MY PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH A KILLER: JAMES EDWARDS

In my town of Shaler, a small community north of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, not much even happens. However, that changed in 2013 when James Edwards attempted to kill his entire family. I actually knew the man. I did not know him well, but James Edwards was an electrician who did jobs with my stepfather. When my step father died in October of 2012, James came to the funeral home and even met me at my mom's house to go through some of my step father's old tools. He was over my mom's house in the spring of 2013. Later that year is when the tragedy happened.

On the morning of August 22, 2013, the peaceful neighborhood of Winterset Drive in Shaler Township, Pennsylvania, woke to a nightmare. Police cars lined the street, crime scene tape fluttered in the summer breeze, and neighbors whispered in disbelief. Inside one of those homes, a family had been shattered by an act of unimaginable violence.

James Edwards, 52, an electrician at Pittsburgh International Airport, had always seemed like an ordinary man to those who knew him. But in the early hours of that Thursday, something snapped. Armed with two .44-caliber revolvers, Edwards moved from room to room in his home, shooting his wife, Charlene, his 21-year-old son Jimmy, and his 19-year-old daughter Laurin. Laurin, a bright college student at Saint Francis University who had just celebrated her birthday, didn’t survive. The family dog was also killed. After the rampage, James turned the gun on himself. 

Charlene and Jimmy were critically wounded but miraculously survived. Charlene, a nurse, and Jimmy, a pharmacy student at Duquesne University, faced long recoveries—both physical and emotional. In the aftermath, their resilience became a beacon of hope. Jimmy, despite enduring multiple gunshot wounds, publicly forgave his father, calling it an act of faith and strength.

Investigators searched for answers. Why would a father annihilate his own family? There were no letters, no clear signs of domestic turmoil. But troubling details emerged: Edwards had been suspended from his job and was reportedly facing termination amid allegations of workplace misconduct. Friends described him as erratic, financially strained, and under immense stress. Still, no one imagined this outcome. “He seemed fine,” a neighbor recalled, stunned by the suddenness of the tragedy. 

The community rallied around the survivors. Vigils were held, prayers offered, and donations poured in to help with medical bills and funeral costs. Laurin’s funeral mass drew nearly 200 mourners, all remembering her as “sweet, innocent, and compassionate.” Her mother and brother attended, their presence a testament to perseverance in the face of heartbreak. 

Today, the Edwards case remains a haunting reminder of how quickly life can unravel—and how strength and forgiveness can emerge from even the darkest moments...