An 80-year-old man and his 79-year-old wife were found dead in an apparent murder-suicide after the woman allegedly sent thousands of dollars to an online scammer she believed was actor Tom Selleck.
According to reports, authorities went to the home of Donald Whitaker and Karen Whitaker on May 15 to conduct a welfare check and discovered both deceased.
Officials later launched an investigation into the deaths.
Woman Allegedly Communicated With Online Scammer
Family friend Joy Miedecke said someone began contacting Karen Whitaker through Facebook months before the deaths.
According to reports, the person gained her trust and falsely claimed to be actor Tom Selleck.
Miedecke said the scammer first asked Karen to send a small amount of money to supposedly receive priority access to an event hosted by the actor.
Over time, the requests reportedly became larger, and Karen Whitaker allegedly continued sending money despite warnings from friends and family.
Family Tried to Stop the Payments
According to reports, Karen Whitaker sent at least $30,000 to the scammer.
Friends and relatives reportedly tried several times to convince her that she was being deceived.
Miedecke said even someone connected to an individual who worked with Tom Selleck personally tried to explain that the actor was not involved.
Despite those efforts, Karen reportedly continued believing the scammer was real.
Adult Protective Services Became Involved
Reports state that Donald Whitaker eventually destroyed Karen’s credit card, while family members restricted her access to financial accounts after learning about the payments.
According to reports, Adult Protective Services also became involved and visited the couple’s home several times before their deaths.
Authorities have not publicly explained the exact circumstances surrounding the deaths, but investigators reportedly do not believe the alleged scammer was directly involved.
Investigation Remains Ongoing
The causes of death for Donald Whitaker and Karen Whitaker have not yet been released.
Reports indicate that a homicide unit is leading the investigation.
