Elderly Bermuda Dunes couple found dead after wife allegedly fell for Tom Selleck catfish scam
BERMUDA DUNES, CALIFORNIA: An elderly Bermuda Dunes woman had allegedly been scammed for an extended period by a person claiming to be actor Tom Selleck before she was found slain alongside her husband.
Karen Whitaker, 79, and her 80-year-old husband, Donald Whitaker, were found dead at their residence on Montego Bay Drive in Bermuda Dunes on Friday, May 15, after deputies responded to a welfare check.
The elderly couple was found suffering from ‘traumatic injuries’ and was declared dead at the scene. Investigators have launched a homicide investigation into the case.
Tom Selleck catfish scam targeted Karen Whitaker
Joy Miedecke, who had been a close friend of the Whitakers for more than a decade, suggested that Karen, a volunteer at EVRWP, may have fallen victim to an online scammer posing as actor Tom Selleck.
The exchange between Karen and the fraudster reportedly began after she made a memorial post about a school friend on Facebook. The scammer then started replying to Karen's comments, and the two began a conversation that allegedly developed into a secret relationship, Miedecke told Fox News.
“They found her phone number, and they text messaged her, and they said they were Tom Selleck,” Miedecke told KESQ. “And that they knew this girl and had dated her, ‘and now we have something in common.’ And that started the whole thing.”
Over time, the scammer allegedly began asking for money and consuming most of Karen’s time, with Miedecke suggesting she may have sent hundreds of dollars to the person posing as Tom Selleck.
The amounts reportedly began at $80 but later increased to larger sums such as $800.
“We even had somebody who had a relationship with somebody that works for Tom Selleck go and talk to her and say, ‘Tom Selleck does not do this,’” Miedecke told KESQ. “It didn’t matter. She couldn’t stop believing it.”
Family cut Karen Whitaker’s credit cards amid scam
Over time, Miedecke said she reported the possible elder abuse to Riverside County Adult Protective Services. Eventually, authorities visited the Whitakers' home, which led to Donald learning about the relationship.
"Her husband tried to talk to her. She wouldn't listen. So they cut up all of her [credit] cards," Miedecke said.
Authorities have not established any connection between the alleged scam and the couple’s deaths.
When questioned on Wednesday about the cause of death, possible suspects, and whether investigators were aware of the reported scam and previous complaints made to Adult Protective Services, Lt Deirdre Vickers, spokesperson for the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, declined to comment directly.
“The investigation remains active and ongoing, and no further details are available,” Vickers said in an emailed statement.
