A Coachella Valley lady discovered slain alongside her husband final week might have been scammed not too long ago, and for an prolonged time frame, by an individual claiming to be actor Tom Selleck, in response to media reviews.
Donald Whitaker, 80, and his 79-year-old spouse, Karen Whitaker, had been found by Riverside County sheriff’s deputies round midday Friday of their dwelling. A neighbor had referred to as in a wellness test.
Authorities discovered the couple affected by traumatic accidents. The Whitakers had been declared lifeless on the scene. Sheriff’s murder investigators are wanting into the case.
The couple had been residing within the unique unincorporated golf group of Bermuda Dunes, simply east of Palm Desert.
Riverside County officers mentioned there have been no updates on the energetic investigation. It’s not clear if the alleged rip-off had any connection to the deaths of the couple.
Coachella Valley ABC affiliate KESQ reported that household good friend Pleasure Miedecke had mentioned a mysterious individual claiming to be Selleck, the longtime actor most not too long ago seen in CBS police drama “Blue Bloods,” had reached out to Karen Whitaker.
Pleasure Miedecke, president of the East Valley Republican Girls Patriots, advised an area information station {that a} mysterious individual claiming to be Tom Selleck was scamming her good friend.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Occasions)
Karen had made a memorial put up a couple of faculty good friend on Fb. Shortly after, the fraudulent Selleck texted Whitaker, in response to Miedecke, membership president of the East Valley Republican Girls Patriots, the place the trio turned buddies.
“They discovered her telephone quantity, they usually textual content messaged her, they usually mentioned they had been Tom Selleck,” Miedecke advised KESQ. “And that they knew this woman and had dated her — ‘and now we now have one thing in widespread.’ And that began the entire thing.”
A name to a quantity listed for Miedecke was not instantly returned.
Whitaker started to ship cash via reward playing cards, with increments starting at $80 however progressing to bigger quantities akin to $800, in response to Miedecke.
Miedecke alerted authorities to the potential of fraud, she mentioned. Ultimately, even the Whitakers’ members of the family destroyed bank cards and took away her entry to her financial institution accounts.
“We even had someone who had a relationship with someone that works for Tom Selleck go and discuss to her and say, ‘Tom Selleck doesn’t do that,’” Miedecke advised KESQ. “It didn’t matter. She couldn’t cease believing it.”
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Division didn’t touch upon the claims.
