Los Angeles, Calif., (Newsradiowrva.com) - The Los Angeles Times is reporting that former State Trooper Austin Edwards did reveal to Virginia State Police that he voluntarily admitted himself to a mental health facility in 2016. You can read the entire article here. The report runs counter to a VSP that Edwards did not disclose anything that would have prevented him from being hired. Edwards left the force in October, and in late November, killed a family of three in California and ran off with a teenage girl. Edwards then killed himself, according to law enforcement, as deputies closed in.
2016 was also the year, according to a separate Times report, that Edwards was detained for a psychiatric evaluation. This report said Edwards was detained after threatening to harm himself and his father.
The Times says it reviewed records showing that Edwards admitted to a voluntarily admittance, and has confirmed their authenticity. Virginia State Police have admitted to human error in the hiring process, saying it lead to an "incomplete database query."
Edwards was actually working for the Washington County (Va.) Sheriff's Department at the time of the murders. The Sheriff's Department has said Edwards' previous employers did not reveal any issues in the hiring process.
Opposite of State Police Statement
