Post by Tomspy77 on Sept 28, 2014 23:49:10 GMT -6
'Werewolf-like' cosplay enthusiast questioned in fugitive case
The Ohio man at the center of a recent large-scale manhunt and accused of fleeing with a 14-year-old girl portrays himself online to be a werewolf-like creature who recruits young women to be members of his “slayer covenant.”
The question is whether Mark Edwards — now facing charges in two separate cases of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, interference with custody, fleeing and eluding and violating a protection order — was using the group as a way to groom young victims, or was simply taking part in an increasingly popular hobby.
“Certainly they were acting out a fantasy,” Clark County Sheriff Gene Kelly said about videos posted online nearly two years ago of Edwards, the 14-year-old girl and other women role-playing sword fights in costume.
“The guy made himself out to be a warrior,” Kelly said. “His attempt by posting these videos on YouTube was to reach a larger audience. He wanted to publicize his alter ego.”
But at this point in the investigation nothing indicates that any other minors have been victimized, Kelly said. Some of the women in the videos appear to be adults, and there are no sexual acts depicted. In one photo the teen girl can be seen sitting on Edward’s lap.
The question is whether Mark Edwards — now facing charges in two separate cases of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, interference with custody, fleeing and eluding and violating a protection order — was using the group as a way to groom young victims, or was simply taking part in an increasingly popular hobby.
“Certainly they were acting out a fantasy,” Clark County Sheriff Gene Kelly said about videos posted online nearly two years ago of Edwards, the 14-year-old girl and other women role-playing sword fights in costume.
“The guy made himself out to be a warrior,” Kelly said. “His attempt by posting these videos on YouTube was to reach a larger audience. He wanted to publicize his alter ego.”
But at this point in the investigation nothing indicates that any other minors have been victimized, Kelly said. Some of the women in the videos appear to be adults, and there are no sexual acts depicted. In one photo the teen girl can be seen sitting on Edward’s lap.