GA - Marsha, Erin, & Chris Edwards, Murder/Suicide, Atlanta, 21 August 2019

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So weird. I mean it really does seem weird to me to have happy go lucky travel with your kids if you are just planning to kill them shortly afterwards.

But the police seem pretty certain. And if she didn't do it then who did? Who would be motivated to plan a murder that looks like a suicide? Who would want to make sure that both she and her kids were still there and not at school or jobs just so they could frame her for their deaths? That doesn't really make sense either to me.

If she did it then it displays an astounding amount of selfishness. And it strikes me as the kind of thing someone would do for the sole purpose of destroying their ex spouse. Nothing could be really worse to do to someone than take away all their children in one day. That would be worse than killing them. Instead take away all they hold dear and leave them to spend the rest of their lives grieving. :/
 
kodi said:
I've searched through all the links above and watched the videos and there's nothing specific either way about where EE and CE were living. However, the articles and video refer to the home as "the Edwards" and "their" home. So, I don't think we're really clear on whether her children were living there or not. JMO

I did notice ME was wearing a ring on her left hand in one of the videos from a recent trip to Italy with her daughter; not sure if it's her wedding ring or another ring, but I haven't been able to find out when the Edwards' divorced so it could shed some light on her mental health. IMO

I get a feeling of final goodbyes while reading about the trips she took with each of her kids recently. I wonder if she was saying goodbye to them without their knowledge of what was yet to unfold in the near future. Also, her comments on her FB about being so proud of her kids and their accomplishments left me with a sense of this wasn't about them, they were perfect. More like it was about her.

Again, JMO and thoughts at the moment.

Edited for grammar
Click to expand...
She and her daughter took a big trip last August too.
Maybe it was a goodbye.
Seriously who eats lunch at the Vatican and kills their adult children 4 days later?
Last August they went to Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, Canada, Toronto, Quebec City...
Moo
 
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According to Jeff Dickerson, who is acting as spokesperson for Christopher Edwards, a memorial service is set for 11 a.m. Wednesday, August 28 at Cascade Methodist Church in Atlanta.
Funeral set for Edwards family killed in apparent murder-suicide


Washington PostI lost yet another family member to gun violence. I urge my colleagues to
take action.


Psychologists are now studying the dynamics of social media and mental illness - all as a community grapples with the sudden loss of a family in such an unexpected and tragic way.

Through the prism of social media, they lived a life many would love: exotic trips, loving relationships and a mother bragging about her two adult children. But, the reality according to investigators, was much darker.

"People show people what they want them to see," clinical psychologist Erik Fisher said. "We really don't trust that people love us the way we are. Instead, we think they will like us more if we act the way they want us to be."

"The issue I'm looking at the most is why did she want to take her children with her?" he asked.

11Alive has since learned that the supervisor of Chris Edwards called the young man's father when he didn't show up for work at Atlanta City Hall. The father spent all day calling his son, daughter and ex-wife but couldn't get a hold of them.

A relative called 911 and that's when authorities made the tragic discovery.
Social media and mental illness: Tragic murder-suicide draws examination by psychologists
 
Abstract
We examined 36 cases of filicide–suicide mothers by consulting the archives of RAI, daily newspapers, and the ANSA news agency. We focused on: mothers and children's age, place of residence, date and place of the murder, number and sex of the murdered children, and modality of the homicide–suicide. At the time of the homicide–suicide, the average age of mothers was 35.4. the women had underestimated psychopathological disorders and only six women were regularly treated. The dynamics and characteristics of the events were much more similar to suicides than homicides, so we can consider them as “extensive suicides.”
https://www.researchgate.net/public...ideSuicide_Mothers_in_Italy_from_1992_to_2010


Abstract
Woman are generally motivated by feelings of altruism, a selfless regard for the well-being of others. However, women tend to have a high failure rate of suicide, therefore, their cases are often not classified as familicide.

Another factor that drives women to kill their own children is psychosis. They actually believe they are protecting their kids from demonic possession. Death would end the child’s suffering.

With the downturn of today’s economy looming over the heads of American’s, police have seen an increase of familicide across the nation. Again, the father’s failure to provide seems to be the motivating factor.
Familicide: The New Domestic Violence? - Lee Lofland
 
I'm curious if we know if both the kids were staying at the home or lived there? I know the daughter was about to leave for school again according to articles. I only just told my husband about this case and his first comment was the same as others, "Are we sure she killed them?"

But it would take a darn good motive and effort to kill 3 people while framing 1 as the murderer. I wonder if the kids were killed in their sleep. There isn't much info out there. But people don't just stand around and let you shoot them. I assume the forensics at add up.

But it's still hard for me to imagine that this mother honestly thought her son and daughter were better off dead than living as successful adults without her. That's so incredibly narcissistic. We aren't talking about helpless children here left with an abusive father or something, but adults with careers and one interning at NBC. I'm just blown away.

We've seen some crazy people on social media. But this was not a woman obsessing about death and darkness publicly. I highly highly doubt she believed her children were dealing with demonic possession. And the lack of father to provide was clearly not affecting this family. It really seems to lack a lot of the so called typical motivation.
 
beatrixpotter said:
I'm curious if we know if both the kids were staying at the home or lived there? I know the daughter was about to leave for school again according to articles. I only just told my husband about this case and his first comment was the same as others, "Are we sure she killed them?"

But it would take a darn good motive and effort to kill 3 people while framing 1 as the murderer. I wonder if the kids were killed in their sleep. There isn't much info out there. But people don't just stand around and let you shoot them. I assume the forensics at add up.

But it's still hard for me to imagine that this mother honestly thought her son and daughter were better off dead than living as successful adults without her. That's so incredibly narcissistic. We aren't talking about helpless children here left with an abusive father or something, but adults with careers and one interning at NBC. I'm just blown away.

We've seen some crazy people on social media. But this was not a woman obsessing about death and darkness publicly. I highly highly doubt she believed her children were dealing with demonic possession. And the lack of father to provide was clearly not affecting this family. It really seems to lack a lot of the so called typical motivation.
Click to expand...
Agree. My only guess would include some aspect of mental illness and/or alcohol involved. I tend to think the murders occurred with a rapid succession of gun shots. I didn’t notice reports of gunshots heard which I also don’t understand.
 
imstilla.grandma said:
Agree. My only guess would include some aspect of mental illness and/or alcohol involved. I tend to think the murders occurred with a rapid succession of gun shots. I didn’t notice reports of gunshots heard which I also don’t understand.
Click to expand...

Yes! The lack of gun shots heard is also very odd. I hope they will explain that later. Is there a way to fire a gun and no one in close proximity hear unless a silencer involved? I have no idea myself.
 
This is an extremely odd case. Having investigated a murder/suicide case previously and what I learned as a result, this does not fit... JMOO
The other case that springs to mind which was a failed murder/suicide was the Julie schenecker case in Florida in 2011 where she shot and murdered her children Calyx and Bo who were I think 15 and 13 years old. She then took pills and alcohol but her own suicide was botched because her mother went to her house feeling concerned and found her alive. If you watch the video of her arraignment, it’s grim as she’s clearly not mentally well and appears psychotic.
Although FB can be deceiving, I would find it hard to believe that she would just shoot and kill her successful adult children unless there were signs of severe mental illness and or breakdowns. Then there was that other case I think in Texas where the very glamorous looking blonde lady ( Christy?) was splitting from her boyfriend/partner/husband Jason and was either trying or did kill her daughter/s before herself but again she was obviously mentally ill . So what about mum in this case ?
 
Angleterre said:
This is an extremely odd case. Having investigated a murder/suicide case previously and what I learned as a result, this does not fit... JMOO
The other case that springs to mind which was a failed murder/suicide was the Julie schenecker case in Florida in 2011 where she shot and murdered her children Calyx and Bo who were I think 15 and 13 years old. She then took pills and alcohol but her own suicide was botched because her mother went to her house feeling concerned and found her alive. If you watch the video of her arraignment, it’s grim as she’s clearly not mentally well and appears psychotic.
Although FB can be deceiving, I would find it hard to believe that she would just shoot and kill her successful adult children unless there were signs of severe mental illness and or breakdowns. Then there was that other case I think in Texas where the very glamorous looking blonde lady ( Christy?) was splitting from her boyfriend/partner/husband Jason and was either trying or did kill her daughter/s before herself but again she was obviously mentally ill . So what about mum in this case ?
Click to expand...
I read about that case. And y’all are right. Profile simply does not fit!



Marsha Edwards received a medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Shreveport and owned MME Enterprises, LLC, a supplier of surgical and medical equipment, according to her Linkedin page.
"For something like this to happen and unfold, it's unbelievable," neighbor Talia Cartall told WSB. "We didn't hear anything. There was no sign of violence or anything."
"They were wonderful people, which makes it a lot harder to just understand what went wrong," she said.
Former wife of Atlanta official killed their adult children and then herself, police say - CNN
 
imstilla.grandma said:
Agree. My only guess would include some aspect of mental illness and/or alcohol involved. I tend to think the murders occurred with a rapid succession of gun shots. I didn’t notice reports of gunshots heard which I also don’t understand.
Click to expand...
Especially in a townhouse. I could hear my neighbors leave for work in the morning when I lived in one.
 
To me there is no definitive profile of who will murder their children, and then themselves.

If the murderer lives only a very small minority are found criminally insane whether it's the father or mother who murders. Most are not mentally ill when they did these murders. Imo

The reasons only make sense to the ones who do these things.

However it very common for the murderer to be happy around the same time they are plotting to do murders/suicide. I've read it's because they know it's coming to an end soon. The trips were done to make it appear everything was fine.

I'm not the least bit surprised it was another mom who has done these unspeakable acts. To kill ones own children is a very selfish narcissist act. Imo.

Here she could have felt her two children had successful lives of their own as productive adults, egotistical feeling offended by thinking she was no longer the center of their attention anymore.

I detest these type of parents who think they have a right to murder their own children as if they were mere material objects they owned, and could destroy.

The two children may have had a closer relationship with their father as well so there may be a petty jealous vengeance aspect as well behind murdering their two beautiful children.

She had a choice to end her own life. She didnt have any right to murder their 2 children before doing so.

Imo, she did so because she knew there would be neverending pain, suffering and forever loss to all who deeply loved them both.

I wish she had been like many moms who murder their own children, and failed in the suicide.

That way their father, and all of their loved ones could see justice served in a court of law against this child double murderer.

Imo, She knew she would be in prison for the rest of her life, so she took the cowardly way out.

She was bold enough to murder both in cold blood, but too cowardly to face the justice system.

Jmhoo
 
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beatrixpotter said:
I'm curious if we know if both the kids were staying at the home or lived there? I know the daughter was about to leave for school again according to articles. I only just told my husband about this case and his first comment was the same as others, "Are we sure she killed them?"

But it would take a darn good motive and effort to kill 3 people while framing 1 as the murderer. I wonder if the kids were killed in their sleep. There isn't much info out there. But people don't just stand around and let you shoot them. I assume the forensics at add up.

But it's still hard for me to imagine that this mother honestly thought her son and daughter were better off dead than living as successful adults without her. That's so incredibly narcissistic. We aren't talking about helpless children here left with an abusive father or something, but adults with careers and one interning at NBC. I'm just blown away.

We've seen some crazy people on social media. But this was not a woman obsessing about death and darkness publicly. I highly highly doubt she believed her children were dealing with demonic possession. And the lack of father to provide was clearly not affecting this family. It really seems to lack a lot of the so called typical motivation.
Click to expand...
The daughter was leaving to go back to college the day they were found.
I've seen an article that the son and his friends were hanging out at the house while the mother and daughter were in Italy.
I don't know of the son lived there or was house sitting.
I see if I can find it.
Moo
"He and his friend went to a Braves game on Sunday. Afterward, they hung out for a while at the Edwards family’s townhouse."
THE LATEST: Edwards children remembered as high achievers and even better people
I'm leaning towards a history of domestic violence.
EE has some info on her Facebook.
Also of note, ME's mother died in October of 2018
(In article)
That adds another layer of stress on the mom if she was responsible for the murders, if she was experiencing depression etc...
Moo
 
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gngr~snap said:
"Erin was due to go to Boston the next day."
"he asked a relative to call Cobb County police. Dr. Edwards met police at his ex-wife condo, at what they learned was a crime scene."

More at link:
Social media painted upbeat picture before Edwards family deaths
Click to expand...
This is so sad. I checked out ME's facebook page. As I'm not on facebook I just need to ask.... is it common for someone in her age group to post so many photos and updates on FB, about where she goes and what she's doing ? I guess it came across to me as a bit overdone, as in trying too hard... maybe to project the image to everyone that she had a near perfect life.

I also wonder if she might have been bipolar.
 
gngr~snap said:
The daughter was leaving to go back to college the day they were found.
I've seen an article that the son and his friends were hanging out at the house while the mother and daughter were in Italy.
I don't know of the son lived there or was house sitting.
I see if I can find it.
Moo
"He and his friend went to a Braves game on Sunday. Afterward, they hung out for a while at the Edwards family’s townhouse."
THE LATEST: Edwards children remembered as high achievers and even better people
I'm leaning towards a history of domestic violence.
EE has some info on her Facebook.
Also of note, ME's mother died in October of 2018
(In article)
That adds another layer of stress on the mom if she was responsible for the murders, if she was experiencing depression etc...
Moo
Click to expand...

Hi Gngr!

May I ask what you mean when saying you are leaning toward domestic violence? Has there been any information about domestic violence by any family member?

Or do you mean maybe behind closed doors she was a mommie dearest to her two murdered children?

I'm just trying to understand how DV fits with her motive to murder both of her children.

Tia

Imo, I'm leaning more to her feeling she was losing her grasp on her adult children. WDK, but she could have been obsessively controlling all during their lives, even into adulthood.

They both sound like wonderful children who had such promising great futures.

But they were adults now, and may not have wanted to live in Atlanta forever where she lived.

Hadn't her ex husband also remarried? I may have that mixed up though.

Jmho
 
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