U.S. Marshals, FBI offer up to $15K for man wanted in murder
The U.S. Marshals and FBI are offering up to a $15,000 reward for information regarding a Harvey, Illinois man charged with killing his Gary girlfriend near their five young kids.
Samuel Carlos Edwards, 37, was charged Jan. 13 with murder in the Dec. 27, 2022 death of Ieisha Jefferson, 31, of Gary.
Detective William Poe of the Lake County Metro Homicide Unit wrote that Gary Police responded early on Dec. 27 to the 3800 block of Adams Street where they found a woman fatally shot in the head lying against a sofa, an affidavit states.
A Gary Police officer found the door unlocked with five children aged 6 and under inside. Edwards handed the children Jefferson’s phone, herded them into a bedroom and closed the door, according to the affidavit. The child heard arguing before a gunshot.
Jefferson had her right arm over her face, as if trying to defend herself. Three live, .38-caliber bullets were found nearby. Lake County Forensic Pathologist Dr. Zhuo Wang concluded she died from a single gunshot wound to the head.
A man named “Carlos” — possibly Edwards — called 911 asking for paramedics. His voice was “emotional” or “upset.”
He “wasn’t even there” and didn’t “know what happened,” adding he heard “some shots.” The dispatch asked again what happened and if he needed paramedics. The call went silent for 8 seconds then the caller hung up.
Detectives subpoenaed the cellphone of the 911 caller, which pinged at the Adams Street address at the time of the shooting. A witness told investigators Edwards and Jefferson had dated on-and-off for six years with five children. They moved to Gary the year before. He was “very abusive.”
Before her death, Jefferson planned to leave Edwards and move to Mattoon, Illinois.
Edwards is Black with a medium complexion, short hair and a thick beard. He is 5’ 10” and weighs 230 pounds. He has moles near both eyes and between them. He could be in Harvey, Chicago, or Northwest Indiana.
Anyone with information can call the U.S. Marshals at 1-877-926-8332 or message the agency’s tip app. They can also call the FBI at 1-800-225-05324.