Man Allegedly Murders Girlfriend, Burns Body with Family's Help in Georgia
May 22, 11:00 PM
Clayton County police announced the arrest of Michale Edwards for the murder of Briana Winston, his girlfriend, in their College Park, Georgia apartment. The incident, which occurred on March 17, took a macabre turn as Edwards allegedly strangled Winston to death after she confronted him about secretly marrying another woman. What followed was a ghastly cover-up orchestrated with the help of his own family.
Lt. Ashanti Marbury of the Clayton County Police Department described the crime as anything but a "crime of passion," highlighting the evident malice and intent behind Edwards' actions.
According to Lt. Marbury, Edwards, 23, engaged in a heated argument with Winston over his infidelity before fatally choking her.
The aftermath of the murder unfolded gruesomely. Edwards purportedly stuffed Winston's lifeless body into a suitcase and drove to Gates, Tennessee, with the assistance of an accomplice. There, they burned her body in a barrel, using a shovel to hasten the process of incineration.
"Together, the two men placed a suitcase inside of a burned barrel located behind the home, they doused it with accelerant, lit a fire, and they kept their fire burning from the early afternoon until nightfall," Marbury further said.
Marbury revealed that prosecutors granted immunity to the accomplice in exchange for vital information leading to the arrests of Edwards and his family members. Subsequent investigations unveiled a sinister family involvement in the cover-up. Edwards' wife, Brieanna Phillips-Edwards, allegedly aided him by allowing the use of their car for transporting Winston's body.
According to Clayton County police, during the investigation, Edwards was already in jail on an unrelated charge. He was caught on a jail call instructing his wife, Brieanna Phillips-Edwards, to dispose of a pair of shoes and gloves.
Phillips-Edwards is now facing several charges, including being party to the commission of a crime - murder. Additionally, investigators have charged Edward's mother, Ebony Anderson, and his brother, Keilan Wright, with aiding in the destruction of evidence
The timeline of events paints a horrifying picture. Winston, a mother of a 4-year-old child with Edwards, was reported missing by her family on April 1. Upon visiting her apartment, they discovered it had been completely cleared out, emanating the smell of bleach. Further inquiry revealed Winston had not shown up for work on March 17.
Police intensified their investigation, eventually leading them to Ripley, Tennessee, where they recovered Winston's remains at a cemetery and along a road, approximately 430 miles from the murder scene.
Edwards is currently being held at Clayton County Jail on numerous charges, including malice murder, felony murder, concealing death, and tampering with evidence.
Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj
Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
The latest on The Downfall of Diddy, The Karen Read Trial, Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
Lt. Ashanti Marbury of the Clayton County Police Department described the crime as anything but a "crime of passion," highlighting the evident malice and intent behind Edwards' actions.
According to Lt. Marbury, Edwards, 23, engaged in a heated argument with Winston over his infidelity before fatally choking her.
The aftermath of the murder unfolded gruesomely. Edwards purportedly stuffed Winston's lifeless body into a suitcase and drove to Gates, Tennessee, with the assistance of an accomplice. There, they burned her body in a barrel, using a shovel to hasten the process of incineration.
"Together, the two men placed a suitcase inside of a burned barrel located behind the home, they doused it with accelerant, lit a fire, and they kept their fire burning from the early afternoon until nightfall," Marbury further said.
Marbury revealed that prosecutors granted immunity to the accomplice in exchange for vital information leading to the arrests of Edwards and his family members. Subsequent investigations unveiled a sinister family involvement in the cover-up. Edwards' wife, Brieanna Phillips-Edwards, allegedly aided him by allowing the use of their car for transporting Winston's body.
According to Clayton County police, during the investigation, Edwards was already in jail on an unrelated charge. He was caught on a jail call instructing his wife, Brieanna Phillips-Edwards, to dispose of a pair of shoes and gloves.
Phillips-Edwards is now facing several charges, including being party to the commission of a crime - murder. Additionally, investigators have charged Edward's mother, Ebony Anderson, and his brother, Keilan Wright, with aiding in the destruction of evidence
The timeline of events paints a horrifying picture. Winston, a mother of a 4-year-old child with Edwards, was reported missing by her family on April 1. Upon visiting her apartment, they discovered it had been completely cleared out, emanating the smell of bleach. Further inquiry revealed Winston had not shown up for work on March 17.
Police intensified their investigation, eventually leading them to Ripley, Tennessee, where they recovered Winston's remains at a cemetery and along a road, approximately 430 miles from the murder scene.
Edwards is currently being held at Clayton County Jail on numerous charges, including malice murder, felony murder, concealing death, and tampering with evidence.
Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj
Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
The latest on The Downfall of Diddy, The Karen Read Trial, Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com