Posted: Feb 2, 2012 10:12 PM by Angela Douglas (Billings)
Updated: Feb 27, 2012 10:56 AM
It's unimaginable for most people, but the deaths of two daughters is all too real for one Billings family.
Daisy Edwards, 21, and Rose Edwards, 22, were found stabbed to death in their home on Sunday.
Their alleged killer, Andrew Denning, 20, now faces two charges of deliberate homicide.
The victims' father, Zeb Edwards, says his family will never recover.
He said, "Rose was the kindest hearted girl you'd ever meet. If she thought you needed help, she would do anything to help. She was kind-hearted, trusting and innocent. Daisy, my baby, was the most incredible artist I ever knew, so incredibly talented. Innocent and trusting too."
Court documents shed some light on the events leading up to the murders of Rose and Daisy.
Just days before the double homicide, Denning was checked in to the psychiatric center at a Billings hospital.
According to court documents, Denning was released from the psychiatric center at Billings Clinic on Wednesday.
The Edwards sisters were brutally murdered in the early hours of Friday morning.
The documents say Denning had prescriptions for the drug Ambien and another prescription drug, possibly Depakote.
Billings physician Brad Fuller explained, "Ambien is a medicine, the generic name is called Zolpidem, it's a very good medicine for sleeping aid. Depakote is also called valproic acid, it's a medicine that is sometimes used for seizures, it's a medicine that is sometimes used for mood stabilizers. For example, people that might have an underlying illness such as bi-polar, or such as real extreme irritability or difficulty to control their moods."
At this point, the Yellowstone County Attorney's Office has not contacted Billings Clinic, so the hospital is not directly involved with the investigation.
Prior to talking with the hospital, there is a formal process the county attorney's office must go through due to various regulations.
County Attorney Scott Twito says at some point they will likely be in contact with Billings Clinic.
Twito says the case is very important to their office and they continue to follow-up on leads.
"A double homicide case is very, very unusual and very rare in our community," said Twito. "We will be very thorough in our investigation.
(February 1) Andrew Scott Denning of Billings, charged with two counts of deliberate homicide in the deaths of two women, reportedly told his girlfriend that he killed them.
Police have identified Rose Edwards, 22, and Daisy Edwards, 21, as the victims of the double-homicide.
According to Lieutenant Kevin Iffland, the Edwards sisters were killed at the Ponderosa Acres Apartment Complex early Sunday morning. Both women lived in Billings, but only one of them lived at the apartment.
Denning, 20 years old, was arrested early Monday morning in connection with the murders; he is set to make his initial appearance in Justice Court on Wednesday afternoon.
Details surrounding the deaths have not been released, but the crime scene has been described by police as "heinous."
In order to keep Denning in custody without bond until his initial appearance, Yellowstone County Deputy County Attorney Juli Pierce submitted the following affidavit of probable cause:
"According to reports and interviews, on January 29, 2012, Billings Police Officers responded to the Ponderosa Apartment complex located at 1301 Industrial Avenue in Billings, Yellowstone County, Montana, for a welfare check. Officers had been notified that no one had heard from two adult females since January 26, 2012. One of the adult females lived at apartment #113 in the apartment complex.
Officers were unable to get anyone to open the door at the apartment so the manager let them into the apartment. Officers immediately observed two bodies in the living room of the apartment. It was later determined both females were deceased.
Police investigation led detectives to the Defendant, Andrew Scott Denning. The Defendant admitted to being in the victim's apartment in the early morning hours of January 27, 2012.
Detectives learned from the Defendant's girlfriend that the Defendant admitted to killing both women victims at the apartment at 1301 Industrial Avenue. When confronted with this information, the Defendant told officers to book him."
A fund for the Edwards family has been set up at U.S. Bank; donations will be accepted at all branches. A friend close to the family says the Edwards' have limited funds and will likely have a difficult time affording the funerals.
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