Michale Edwards was arrested for first-degree murder

Article

Michael Edwards (Clayton County Sheriff’s Office)

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. – The man named as a person of interest in the death of Briana Winston has been arrested on a charge of first-degree murder.

Michale Edwards was booked into the Clayton County Jail on Thursday. He also faces a serious stalking charge.

Clayton County police will hold a news conference Monday to provide more details about the arrest, but confirmed that a warrant has been issued for Edwards’ arrest on a first-degree murder charge.

Briana Winston (Photo provided by family)

Winston, 23, was reported missing in early April. During the course of the search, investigators collected evidence that Winston was murdered.

Winston’s cousin, Jasmine Walker, said the family learned from a friend that Winston was last seen walking back to the apartment. She shared this apartment with Michale Edwards, her child’s father and boyfriend.

After not hearing from Winston for a while, her cousin asked the apartment complex to do a welfare check on her. Family members said the apartment smelled of bleach, as if it had been cleaned.

Walker reported her cousin missing to Clayton County police on April 1, but the family did not receive news of her death until April 26.

Police named Edwards and his wife, Brienna Phillips-Edwards, as persons of interest in the case. The relationship between the three is not fully known.

Michale Edwards and Brienna Phillips Edwards (Clayton County Police Department)

Phillips-Edwards was arrested for making false statements but was later released on bail. When asked whether the false statements related to Winston’s disappearance, police said they could not confirm that information.

Edwards remains in the Clayton County Jail without bail as of Friday evening.