Coachella Valley Couple Found Dead

Donald Whitaker, aged 80, and his 79-year-old wife, Karen Whitaker, were found deceased in their home in the exclusive unincorporated golf community of Bermuda Dunes. Riverside County sheriff’s deputies discovered them around noon Friday after a neighbor requested a wellness check. Both suffered traumatic injuries and were declared dead on the scene.

Investigation Underway

Sheriff’s homicide investigators are probing the case with no updates available on the investigation yet. There is no indication if a possible scam involving a person impersonating actor Tom Selleck is linked to their deaths.

Possible Scam Involving Tom Selleck Impersonator

According to media reports, a person claiming to be Tom Selleck scammed Karen Whitaker over an extended period. The couple’s friend, Joy Miedecke, indicated that the impersonator contacted Karen Whitaker following a Facebook memorial post. The scammer allegedly texted Whitaker claiming connections to a school friend and started a correspondence under this false pretense.

“They found her phone number, and they text messaged her, and they said they were Tom Selleck, and that they knew this girl and had dated her — ‘and now we have something in common.’ And that started the whole thing,” Miedecke told KESQ.

Financial Fraud Alert

Karen Whitaker began sending money to the scammer in the form of gift cards, starting at $80 and increasing to $800 increments. Miedecke reported the fraud to authorities, and the couple’s family intervened by destroying credit cards and restricting her access to bank accounts.

Miedecke mentioned that a contact with ties to Tom Selleck attempted to convince Whitaker of the scam’s fraudulence, but she remained convinced of the imposter’s authenticity.