Living With a Serial Killer: What happened to American serial killer Edward Wayne Edwards?

Edward Wayne Edwards was a convicted serial killer who died of natural causes while on death row in 2011. He confessed to killing five people between the late 70s and 90s and his conviction came after decades in 2009 when his daughter, following her suspicions, researched the 1980 cold case of two teens in Watertown, Wisconsin, linking it to her father.

April Balascio, a mother-of-three and the daughter of the infamous serial killer, tipped off authorities, claiming that her father, Ed Edwards, might have been behind the Watertown cold case and several other unsolved cases. Later, a DNA match proved her right. He was arrested weeks later, following which came the confessions of three more murders, including that of his foster son.

Over the years, Edward Wayne Edwards' story has become a breeding ground for numerous theories, some even connecting him to the notorious Zodiac Killer. The serial killer in question has previously been the subject of podcasts and shows, and will become the topic of discussion for Living With a Serial Killer's upcoming Saturday episode, set to air on August 20, 2022, at 9 pm ET.

Read more to learn more about one of America's most active serial killers, Edward Wayne Edwards.

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Exploring serial killer Edward Wayne Edwards' backstory

According to sources, prolific serial killer Edward Wayne Edwards had a difficult past, starting at the age of two when he saw his mother die by suicide, claimed his daughter April Balascio. He spent his formative years at an orphanage where he claimed to have been tormented, was dishonorably removed from the Army, and finally became involved in criminal activities.

He allegedly spent time in prison for arson and robberies, broke out of prison at least twice, and made it to the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list in 1961. However, by the time he met Kay, Balascio's mother, he claimed to have entirely changed his ways. Nobody suspected he wasn't telling the truth and was, in fact, a dangerous murderer.

Edwards, who was both charismatic and shrewd, capitalized on his criminal past to achieve widespread popularity by touring universities and churches as an inspirational speaker and penning the best-selling book, Metamorphosis of a Criminal. In 1972, he even made an appearance on To Tell the Truth, a game show. He was a devoted father and husband to his wife and five children and worked as a handyman, fixing up and selling houses.

In an exclusive interview, daughter April reportedly spoke of her father's charming and "well-liked" persona:

"When he was young, [my dad was] very good-looking, charming, a ladies’ man, very well-liked. People in the community liked him, which always bothered me because he was saying one thing and doing another...He was either extremely loving and kind or he was extremely abusive, verbally and physically."

It was only recently revealed that Edward Wayne Edwards had another son from his first wife, Jeannette, who left the criminal while he was serving time in prison for theft. She later named the child Wayne and married Chuck Wolfe afterwards. The grandson, Wayne Wolfe, came forward after making the life-changing discovery and was the one to break the news to his father.

While talking about how the revelation changed his life, Wayne Wolfe reportedly said,

"In LA, where I lived, as soon as people found out that my grandfather was potentially the Zodiac Killer and was a serial killer, everyone wanted to talk to me."

Wayne added,

"I became the best ice-breaker at parties. But people who didn’t know me made judgements. Some were creeped out by me. On dating apps, when I tell people they either swipe left or they are more interested in that than they are me."

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After the 2009 arrest, a number of unsolved murders and cold cases finally started to make sense as they were linked to Edward Wayne Edwards' killing spree. He confessed to five murders and allegedly claimed there were more under his belt, said former Colorado detective John A. Cameron. Unfortunately, he died before being able to disclose more about the matter.

As previously stated, watch Living With a Serial Killer on Oxygen this Saturday, August 20, 2022, at 9 pm ET for an in-depth narrative of Edward Wayne Edwards' murderous spree.