A Coachella Valley girl discovered slain alongside her husband final week could have been scammed just lately, and for an prolonged time frame, by an individual claiming to be actor Tom Selleck, based on media stories.
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 residence. A neighbor had known 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 lively 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 pal Pleasure Miedecke had mentioned a mysterious particular person claiming to be Selleck, the longtime actor most just lately seen in CBS police drama “Blue Bloods,” had reached out to Karen Whitaker.
Pleasure Miedecke, president of the East Valley Republican Girls Patriots, advised a neighborhood information station {that a} mysterious particular person claiming to be Tom Selleck was scamming her pal.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Occasions)
Karen had made a memorial publish a couple of faculty pal on Fb. Shortly after, the fraudulent Selleck texted Whitaker, based on Miedecke, membership president of the East Valley Republican Girls Patriots, the place the trio grew to become associates.
“They discovered her telephone quantity, and so they textual content messaged her, and so they mentioned they had been Tom Selleck,” Miedecke advised KESQ. “And that they knew this lady and had dated her — ‘and now now we 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 by present playing cards, with increments starting at $80 however progressing to bigger quantities reminiscent of $800, based on Miedecke.
Miedecke alerted authorities to the potential of fraud, she mentioned. Finally, even the Whitakers’ members of the family destroyed bank cards and took away her entry to her financial institution accounts.
“We even had any individual who had a relationship with any individual 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.
