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

[OhioBlues]

Suicide is never understandable. It's JMO but it seems as tho the mother posted certain photos/details about the children. She posted the Academy's that they graduated from, the accomplishments (in detail), the exclusive events she/they attended, photos with well known individuals etc. It was photo after photo from Italy, exclusive events, nice restaurants from all over.

She didn't post the normal every day to day events IMO.

I don't understand why a mother would murder/suicide. Maybe she felt, that she was in an elite circle and without her kids and their personal accomplishments that she would move lower down her societal ladder.

I don't think anyone can understand this but that is JMO.

 

[Steph8angels]

Hundreds mourn slain BU student and family members in Atlanta - The Boston Globe

Originally she didn’t, but according to this article, the mayor did mention ME at the service that was held earlier today. I was more referring to the picture in the following link (also, please tell me if it is not okay I posted this and I will delete)

Thank you for sharing.
So somewhere between the tragedy and today. The Mayor had a change of words and heart. Maybe as many stated no answers will ever come to the WHY. Maybe the family and inner circle have some evidence from LE.
SO SAD SO SENSELESS SO MUCH PAIN LEFT. SUCH LOSS.
Hug your family tighter tonight.
I bid you all peace.

 

[Curious Me]

There's all kinds of connections of this family to the city and the Mayor. The Mayor has known Erin and Chris Jr. their entire lives. I imagine she is struggling herself with this nightmare of a tragedy. I wonder if she was personal friends with Marsha.

Atlanta Mayor Pays Tribute to Siblings Killed by Mom in Murder-Suicide After Returning From Italy

"Both Chris and Erin had worked for the city of Atlanta. Chris Edwards was employed as a digital content manager in the mayor’s Office of Entertainment. His sister was a Boston University student and previously interned in the mayor’s Office of Communications, reports Atlanta TV station WSB.

Their father, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Christopher Edwards, is the current chairman of the Atlanta Housing Authority, . . ."

 

[Mimi in London]

I have been encouraged to see how many of their FB friends have expressed compassion for ME as well as for the children. And now the funeral makes the collective statement of compassion loudly and clearly.

This is despite the apparent quiet acceptance among their circle that she may have done it. Certainly no vociferous denials.

It renews my faith in humanity to see compassion for the wretched mind of someone in so much pain, in place of the usual (and in some ways understandable) vitriol.

MOO

 

[imstilla.grandma]

"There is nothing I can say today that can do Erin justice," said close Boston University friend, Derrick Lottie, Jr.

"Erin was the kind of person who could fill a hole in your heart before you knew you had it," Lottie said.

He added some of her best advice to him when he'd feel frustrated.

"(She said) sometimes God closes the door you're not supposed to go through and you're one step closer to where you're supposed to be."

"I implore you to show love and kindness to everyone you meet on this journey called life, just as Chris did," said Steven Smith, Jr., who described Chris as his first friend and brother, as the two grew up in the same Southwest Atlanta neighborhood.

Family in Vinings murder-suicide recalled as ‘embodiment of love'

 

[imstilla.grandma]

“Little Chris was a breath of fresh air, a true gentleman known around City Hall for opening doors for others — imagine that,” she said. Chris Edwards worked as a digital content manager for the Mayor’s Office of Film and Entertainment.

Bottoms said it was clear Chris was bound for bigger things, though he remained humble throughout his time in City Hall. She recalled the simple but poignant advice Chris shared recently with a group of students visiting the mayor’s office.

“‘Be kind,’ he said. It’s just the basic thing you do.”

Erin, who interned in the mayor’s communications office last summer, “could have run the whole department,” Bottoms said. “It brings me great joy knowing Erin lived her life so fully.”

“It’s not about the fact we’re going to die, it’s what you do with the time you’re given,” Erin was quoted as saying.
Family in Vinings murder-suicide recalled as ‘embodiment of love’

 

[Tink60]

Reading these Posts brings back memories for me I’d rather forget. I lost my lovely daughter to suicide ten years ago. She had just graduated with honors as a physicist with her whole world ahead of her. There were no obvious warning signs . The profound sense of shock I felt cannot be underestimated. The shock her close friends felt was expressed to me and continues to this day. We are still recovering. The sense of unbelievability that someone so accomplished and who had everything going for her could be in such pain to do such an act is something you can never, ever, rationalize. That is the horror of suicide.

I feel so much for this family and friends. I do understand the total disbelief felt by all. I can even sense the disbelief in some of these posts. But I can tell you it happens and makes no sense.

Yes, I have compassion for anyone who is in such agony they feel this is the only solution. The only thing I have trouble with,moo, is the fact she had to bring the children with her. If we are to believe LE, it was an incredibly cruel act. That being said, no one who commits suicide is thinking rationally.

I wish this family and their many friends peace.

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

I have been encouraged to see how many of their FB friends have expressed compassion for ME as well as for the children. And now the funeral makes the collective statement of compassion loudly and clearly.

This is despite the apparent quiet acceptance among their circle that she may have done it. Certainly no vociferous denials.

It renews my faith in humanity to see compassion for the wretched mind of someone in so much pain, in place of the usual (and in some ways understandable) vitriol.

MOO

Liking this was not enough, @Mimi in London. Beautiful sentiment, beautifully shared. Thank you.

 

[GoneGoldfishin']

I have been encouraged to see how many of their FB friends have expressed compassion for ME as well as for the children. And now the funeral makes the collective statement of compassion loudly and clearly.

This is despite the apparent quiet acceptance among their circle that she may have done it. Certainly no vociferous denials.

It renews my faith in humanity to see compassion for the wretched mind of someone in so much pain, in place of the usual (and in some ways understandable) vitriol.

MOO

Yet no compassion for the other wretched minds, and their pain, who have taken innocent lives in recent weeks? I am sure I know why, and it is revolting. MOO.

 

[tara83]

I do wonder if the father had killed his children and himself if people would have compassion for him.It's always been interesting to me that some have more compassion for female killers over male ones.

 

[Tink60]

With all due respect, as a registered nurse and disaster team member I have compassion for many. I think you may have misunderstood the point of my post. Compassion for all, but just because you have compassion for someone does not negate holding one responsible for their actions. It is not gender specific. Like I stated, if what information we have from LE is correct, what occurred was an incredibly cruel act on the part of the responsible party. Period.

 

[Mimi in London]

Reading these Posts brings back memories for me I’d rather forget. I lost my lovely daughter to suicide ten years ago. She had just graduated with honors as a physicist with her whole world ahead of her. There were no obvious warning signs . The profound sense of shock I felt cannot be underestimated. The shock her close friends felt was expressed to me and continues to this day. We are still recovering. The sense of unbelievability that someone so accomplished and who had everything going for her could be in such pain to do such an act is something you can never, ever, rationalize. That is the horror of suicide.

I feel so much for this family and friends. I do understand the total disbelief felt by all. I can even sense the disbelief in some of these posts. But I can tell you it happens and makes no sense.

Yes, I have compassion for anyone who is in such agony they feel this is the only solution. The only thing I have trouble with,moo, is the fact she had to bring the children with her. If we are to believe LE, it was an incredibly cruel act. That being said, no one who commits suicide is thinking rationally.

I wish this family and their many friends peace.

So sorry for your terrible loss, Tink. I can barely imagine.

 

[Curious Me]

I agree that I find it very odd that they are treating ME as one of the victims. Like she's a victim of herself? It's very odd to me.

Yes, exactly! Which in itself makes me think that either they know something else and don’t view her as a suspect, or she had a history of serious mental health issues (which does not seem to be the case).

What I know so far is that LE stated she killed her children before committing suicide. Yikes, she stole their lives and bright futures.

Yes, I can feel somewhat compassion for the pain and mental anguish I have to imagine she had, but at this point it's my own contrived story of her troubles.

We hear so many reports of sudden violence and people flying off the handle supposedly snapping while all the while buying guns or planning. It helps me be less bewildered anytime I hear there was, in fact, a history of the person that might explain their actions. What I'm trying to express is that if Marsha was known by some people to be suffering mentally with her feelings I hope they share that so others can truly understand. It's possible to feel some compassion, but I admit it's difficult to forget what she did by including the children in her decision. There's other people in prison for doing that.

Please know this is just my attempt to express mixed emotions.

 

[Mimi in London]

I do wonder if the father had killed his children and himself if people would have compassion for him.It's always been interesting to me that some have more compassion for female killers over male ones.

I’m only surmising from the cases I’ve followed, but could it be that often the males have a history of domestic abuse/coercive control? Or, in the case of Chris Watts (for example), a motivation that is plain as day and utterly abhorrent. IDK.

Eta I realise every killing is abhorrent and there is no motivation that is ok.

 

[Curious Me]

I’m only surmising from the cases I’ve followed, but could it be that often the males have a history of domestic abuse/coercive control? Or, in the case of Chris Watts (for example), a motivation that is plain as day and utterly abhorrent. IDK.

Eta I realise every killing is abhorrent and there is no motivation that is ok.

MOO only, I don't think I agree that all bad is equal when you consider the motivation.

The very definition of abhorrent is Chris Watts and his motivation for killing his pregnant wife and two little girls. He didn't even try to commit suicide, killing them for totally selfish reasons.

In his case, I'm not sure he is capable of any real, genuine feeling. It makes it harder for me to feel anything even a tiny bit of compassion for him.

abhorrent - inspiring disgust and loathing; repugnant.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Their tragic deaths have left the community baffled. Why would Marsha Edwards want to kill herself and the children she appeared to love dearly? Was she suffering a mental illness? Was there a family dispute?

Filicide — the killing of a son or daughter by a parent — is uncommon, but experts say the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the Edwardses are atypical in their own right.

"This is an unusual situation," he said of the Edwards case.
‘I could not ask for better children,' mom said on Instagram before killing adult kids in apparent murder-suicide

 

[neesaki]

Darlie Routier killed her two little boys, she cut her own throat but not very deep. Many believe she planned to commit suicide but couldn’t go through with it. She’s been on death row now for over 20 years.

If ME did in fact kill her children and had not killed herself she would either go to prison for life or get the DP . She would be labeled a cold blooded murderer, no sympathy.
IMO, committing suicide after killing doesn’t absolve one of such absolute betrayal of the children’s trust and such a heinous crime. At the end of the day she’s still a cruel, cold hearted murderer.

 

[Curious Me]

Pic of the funeral service shows the community is striving to show compassion for the woman they knew.

There's no doubts from what long-time friends say that Marsha was a great mother and she loved her children. Everyone is left baffled.

It definitely seems there's more to this story we may never know.

‘I could not ask for better children,' mom said on Instagram before killing adult kids in apparent murder-suicide

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Wouldn’t you think this tragedy has to have something to do with one of the seven deadly sins? Gluttony, lust, greed, pride, wrath, sloth and envy.

 

[OhioBlues]

My guess is that she wrote the Instagram post about how she couldn't have asked for better kids because she had it planned and knew the outcome.

Then the AJC adds this:

Mayor Bottoms, friends with the Edwards family for 20 years and, later, boss to the Edwards children, spoke about how well Chris and Erin had reflected on their parents.

And this (same article) statement regarding Erin.

This summer, the Woodward Academy graduate interned with WNBC-TV in New York City. Her mother shared one of Erin’s first bylines on her Instagram page, captioned, “Start Spreading The News!!!! Erin Victoria Edwards, journalist.”

Erin and Chris were not trophy's for their mother or parents. They achieved so much yet it's the mom that seemed to take credit for everything. That same mom that raised Chris and Erin before she murdered them. The mom was front and center at the Memorial Service too.

I do feel for the mom because of the suicide. She murdered 2 innocent grown adults after she plastered them all over SM and took credit for their achievements in front of all of her 'friends'.

She even said it was Fakebook.

If she had a lower economic status and less influential friends then this story would have been portrayed differently.

All MOO.