Fear has a funny way of traveling faster than the truth. If you spend any time in local community groups on Facebook, you’ve probably seen it. A grainy mugshot, a frantic caption about "locking your doors," and a name that sounds just familiar enough to be terrifying. Recently, the name Ryan Edward has been circulating as a supposed serial killer on the loose.
But here’s the thing: when you actually dig into the records, the "serial killer Ryan Edward" isn’t exactly who the internet says he is.
The viral posts usually claim that a man named Ryan Edward and a woman named Alice Chapman are "on the run" after killing multiple police officers. They describe a duo preying on the elderly and vandalizing cars. It’s scary stuff. It’s also largely a hoax. This is a classic example of "copypasta" crime—fake alerts that change locations every time they’re shared to keep the panic fresh in different towns.
Who is the real Ryan Edward?
To be clear, there are real people named Ryan Edward (or Ryan Edwards) who have committed serious crimes. However, the "serial killer" label is often a mix-up with other high-profile cases or the result of these social media rumors.
One of the most tragic and real cases involves a man named Ryan Russell Edwards from Georgia. This wasn’t a case of a shadowy figure stalking strangers in the night. It was much closer to home. In 2012, Edwards was watching his 13-month-old child, Mikkah. A 12-year-old sibling witnessed a horrifying scene—Edwards swinging the toddler by the neck.
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The child didn’t survive.
Ryan Russell Edwards was eventually convicted of malice murder and several counts of cruelty to children. He’s currently serving life without parole. While he is a convicted murderer, he doesn't fit the traditional definition of a "serial killer"—someone who kills three or more people over a period of time with a "cooling off" period in between. Using his name for a viral "on the run" post is factually wrong and incredibly disrespectful to the actual victims of his violence.
The confusion with Edward Edwards
A lot of the "serial killer" searches for this name actually stem from a different man: Edward Wayne Edwards.
If you're a true crime fan, you've probably heard this name. He was a real-deal serial killer who was active between 1977 and 1996. He was eventually caught in 2009 after his own daughter, April Balascio, grew suspicious and tipped off the police.
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Edward Edwards was a master of the "double life." He even appeared on the game show To Tell the Truth in 1972, pretending to be a reformed criminal. Behind the scenes, he was responsible for the "Sweetheart Murders" in Wisconsin and the killing of his own foster son for insurance money. Because "Edward" and "Ryan Edward" are so similar, search engines and social media users often mash the two together.
Why the Ryan Edward hoax keeps spreading
Honestly, these fake posts work because they play on our survival instincts. You see "serial killer" and "your town," and you hit share without thinking.
The photos used in the Ryan Edward/Alice Chapman posts are usually real mugshots, but they aren't of the people named in the text. One of the photos often used belongs to a man who has been in prison since 2014—long before these "recent" killings supposedly took place.
Basically, it’s a digital urban legend.
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Then you have Ryan Edwards from Teen Mom OG. He’s had plenty of public legal trouble, mostly involving drug possession and harassment charges. When he gets arrested, his name trends. People who don't follow reality TV see "Ryan Edwards arrested" and "serial killer Ryan Edward" in the same week, and their brains connect dots that aren't there.
Sorting facts from fiction
When you see a post about a dangerous criminal, look for these red flags:
- The "Turn Off Comments" trick: Most hoax posts have comments disabled so people can't point out it's fake.
- Vague locations: It says "here in town" but doesn't name a specific police department.
- Over-the-top drama: Claims of "3 female police officers killed" would be national news, not just a Facebook post.
If you’re looking for the truth about Ryan Edward, the reality is a split path. You have a tragic case of child murder in Georgia, a reality star with a substance abuse battle, and a viral hoax that just won't die.
How to verify crime alerts
- Check official sources: Go directly to the local Police Department or Sheriff’s Office Facebook page. If there’s a killer on the loose, they will be the first to post a legitimate BOL (Be On the Lookout).
- Reverse image search: If you see a mugshot, drop it into Google Lens. You’ll often find the photo belongs to a case from ten years ago in a different country.
- Search the names on reputable news sites: Real serial killers get covered by the AP, BBC, or major local news outlets. If the only place you see the name is a "Buy/Sell/Trade" group, it's fake.
The next time a "Ryan Edward" warning pops up on your feed, take a breath. The internet is a loud place, but the facts are usually much quieter. Stick to verified news and stop the chain of misinformation.