Raised by a Serial Killer: Discovering the Truth About My Father

April Balascio spent her childhood moving frequently across the United States, living under the control of a volatile father, Edward Wayne Edwards. Decades later, she connected her memories of his behavior and proximity to local crime scenes to cold cases involving disappearances and murders. This account details her decision to contact authorities, which led to her father’s 2009 arrest and subsequent confession to five killings. Balascio recounts the police investigations into the 1977 and 1980 double homicides and explains how DNA evidence eventually confirmed her suspicions.

True crime enthusiasts and readers interested in the psychology of family secrets will find this narrative focuses on the perspective of a whistleblower. The book provides a look at how a child recognizes behavioral red flags and the specific steps required to navigate a criminal investigation against a parent. Readers finish the text with an understanding of the long-term impact of forensic genetic genealogy and the personal burden of bringing a serial offender to justice after years of anonymity.