Could a daughter ever truly know the darkness that dwelled within her own father? For April Balascio, the answer is a harrowing, undeniable yes. Her father, Edward Wayne Edwards, was a serial killer, and her life, from childhood, was shaped by his monstrous secret.
The shadow of Edward Wayne Edwards loomed large over April's upbringing. Born into a world of shifting landscapes and hushed secrets, she became accustomed to abrupt moves, the kind that often happened in the dead of night. These weren't ordinary family relocations; they were orchestrated escapes, driven by the dark deeds of a man living a double life. April's world was one of fear and unpredictability.
From a young age, April and her siblings endured a childhood marked by domestic abuse. The source of their fear was Edward, a man prone to sudden and violent outbursts, which targeted April's mother, Kay, and their four children. The smallest infractions a misplaced object, a poorly cooked meal could trigger a torrent of rage. This pattern of abuse was a constant, a chilling backdrop to their everyday lives.
In 2009, April, along with her siblings, gathered to confront the ghosts of their past. They recounted a childhood punctuated by upheaval, a pattern of moving that began after troubling events. The realization of her father's true nature was a slow burn, a culmination of scattered clues and whispered suspicions.
One particularly unsettling memory stood out. In 1980, when April was just 11 years old, Edward abruptly roused the household in Watertown, Wisconsin, ordering everyone to pack. This impulsive action, a hallmark of his attempts to evade detection, left an indelible mark on April's psyche, and shaped the journey of her childhood.
Years later, in the relative calm of her Jefferson, Ohio home, while her husband and teenage children slept, April found herself awake, haunted by the ghosts of her past. She began meticulously cataloging the towns shed lived in as a child, a journey that would lead her down a path of dark discovery. That journey would take her to the core of her family, the truth of her father. It was the discovery of the truth about her father that pushed her to seek out the truth.
The turning point came in 2009. April, surfing the web, as she often did, searching for cold cases in the towns her family had once called home. One evening, she stumbled upon the investigation into the Sweetheart Murders, a notorious unsolved case. Suddenly, buried memories of her father's dark history resurfaced, and April knew she could no longer remain silent. She recognized the darkness that would grip her for life.
The revelation of her father's involvement in the Sweetheart Murders was a catalyst. It prompted her to confront the long-held suspicions she harbored. The frequent moves, the newspaper articles on murder cases Edward collected, his volatile temper all the pieces began to coalesce, forming a horrifying portrait of a man who lived a life of lies. This led her to take action, to seek justice, and to share her story.
April Balascio's story is not just about the crimes of her father; it's a story of survival, of the enduring strength of the human spirit. Her memoir, "Raised by a Serial Killer," offers a chilling glimpse into the mind of a man who was both father and monster and her life after discovering the dark truth.
Her memoir, "Raised by a Serial Killer," published by Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster, with author photo by Jonathan Easterling, is a testament to her courage. It promises to be an unputdownable read, a narrative that will immerse readers. It is a survival story, a journey of putting the pieces together about her father. She has to take the decision to tip off the police, after living a life full of violence and suffering.
| Bio Data | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | April Balascio |
| Known For | Daughter of Serial Killer Edward Wayne Edwards; author of "Raised by a Serial Killer" |
| Relationship to Edward Wayne Edwards | Daughter |
| Childhood environment | Frequent moves due to her father's activities, domestic abuse |
| Memoir Title | "Raised by a Serial Killer: Discovering the Truth About My Father" |
| Key Events | Discovery of her father's criminal past, sharing her story, helping law enforcement |
| Current Residence | Jefferson, Ohio (at the time of key events) |
| Role in Edward's Case | Tipped off police about his possible involvement. |
| Key Relationships | Mother (Kay), siblings, husband, and children. |
| Book Publisher | Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster |
| Additional Information | Explores themes of abuse, survival, and the complexities of family relationships. |
| Reference | Simon & Schuster |
It is a story of how one woman confronted the evil that was lurking within her own family. It is a testament to her resilience and courage.
Edward Wayne Edwards's life was marked by violence and deception, and the people in his life were collateral damage. His crimes began in the late 1950s and continued until the early 2000s, when he was finally arrested. The man was the prime suspect in more than 100 crimes across the United States.
One of his victims was Dannie Law Gloeckner, an adopted brother. He took Dannie Gloeckner, which was known as "Danny boy" from the Edwards family.
April Balascio has been a part of several interviews. In the interviews, she has talked about the upbringing with Edward Wayne Edwards and how she discovered the truth. In these interviews, she shared how her father was a bad person, and she made the difficult decision to share the details with the authorities.
Edwards maintained a facade of normalcy. He was a handyman, a seemingly ordinary man. However, behind the mask, he was a predator, preying on the innocent and leaving a trail of shattered lives. His life, to April, was a puzzle.
April Balascio's memoir, adapted from Harperelement, is a testament to resilience. The book highlights her journey of discovering the truth about her father and his crimes. It goes on to say that April and her siblings were also the victims of domestic violence and abuse from their father.
It was 2009 when April and her four siblings sat down to discuss their childhood, and what was the core reason for their moving. It was then, that they remembered the strange patterns of moving in the middle of the night, often after a troubling event. This memory was a turning point.
The decision to write the memoir, "Raised by a Serial Killer: Discovering the Truth About My Father," marked a pivotal moment in April's life. It was a way for her to process her trauma, to expose the truth, and to honor the victims of her father's crimes. This act was a form of justice.
