserved to stay in the past. Eight months later, in July 1968, the couple were married. They started having children immediately, eventually winding up with five. And thanks to Ed's success, transforming himself from criminal to family man, his parole officer suggested he'd take on some public speaking engagements.

He could use his story to prevent other people from going down a criminal path. So Ed started lecturing at the University of Akron and filled out his calendar from there. He spoke to police academies, orphanages, even lawyers. He appeared on radio and television multiple times. He also penned an autobiography, metamorphosis of a criminal. Here we should mention that although accounts of Ed's life vary, he was a notorious and lifelong liar, so some pieces of the puzzle don't always ring true. It's impossible to. It's impossible to know how many falsehoods he told over the years, but for the time being, it worked in his favor. By mid-1970s, 41-year-old Ed was working steadily as a motivational speaker, and his book was

selling modestly. He and Kaye decided they could finally afford to move out of the city and into the suburbs, so they purchased a house in Doyle's town, just southwest of Akron. As soon as they settled in, Ed made a point to introduce himself and his family to their new neighbors. He would was upfront about his past, but promised that he was completely reformed. He even gave out copies of his book. Charmed by Ed, people agreed that he deserved a second chance. One woman, Lynn Michaels, even offered up her teen daughter's babysitting services, should the Edwards ever need them. It wasn't long before Ed and Kaye called in that favor. One evening, Lynn's daughter, Diane, went over to the Edwards house, expecting to play with the kids or watch TV while the couple went out on a

date. But when Diane walked inside, she wasn't greeted with baskets of toys or loud cartoons. The Edwards home featured only bare necessities, a table and chairs, a few mattresses, and some threadbare blankets, no bed frames, no pillows or sheets. The family got their water from a spring underneath the house, and they burned wooden pallets for heat. Diane was uncomfortable and confused, although she'd only had a few interactions with Ed, he seemed like a caring father. He told his kids he loved them several times a day and constantly gave them hugs and kisses. But the home environment he offered them told a completely different story. Even as a teenager, Diane knew that children needed more than affection to grow up properly.

Although she didn't know the name for it, Diane was describing an element of what psychologists call the parent investment model, which examines the importance of what parents contribute to their child's lives. Vanessa is going to take over on the psychology here and throughout the episode. Please note, Vanessa is not a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist, but we have done a lot of research for this show. Thanks, Greg. The concept of the parent investment theory was developed by sociologist Susan E. Mayer in 1997. In her book, What Money Can't Buy, she claimed that children's success depended on what their parents invested in them. Money was important, but time and Energy and support from parents were just as significant when it came to a child's development.

Through this lens, parents of all income brackets should invest their funds in their children. In order to grow into healthy adults, kids need to be raised in safe, stimulating environments full of activities that offer opportunities for education and engagement. Ed Edwards didn't share this view on parenting. This was only one of the ways in which Ed fell short as a parent. He also punished his children in sadistic ways when they misbehaved. Neighbors witnessed him hanging his sons up by their wrists in the garage and leaving them up there for hours.

He refused them food, water, or the bathroom until he felt that they had properly repented. Ed also enjoyed scaring his kids and even putting them in danger. One summer day in 1976, Ed gathered up all the children from the neighborhood and told them to run into the woods behind his house. Ed pretended he was sending the kids on a scavenger hunt, yelling at them to search for a secret prize deep within the trees.

He also encouraged the children to spread out, hinting that they would have a better chance of finding it that way. Ed followed them slowly, watching the kids as they ducked behind bushes and sifted through flowers. Then, suddenly, the kids heard a loud bang. The children flattened themselves on the dirt, terrified. They knew they'd heard a gunshot, but they had no. no idea where it had come from.

When they finally got the courage to get up, they saw the source of the noise. Ed was standing not 10 feet away from the kids brandishing a shotgun. He had shot just over their heads and he was laughing maniacly. As the weeping children ran away, Ed scolded them. He was just playing a prank, he said. They didn't need to be so sensitive about it. Although he didn't foster the safest home environment for his children, Ed was careful to make sure that he was the only person who ever put them in danger. Anyone else would have to pay

a heavy price. One night when he and Kay were hosting a party, Ed noticed that one of their guests was missing. Earlier in the evening, 21-year-old Billy Labaco had been drinking and mingling with everyone, but at some point he disappeared, and Ed had a feeling he knew where Billy was. Ed crept up the stairs to his daughter's bedroom and slowly opened the door. When he Peaked inside, he saw Billy lying on April's bed, cuddling with the 10-year-old girl. Billy got up as soon as he was spotted and followed Ed out into the hall. He told Ed that nothing had happened, that he had just been chatting with April and nothing more. But Ed didn't believe him.

He was sure Billy had taken advantage of his daughter, and Ed was going to make him pay. For what it's worth, Ed was right, even though Billy denied it, and even though April was too confused and embarrassed to admit it, she later confirmed that her father's suspicions were correct. Billy had molested her. In this situation, most parents would go to the police. But Ed Edwards wasn't like most parents. He didn't think that prison was enough of a punishment for the man who'd hurt his daughter. He didn't want Billy locked away for a short time.

He wanted him gone. Forever. Ed started stalking his prey, learning his routine. and he discovered that Billy and his girlfriend, Judy, usually drove out to Silver Creek Park on Friday and Saturday nights after the bars closed. The couple would park under the cover of trees and make out for hours. It was too perfect. So, on the night of August 6, 1977, Ed waited until his family was asleep. Then grabbed his shotgun and biked out to Silver Creek Park.

When he got there, he stashed his bike behind a tree and walked quietly into the tree. and walked quietly into the grass. Ed crouched patiently amongst the weeds, but he didn't have to wait long. Within minutes, Billy's car roared past his hiding spot, and Ed felt his adrenaline surge. He cocked his gun, gritted his teeth, and prepared to commit his first murder.

Coming up, Ed seeks justice for his daughter. Massive spiders, fierce crocodiles. violent 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. Want to support your gut health? Take Activia's gut health challenge by enjoying two Activia yogurt today for two weeks and see if you feel a difference. With billions of probiotics and 20 years of scientific expertise, Activia is one of the easiest and tastiest ways to start your gut health ritual. Try Activia today. Enjoying Activia twice a day for two weeks as part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle may help reduce the frequency of minor

digestive discomfort, which includes gas, bloating, rumbling, and abdominal discomfort. Now back to the story. On the night of August 6, 1977, 44-year-old Ed Edwards crouched in a thicket of weeds in a park near Akron, Ohio. He was waiting to kill 21-year-old Billy Lovaco. Billy had molested Ed's 10-year-old daughter, April, and Ed wanted to avenger himself. It seems that Ed fancied himself of vigilante. According to criminologists Muhammad Asif and Don Vienk, the primary emotions of those who commit vigilante violence

are fear, righteous anger, and a desire for retaliation. When the vigilante becomes aware of someone who they believe has violated a moral imperative, say by molesting a child, their survival responses of fear and anger are activated. They're worried that this person's action, have endangered not only the child in question, but also the ethical fabric of society. Because the vigilante views these actions as an attack on the group as a whole,

their rage transcends their individual existence, and they feel required to retaliate on behalf of their community. This is especially true for vigilantes who are familiar with violence. If they're comfortable with physical brutality, they're more likely to use it to solve their own problems later, which is exactly what Ed did. Ed's adrenaline soared as Billy pulled into the park with his girlfriend Judy, right on schedule. Their windows were down because of the hot summer weather, and he could hear the couple talking.

But as he listened to Judy explained something to Billy, Ed got nervous. He had known that Judy would be present, but he hadn't considered how to handle that problem. He didn't want to kill her too, but he knew he couldn't just let her go. she'd surely turn him into the police. Just as Ed was about to turn around and go home, Billy got out of the car alone. He walked over to the weeds right next to Ed's hiding place and started to take a leak. Ed grinned. He couldn't believe his luck. But then Billy suddenly zipped up. He sensed that someone was there, maybe an animal, maybe a person.

He scrambled back to his car, Ed hot on his heels. The 21-year-old made it back and got his door closed, but when he looked up at the window, all he saw was a shotgun pointing right at him. Billy was terrified, but when he saw the person holding the gun, he calmed down. Ed was his neighbor. They were friendly. What could he possibly want with Billy? Billy and Judy got out of the car and tried to talk with Ed. They offered him their wallets, assuming he was robbing them, but Ed swatted their money away. He stared into Billy's eyes. He stared into Billy's eyes and asked him why he really thought Ed was there. Billy said he truly didn't know, which angered Ed even more. He screamed at Billy,

furiously reminding him what he'd done to April. At that, Billy began to weep and pleaded with Ed to spare him. He swore he'd never done anything to April. Billy's denials were the last straw. Ed took aim and shot him dead. Judy had watched the entire interaction. paralyzed by her fear, but as soon as the gun went off, she ran. Ed knew he couldn't let her go, so he gave chase. When he caught up to her, he killed her with another shotgun blast. Ed took a deep breath. He'd just killed for the first time and needed to take a moment to let that sink in.

He felt guilty for killing Judy, but he knew it was necessary if he wanted to stay out of prison. when he'd composed himself, Ed walked back to his bike and rode back home. However, when he woke up the next day, Ed was far from calm. He was anxious over what he'd done, and he had good reason to be. Billy and Judy were reported missing by their families, and to search of Silver Creek Park located the couple of days after the murder. Through it all, Ed continued with his normal routine, waiting to see if he would be a suspect.

But the authorities never came knocking. They had other suspects in mind, namely men who had argued with Billy over drug deals in the past. Of course, those leads were dead ends, and though the police worked tirelessly on the case for months, it eventually went cold. Even though Ed appeared to be in the clear, he was still anxious. By the summer of 1978, about a year after the murders,

He decided he couldn't take the stress. He needed to get out of town fast. Without explanation, Ed packed up his family's meager belongings and hurted them into the car. Then he drove 500 miles north to the village of Sullivan, Wisconsin. There, Ed and Kay bought a trailer and prepared to start over. His wife and kids have been too afraid to ask questions during the drive. But once they were settled, everyone probed Ed about his sudden decision. He explained that he was being tracked by some former inmates from prison,

saying that they were mad because he had gone straight and were trying to kill him for it. The lie was absurd, but his family bought it, or at least they chose to accept it. Ever since the murders, Ed's temper had grown more and more volatile, and it likely seemed safest for everyone to stop questioning him. About a week after they arrived in Sullivan, Ed took off again, telling Kay he had some business to take care of. That so-called business was driving right back to Doyle's Town, Ohio. Ed parked several blocks away from his old house and proceeded with an extremely strange plan.

He put on a fake mustache, a black hat, and a fake sheriff's badge, then strolled over to his former neighbor, Lynn's house. Back in Wisconsin, Ed found a job as a handyman and janitor at a local reception hall called Concord House. He cleaned up after parties and weddings and made repairs on the family. venue whenever needed. He also occasionally worked security for events, keeping out unwanted guests. It took a while for the Edwards family to settle into their new routine, but eventually they all managed to feel at home in Sullivan. Ed in particular was very comfortable. Instead of feeling nervous about the crime he'd committed, now he finally felt satisfied. Initially, Ed told himself that he had only killed to avenge his daughter. He believed he was due to

doing something good for the world by taking out Billy Lavaco. But now he wondered why he also felt great about murdering Judy Straub. He knew deep down that he wanted to kill again, but on the surface he understood that his desires were wrong, so he tried to suppress them. For two years, Ed reminded himself just how stupid it would be to murder again. If nothing else, he'd have to uproot his family again, as well as piling more guilt onto his own conscience. But by the summer of 1980, Ed, now in his mid-40s, couldn't hold out any longer. His urges overpowered him, and he was ready to kill once more. On the night of August 9th,

Ed was working as a security guard for a wedding reception at the Concord House. From his position at the front door, he watched calmly, a smartly dressed guest, passed by. None of these partygoers had any idea that Ed was planning to kill at least one of them that night. He had all the necessary equipment stashed in his car, a knife for stabbing, and ropes for binding and strangling. Now all he had to do was select his victims. How he zeroed in on his targets that night is a mystery. It's entirely possible that Ed had a garage against 19-year-old's Tim Hack and Kelly Drew, though it seems more likely that the couple were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Whatever the truth, when the pair ducked out of the party a little early to meet up with some friends, Ed intercepted them. Exactly what happened next is difficult to ascertain. Ed may have offered Tim and Kelly a ride to their next destination since they'd been drinking, or maybe he forced them into his car at gunpoint. However it happened, he managed to get Tim and Kelly in his car and away from Concord House. About three miles from the wedding venue, Ed decided it was time. He pulled over and made his move.

It seems likely that his captives fought back and at least got a few good blows in before Ed managed to subdue and tie them up. Then he dragged them out into the woods beside the road. There, he pulled out his knife and stabbed Tim twice, killing him. He raped Kelly, then strangled her to death. When Ed was finished, he stood over their bodies breathing heavily. A barrage of conflicting feelings flooded his system.

Ecstasy, regret, pride, and pain. After his pulse slowed once more, he surveyed the bodies in front of him. Now what? Up next, Ed tries to cover his tracks and sets his sights on one final target. This episode is 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 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 we finish our story On August 9, 1980, Ed Edwards abducted and killed two teenage guests from the wedding where he was working security.

As he looked down at the bodies of Tim Hack and Kelly Drew, he started thinking about what to do next. Still paranoid about his last pair of murders, he wanted to do a better job at covering his tracks. First, Ed removed their clothing and scattered it around the wooded area nearby. Then he hauled their bodies into his car and kept on driving. About eight miles from Concord House, he spotted a wooded area and figured that was as good a place as any to dump the corpses. He tossed their bodies onto the dirt, cleaned up his car, then drove back to the Concord House to help clean up after the wedding reception.

While he was there, a couple of people noticed bruises on his face that hadn't been there earlier in the evening, but no one thought much of it. In fact, no one seemed to suspect that anything was wrong that night. People noticed Tim and Kelly's absence, but didn't worry. There was too much else going on that night. But the next morning, people started to suspect something was wrong. Tim and Kelly's families reported them missing, and the local authorities immediately began a search for the teens.

While some officers were out looking for clues, others questioned guests from the wedding. As an employee of the venue, Ed was also interrogated. but no one, including Ed, had anything useful to offer investigators, leaving them to scramble for clues. Finally, six days after the murders, pieces of Kellys and Tim's clothes were found in the woods where Ed had murdered them. Until then, everyone had hoped that the couple had run away, but this new discovery hinted that something far more sinister had occurred.

As the police adjusted their investigation from missing persons to potential murder, Ed was getting paranoid again. Even though he'd taken care to hide the bodies and even though he'd breeze through his questioning by the authorities, he was still nervous. So he did exactly what he'd done the last time. At the beginning of September 1980, about a month after the murders,

he packed up his family and left town. Where they went is unclear, and the Edwards family didn't resurface until July of 1981, when they rented a furnished house in Muddy Creek Township in Pennsylvania. Their landlord, a man named John, was charmed by Ed, who asked if he could do some maintenance on the property. Strangely, Ed appears to have never actually moved in with his wife and kids.

He put them up in a travel trailer nearby and returned to the rented house every day on his own. John assumed that Ed was doing some repairs before bringing his family inside. Ed's wife Kay was also curious about what was going on. but she never dared question him about it. As it turned out, Ed wasn't working on the house at all. To make some extra cash, he started selling all of the items in John's home. He sold every item of furniture in the house, including the refrigerator, the stove, and the linens from the closets.

He even went so far as to cut down trees on the property and sell those. He was able to keep this racket for months, but in the winter of 1982, Ed worried that his landlord, was getting suspicious. So that March, Ed burned John's property to the ground. He figured it was the best way to prevent John from discovering what he'd been doing. But John saw right through the bizarre scheme. He went to the police, and Ed was arrested for both theft and arson

and swiftly sentenced to five years in prison. Ed Edwards was back in a cell, and none too happy about it. He decided to use the same tactic he had the last. time he was imprisoned, beyond his best behavior, and proved to the probation board that he deserved early release. His strategy worked, and in June of 1984, Ed was released after just over two years. His whereabouts for the next decade are largely unknown. According to his daughter, April, the family continued to move around the country, often packing up at a moment's notice and high-tailing it out of town without so much as a goodbye.

By 1994, Kay and Ed had moved back to Ohio. They were living in a house in the city of Troy. They were empty nesters now, which left Ed feeling lonely. He didn't realize how much he depended on his kids for entertainment and company. So when he met a young man named Danny Log Leckner, Ed saw an opportunity. He befriended him and started calling him Danny Boy, and even though he was technically an adult, he even offered to let him move in. Danny was delighted by the offer.

He was excited to have a family for the first time. By the mid-1990s, Danny had been living with Ed and Kay, and legally changed his name to Danny Boy Edwards. Then after they'd been living together for some time, Ed persuaded Danny Boy to join the army. He thought that it would help the young man build character and make friends. And because Danny Boy trusted everything Ed said, he immediately enlisted.

Ed also convinced him to register for the maximum amount of coverage offered by the servicemen's group life insurance, just in case something, anything, were to happen. This made sense to Danny Boy, and he signed up for $250,000 of coverage, making Ed the sole beneficiary. It's clear that Ed didn't just get friendly with Danny Boy because he was lacking for company. It seems he was acting out a sinister plan all along. Now he could collect on the life insurance policy if and when Danny Boy was killed. Of course, there wasn't a war going on at the time, but that didn't matter to Ed. In fact, Ed was thrilled with how well everything had fallen into place.

Even if it took a few tours for Danny Boy to die, Ed was certain he had a quarter of a million dollars coming his way. But then, in 1996, Ed's perfect plan hit a big snag. Danny Boy was injured during basic training and got the word that the army was going to medically discharge him. The thing is, once a recruit is discharged, their life insurance is no longer valid. Ed was apoplectic to see his carefully laid plan was going up in smoke. He knew that if he ever wanted that money, he needed to act fast. After doing some research, Ed discovered that if Danny Boy died before he was officially discharged, the life insurance benefits would be paid out in full.

Of course, Ed couldn't just go out and kill Danny Boy. Not right away. But if Danny Boy went AWOL, it gave Ed more time to play with. And if he mysteriously died after that, then Ed would still get his payday. So, two days before 25-year-old Danny Boy was set to be discharged, Ed took him to a secluded cemetery near their house. Once Ed was certain they were alone, he tossed a duffel bag on the ground

and asked Danny to fetch his cigarettes. When Danny kneeled down, Ed shot him twice in the back of the head. Afterwards, Ed buried his adopted son's body in a shallow grave near the cemetery. Then he went home to his wife and told her Danny Boy had just gone to visit some friends. When the authorities came to stay,

speak with Ed and Kay about Danny Boy's disappearance, he played the part of a grieving father perfectly. No one suspected him of having anything to do with his adopted son's vanishment, so all he had to do was sit back and wait. It took a year, but in 1997, Danny Boy's remains were found. Ed later claimed that he got the insurance payout and that he spent it almost immediately. However, investigators never confirmed whether that was the truth, and exact deeds. details about the payment are still unclear. Soon after the body turned up, Ed decided that he'd better get out of town just to be safe. So shortly after Danny Boy's body was unearthed, Ed and Kay packed up and moved to Arizona,

eventually settling down in a trailer park in Louisville, Kentucky. Ed and Kay stayed in Kentucky for almost a decade. During that time, Ed's health declined rapidly, in part due to diabetes. He became obese and relied on an oxygen tube and a catheter. Needless to say, he wasn't able to commit any more murders, even if he wanted to. Mentally, however, Ed remained connected to his criminal past. He was proud that he'd killed five times without getting caught. And while Ed may have thought he was exceptionally good at escaping justice,

it's more likely that he evaded police because he didn't follow the traditional patterns investigators expect of serial killers. In his book, Whoever Fights Monsters, former FBI agent Robert K. Ressler outlines how law enforcement can use the categories of organized or disorganized killer to try and catch a repeat offender. Ed is unique in that he moved back and forth between these two categories. He knew some of his victims, which is typical of a disorganized killer, but others were strangers.

He moved a few of the corpses, like an organized killer might, but he left others where they done. He took his time killing Tim Hack and Kelly Drew, but murdered Billy Lavaco, Judy Straub, and Danny Boy in seconds. There's only one group of people close enough to notice strange patterns in Ed's movements and connect him to a string of seemingly unrelated murders. We're talking, of course, about Ed's family. More specifically, his children, who grew up and began asking questions about their dad. Serious questions. Ed's eldest daughter in particular was curious about all of the sudden relocations. In 2009, April was 40 years old and had three kids of her own.

As a mother, it was finally dawning on her how strange her childhood was. So she got together with her siblings, and as the five Edwards children shared stories about their adolescence, they realized something had been terribly wrong with their dad. April sat down at her computer and started investigating cold cases from all the places they'd lived. She was shocked to discover unsolved double murders from two of those towns and realized their sudden moves had happened shortly after both incidents. At this time, April still had a relationship with her dad.

It was strained, thanks to his volatile temper and tendency to lie, but she still visited him from time to time. She knew that if she picked up the phone to call the authorities, everything between them would change. Was it worth it? Should she turn her own father in? The answer was an undeniable yes. If she could get justice for the victims,

it was worth risking her relationship with her dying father. She started with the Tim Hack and Kelly Drew murders, as they were the ones she was most sure of. April called up a local police station in Wisconsin and told them about her suspicions, because she mentioned details that weren't available to the press, the detective took her seriously. When he looked into the case, he decided April was right. April's phone call set off a chain of investigations that linked Ed to all of his murders.

Soon enough, detectives from Wisconsin showed up at Ed's trailer in Kentucky, bringing a warrant for a DNA sample with them. The sample was matched to a seaman stain on Kelly Drew's clothing, and Ed was arrested. Eventually, Ed was convicted of the murders. in Wisconsin and sentenced to two consecutive life terms. But that wasn't what he wanted. With his health deteriorating, Ed didn't want to spend his final years wasting away in prison. So in 2010, he tried to land himself the death penalty by confessing to the murders of Billy Lubacco and Judy Straub. You see, Ohio, where the murders took place, had the death penalty. And Ed hoped his confession would score him an early exit. Unfortunately for Ed, the murders of Bill and Judy were ineligible for the death penalty

because of when the crimes were committed. So, Ed was handed another pair of life sentences, but he wasn't giving up on his quest to die a quick death. In early 2011, he finally confessed to murdering Danny Poy, a crime he knew would get him what he wanted. In March of 2011, Ed Edwards was finally sentenced to die by lethal injection, with the date set for August of that year. But just a month later, he died of complications from diabetes. In his prison cell, the very demise he'd fought so hard to avoid. Ed Edwards began his life with a plan. He told his teacher he was going to grow up to be a crook, the best there ever was. He certainly did his best to make good on that vow.

For decades, Ed escaped punishment for his most horrifying of crimes and was only brought to justice because his own family finally put the pieces of the puzzle together. In the years since his death, investigators have speculated that Ed may have been involved in more murders than the five he was linked to. But because of his unique characteristics as a serial killer, credibly tying him to any more slayings seems an impossible task. Until that happens, we'll consider. the case of Edward Wayne Edwards closed. But if it needs re-examining down the line,

well, you know where to find us. Thanks again for tuning it to serial killers. We'll be back soon with a new episode. For more information on Ed Edwards, amongst the many sources we used, we found the podcast, The Clearing, from Pineapple Street Media in association with Gimlet, extremely helpful to our research.

You can find more episodes of serial killers, 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 design by Michael Motion, with production assistance by Ron Shapiro,

Trent Williamson, Carly Madden, and Joshua Kern. This episode of serial killers was written by Ellie Reed, 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 Poulson 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, Crying Down Under, where we travel to the land down under to explore the beach. most shocking true crime cases in Australian history. Follow the Spotify original from Parcast, Crime Down Under, and catch a new episode every Sunday, free and only on Spotify. A beloved 75-year-old man washing up, getting ready for bed, is brutally beaten and killed. Despite an exhaustive investigation, the killer avoids arrest and then strikes again.

I'm Global News crime reporter, Nancy. Hicks. You might listen to a lot of true crime podcasts this year, but they're not crime beat. Search for and follow the award-winning podcast Crime Beat on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and wherever you find your favorite podcasts. Do you want to hear something spooky? Some Monster, it reminded me of Bigfoot. Monsters Among Us is a weekly podcast featuring true stories of the paranormal. One of the boys started to exhibit demonic possession.

Stories straight from the witnesses' mouths. themselves. Something very snakelight lifted its head out of the water. Hosted by me, your guide. Derek Hayes. Somehow I lost eight whole hours. Listen now on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.