An elderly couple were found dead in an apparent murder-suicide after police say the wife was financially abused by an online scammer posing as Magnum star Tom Selleck
An online scammer posing as Magnum actor Tom Selleck is at the centre of a police investigation after an elderly couple were found dead. They were found in an apparent murder-suicide, months after the wife sent the fraudster tens of thousands of dollars.
Donald Whitaker, an 80-year-old retired dentist, and his wife Karen, 79, were discovered with traumatic injuries at their Bermuda Dunes property on May 15 in California, USA. Deputies were reportedly called just before midnight to carry out a welfare check.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office in California has not said who it believes was responsible. Nevertheless, they said: “At this time, the Riverside Sheriff’s homicide investigators continue to investigate and exhaust all leads in this homicide.
“The evidence available suggests this was a murder-suicide. Homicide investigators are still actively investigating the incident and will complete a thorough investigation before releasing a final disposition.”
They reportedly added it would not comment further while inquiries continue, the Daily Mail reported. Police reportedly confirmed Karen had “fallen victim to financial elder abuse” but stressed: “Currently, there is no evidence to indicate that the unknown suspect(s) who were involved in the financial abuse are directly involved in the couple’s death.”
A friend, Joy Miedecke, told KTLA the contact began after Karen posted on Facebook about a friend who had died, when an unknown person started talking to her and built trust using details visible on her profile. Miedecke said the person then claimed to be Tom Selleck and first asked for $80 [£60] so Karen could be first in line to meet him at a bogus desert event, before escalating from small gift-card requests to hundreds, then thousands of dollars.
Despite efforts by Miedecke, the couple’s adult children and visits from adult protective services, Karen continued messaging the scammer. Miedecke said: “She was living and breathing this part of her life, and they were constantly texting her.
“Every single day. Text after text.
“And people around her started noticing.” Karen was also in the early stages of dementia, her family said.
Miedecke added: “She would not believe it. She thought it was really Tom Selleck.”
After Donald and the family discovered what was happening, Karen was cut off from her accounts, but Miedecke said she kept finding ways to send money. Miedecke shared: “She still found ways to get money and send it to the scammer.
“We’re talking at least $30,000 [£22,3000], if not more. We don’t know the final total.”
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