CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — A missing person's case took a gruesome turn as a Clayton County woman's remains were found in Tennessee following her disappearance last month.
Clayton County Police made the announcement on Monday that Briana Winston's live-in boyfriend and father of her child -- who was a person of interest in the case -- is now facing murder and other charges.
"We tirelessly worked to figure out exactly what happened to Briana. The investigation led us to Tennessee, where we were able to get some answers. It left us some happiness but a lot of sorrow for Briana," said Lt. Ashanti Marbury with the Major Felony Unit at Clayton County Police. "It was not a crime that was committed in the heat of passion. There was malice. There was some intent there."
Marbury said it appears Winston's live-in boyfriend, Michale Edwards, choked her to death on March 17 before putting her body in a suitcase and burning it in the Tennessee woods with the help of another person.
Major Frank Thomas said the investigation took over 1,100 man-hours, over 20 search warrants, and K-9 cadaver dogs. He added that authorities used bank records, social media sites, and interviews as evidence in the case.
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Loved ones reported Winston missing on April 1 after learning her apartment had been cleared out, allegedly by Edwards. Her family had not heard from Winston since March 16. Clayton County Police then called her disappearance suspicious on April 27, where they named Edwards and Brienna Phillips-Edwards, his wife, as persons of interest in the case.
On Monday, May 6, the investigation moved to Tennessee and police began a search along a stretch of I-40 for Winston's remains. They eventually traveled to Gates, Tennessee, where police met a man who they believed would be able to give them some more information about Winston's last moments. The man, who is now immune from some charges for his alleged role in her death, told police that he helped Michale Edwards burn Winston's body and hide some of her skeletal remains.
He also told police that Winston and Michale Edwards got into an argument after she learned of his infidelity, leading to the deadly incident.
"The option was to walk away. You have the option to walk away from arguments," Marbury added.
Police said the man told them Michale Edwards took some of Winston's remains and dumped them on the side of the highway, and he took the rest of her remains in a burn barrel and dumped them behind a Tennessee church in a cemetery.
Authorities issued an arrest warrant for Michale Edwards' wife, Brienna Phillips-Edwards, for allegedly providing him with a car to get to Tennessee to destroy Winston's body and knowing something about the incident. It's unclear how much the wife knew. Several other family members were also charged with their involvement in tampering with evidence after he told his wife in a jail call and others to destroy some items connected to the case, such as Edward's mother, Ebony Anderson, and his brother Keilan Wright.
Michale Edwards and Brienna Phillips-Edwards were secretly married in January, Lt. Marbury said at the news conference.
"It turned into a family affair. He definitely looped everyone into this crime," said Lt. Marbury.
She also explained a previous aggravated stalking charge for Michale Edwards, where he was in violation of a stay-away order from a domestic violence incident with Winston.
Thomas concluded the news conference by thanking the family for helping authorities with the investigation.
"In closing, I do want to say we are surrounded with family members here only because without them we wouldn't have gotten to where we were in some parts of this investigation," he said. "They filled in those gaps for somebody who wasn't around, showing what their day-to-day routine was. We were able to tell when it stopped. So they were very crucial with it and we really appreciate their support and being able to close this case for them."
Family members previously described Winston as a mother who loved her daughter.
"Briana was a very sweet person. Outgoing, nice. She loved her little girl to death. She loved our family. We just miss Briana," Jasmine Walker, Winston's cousin, previously said.
The family didn't speak at the media briefing but told 11Alive's Tresia Bowles, off camera, that this brings them closure.
Michale Edwards now faces at least six felony charges, including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and tampering with evidence. He is currently in custody at the Clayton County jail, according to records.
Edwards and his wife have an upcoming court date on June 5 at 8:30 a.m.
