Missing mom presumed dead, live-in BF among persons of interest after he cleaned apartment with bleach
CLAYTON COUNTY, GEORGIA: Georgian police stated on Friday, April 26, that they believed a mother who had been reported missing several weeks ago is dead. The police have identified the father of the woman’s child and his wife as persons of interest.
The Clayton County Police Department stated that on April 1, Briana Winston's family reported her missing.
When the family visited her apartment, they discovered that her live-in boyfriend and the father of her 4-year-old child, Michale Edwards, had thoroughly cleaned it, according to the police.
Missing Briana Winston's case investigated as homicide
A family member claimed that the apartment smelled of bleach, as reported by Atlanta Fox affiliate WAGA. Additionally, her family found out that on March 17, she failed to show up for work.
She "vanished" early on March 17 and according to police, was the "victim of a crime that left her incapacitated in some way". Winston was last seen near the Garden Wood Apartments in College Park, Georgia, said police.
“To date, Briana Winston has not been located but all points of evidence indicate that she is deceased and detectives will proceed with the case as a homicide investigation,” Clayton police stated.
Michale Edwards and his wife are persons of interest
Authorities say Michale Edwards and his wife, Brienna Phillips-Edwards, have been considered as the persons of interest.
According to records, Edwards is being held at the Clayton County Jail on an unrelated charge of aggravated stalking. Phillips-Edwards was arrested for giving false statements, but was later released on bond.
It is unclear whether the false statements were in regard to Winston's disappearance.
According to Briana's family, her relationship with Edwards was "rocky." Her grandmother, Ann Thomas just wants to know what happened to her.
The family has been distributing flyers for weeks in the hope of getting a favorable result.
“I just don’t see how it could happen to a beautiful young woman who is trying to do everything by herself,” Ann Thomas told the outlet.
“She was real sweet, loving, adorable, really attentive, loved her baby to the death.”
Anyone with information about Briana Winston's disappearance can call the Clayton County Police Department at 770-477-3747.