Remains Of Missing Ga Woman Found In West Tn, New Details Released In Her Gruesome Death

[Sugar Cookie]

A missing person's case took a gruesome turn as a Clayton County woman's remains were found in Tennessee following her disappearance last month.

Clayton County Police made the announcement that Briana Winston's live-in boyfriend and father of her child -- who was a person of interest in the case -- is now facing murder and other charges.

Lt. Ashanti Marbury with the Major Felony Unit at Clayton County Police. "It was not a crime that was committed in the heat of passion. There was malice. There was some intent there."

Marbury said appears Winston's live-in boyfriend, Michale Edwards, choked her to death on March 17 before putting her body in a suitcase and burning it in the Tennessee woods with the help of another person.

Loved ones reported Winston missing on April 1 after learning her apartment had been cleared out, allegedly Edwards. Her family had not heard from Winston since March 16. Clayton County Police then called her disappearance suspicious on April 27, where they named Edwards and Brienna Phillips-Edwards, his wife, as persons of interest in the case.

On Monday, May 6, police got to Tennessee and began a search along a stretch of I-40 for Winston's remains. They eventually traveled to Gates, Tennessee, where police met a man who they believed would be able to give them some more information about Winston's last moments. The man, who is now immune from some charges for his alleged role in her death, told police that he helped Michale Edwards burn Winston's body and hide some of her skeletal remains.

He also told police that Winston and Michale Edwards got into an argument after she learned of his infidelity, leading to the deadly incident.

"The option wasn't to walk away. You have the option to walk away from arguments," Marbury added.

Police said the man told them Michale Edwards took some of Winston's remains and dumped them on the side of the highway, and he took the rest of her remains in a burn barrel and dumped them behind a Tennessee church in a cemetery.

Authorities issued an arrest warrant for Michale Edwards' wife, Brienna Phillips-Edwards, for allegedly providing him with a car to get to Tennessee to destroy Winston's body and knowing something about the incident. It's unclear how much the wife knew. Several other family members were also charged with their involvement in tampering with evidence after he told his wife in a jail call and others to destroy some items connected to the case.

Michale Edwards and Brienna Phillips-Edwards were secretly married in January, Lt. Marbury said at the news conference.

"It turned into a family affair. He definitely looped everyone into this crime," said Lt. Marbury.

She also explained a previous aggravated stalking charge for Michale Edwards, where he was in violation of a stay-away order from a domestic violence incident with Winston.

Remains of missing Georgia woman found in West Tennessee

Briana Winston's live-in boyfriend and father of her child -- who was a person of interest in the case -- is facing charges.

www.localmemphis.com

 

[cubby]

He got married and still wouldn't leave her alone, he did think he deserved it all and more. But I can't imagine being his wife and helping this asshole murder his ex girlfriend, to me, she. and the rest of this family affair is more WTF than he is.