Pickens County homicide investigation concludes

Pickens County Sheriff’s Office has finished its investigation into the deaths of two children and their mother after their bodies were found in a parked Jeep at the Greenville-Pickens Speedway.  The July 13 incident was the tragic end of events that started hours earlier with the investigation of the death of a second woman who was found in a Greenville parking garage.  Detectives say Jessica Edens, mother of children 5 and 9, went into her parents’ home the day before and stole a .40-calibre handgun while the parents were out of town.  The gun was legally owned by the parents and is believed to be the same used in the murder of Meredith Rahme in Greenville and the following murder/suicide in the shooter’s Jeep Patriot in Pickens County.  The Sheriff’s Office reviewed phone records that confirmed Edens became distraught after a Family Court proceeding held the same week.  Text messages and other written content indicated Edens made a plan that she felt would cause what the Sheriff’s Office called everlasting consequences for her husband Benjamin Edens.  The investigation confirmed Mrs. Edens drove her vehicle to the speedway from the parking garage moments after Rahme was killed.  Based on a phone call by Mrs. Edens to her husband, along with other evidence, it’s believed the children were shot in the back cargo area of the SUV.  There were no signs of a struggle.  Deputies say they believe the children were shot before Mrs. Edens placed what would be her final call to her husband, and she then took her life in the back seat.