{"id":251,"date":"2026-05-21T04:05:19","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T04:05:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sanfranciscomovingguide.com\/?p=251"},"modified":"2026-05-21T04:05:19","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T04:05:19","slug":"california-country-club-double-homicide-may-be-linked-to-tom-selleck-imposter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sanfranciscomovingguide.com\/?p=251","title":{"rendered":"California country club double homicide may be linked to Tom Selleck imposter"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A double homicide at a gated desert country club near Palm Springs has taken an unusual turn, with investigators now probing whether the deaths of a retired couple are connected to an elaborate online scam in which the wife allegedly sent thousands of dollars to a\u00a0fraudster posing as Hollywood actor Tom Selleck.<\/p>

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On Friday, May 15, at 11:59 a.m., deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff\u2019s Office responded to a welfare check at a residence on the 79000 block of Montego Bay Drive in Bermuda Dunes, a country club community roughly 20 miles southeast of Palm Springs. Upon arrival, deputies found Donald Whitaker, 80, and his wife Karen Whitaker, 79, inside the home, both \u201csuffering from traumatic injuries,\u201d the sheriff\u2019s office said. Authorities pronounced them dead at the scene.<\/p><\/div>

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In a statement issued the following day, the Riverside County Sheriff\u2019s Central Homicide Unit said only that the case was \u201congoing\u201d and that \u201cno further information will be released at this time.\u201d No arrests have been made, and investigators have not disclosed the cause of death, the nature of the couple\u2019s injuries or whether a suspect is at large.<\/p><\/div>

According to neighbors and friends, Donald and Karen Whitaker had lived at the club full time for about two decades after relocating from Newport Beach, where Donald, who went by Jim, ran a dental practice where Karen also worked,\u00a0KESQ-TV reports.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>

Joy Miedecke, who knew the Whitakers through the East Valley Republican Women Patriots, told the outlet that Karen Whitaker had spent months sending money to a scammer who claimed to be \u201cMagnum, P.I.<\/em>\u201d star Tom Selleck.<\/p><\/div>

According to Miedecke, the contact began after Karen posted a tribute to a deceased school friend on Facebook. Someone found her phone number and sent a text claiming to be Selleck, saying he had known and dated the woman Karen was mourning. \u201cThat started the whole thing,\u201d Miedecke told KESQ-TV.<\/p><\/div>

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The amount of money Karen sent escalated quickly, starting small before growing to hundreds and eventually thousands of dollars, reportedly all sent via untraceable gift cards. \u201cShe was living and breathing this part of her life,\u201d Miedecke said. \u201cThey were constantly texting her every single day, text after text, and people around her started noticing.\u201d<\/p><\/div>

Miedecke said she personally contacted the Riverside County Sheriff\u2019s Office and that Adult Protective Services visited the Whitakers\u2019\u00a0home on multiple occasions. The Whitakers\u2019 family took steps to cut off Karen\u2019s access to funds, canceling cards and removing her from accounts, but she continued to find ways to send money, Miedecke said. Miedecke told KESQ-TV that she came forward publicly to warn others.\u00a0<\/p>

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\u201cI want people to understand that this isn\u2019t just a scam and somebody lost all their money,\u201d she said.<\/p><\/div>

Authorities have not confirmed any link between the alleged scam and the deaths.<\/p><\/div>

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