A woman from Coachella Valley may have fallen victim to a scam before her tragic death alongside her husband. Authorities are exploring whether this could relate to their deaths. The couple was found in their Bermuda Dunes home last week, as reported by local media.
Donald Whitaker, 80, and his wife Karen Whitaker, 79, were discovered by the Riverside County sheriff’s deputies around noon last Friday. A concerned neighbor requested a wellness check. Upon arrival, officials found the couple with severe injuries, and they were pronounced dead at the scene. Investigations into the deaths are ongoing.
The Whitakers resided in Bermuda Dunes, an exclusive golf community near Palm Desert. Although the authorities have not linked the potential scam to their deaths, they are investigating all leads. Officials have not released any updates on the investigation.
Reports from KESQ, an ABC affiliate in Coachella Valley, suggest that a scammer may have posed as Tom Selleck, a well-known actor from CBS’s Blue Bloods, to defraud Karen Whitaker. Family friend Joy Miedecke said the impostor reached out to Karen after she posted a memorial for a school friend on Facebook.
Miedecke, also president of the East Valley Republican Women Patriots, explained that the scammer texted Whitaker, claiming to know her school friend and having dated her. This deceitful connection led Karen to send money via gift cards, initially in small amounts but later increasing significantly.
“They found her phone number, and they text messaged her, and they said they were Tom Selleck,” Miedecke explained. “And that they knew this girl and had dated her. ‘And now we have something in common.’ And that started the whole thing.”
Miedecke alerted authorities and family members, who later intervened by destroying credit cards and restricting Karen’s access to bank accounts in an attempt to stop the scam.
Despite efforts, Karen reportedly continued to believe the scam. Miedecke further enlisted a connection with someone associated with Tom Selleck to speak to Karen and confirm it was a scam. Even with these efforts, Karen remained convinced by the deceiver’s claims.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department has not commented on the scam claims. Investigations continue as authorities seek to understand the connection, if any, between the scam and the tragic deaths.
Leave a Reply