April Balascio lived a nomadic childhood, moving frequently without warning. It wasn’t until decades later that she discovered the chilling reason behind their abrupt departures: her father, Edward Wayne Edwards, was a serial killer. In her new book, “Raised by a Serial Killer: Discovering the Truth About My Father” she unfolds the harrowing journey of uncovering her father’s gruesome past and turning him into the police.
For April Balascio, moving suddenly in the middle of the night was a routine part of her childhood. Her father, Edward Wayne Edwards, would wake up the family and instruct them to pack their belongings. They would then leave their home, sometimes after living there for just six months. This constant upheaval was difficult for Balascio, who had to constantly make and leave friends due to their frequent relocations.
Behind Edwards’ charismatic persona and party-loving nature lied a dark secret. He was a serial killer who committed horrific crimes, which led to the family’s abrupt departures from their homes. For years, Balascio was oblivious to her father’s true identity until she decided to dig into their past in 2009.
Edwards had a peculiar fascination with crime announcements in local newspapers. Balascio stumbled upon the “Sweetheart Murders” case, which intrigued her father. The case involved high school sweethearts Timothy Hack and Kelly Drew, who disappeared after a wedding reception in 1980. Edwards and his family left Wisconsin shortly after the couple’s bodies were found.
With the case reopened, Balascio reached out to investigators and shared her suspicions about her father’s involvement in the killings. Her hunch proved to be right. Lab tests confirmed that Edwards’ DNA matched the genetic material found at the crime scene.
Upon his arrest in Kentucky, Edwards confessed to five murders. Among his victims were another couple, William “Billy” Lavaco and Judith Straub, whom he killed in 1977 in Ohio. He also confessed to murdering his foster son, Dannie Boy Edwards, in 1996, motivated by a $250,000 life insurance payout.
Despite the chilling revelations about her father’s past, Balascio believes there may be more victims out there. She has submitted her DNA in hopes of solving any cold cases that Edwards might have been involved in. While she lives a more peaceful life now on a farm, the memories of her father’s horrific deeds and the pain he caused still linger.
This shocking tale of discovery and justice serves as a sobering reminder of the hidden darkness that can exist under the guise of normality. Edward Wayne Edwards, a charismatic family man, was adept at hiding his monstrous acts behind a façade of charm and normalcy. His ability to maintain this double life for so long raises troubling questions about how such heinous crimes can go undetected, particularly when the culprit is someone as close as a family member.
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