Request for Investigation into the 1957 Murder of Rosetta “Pie” Westbrook Edwards
My appeal is to the DOJ and the FBI
Our family has waited for 67 years for answers, only to find that Albany Police seem uninterested in investigating my Aunt Rosetta “Pie” Westbrook Edwards’ murder-or in sharing any information with us. This case holds significant implications beyond race; it includes questions of institutional conflicts of interest, questionable investigative practices, and a disturbing pattern of unsolved murders in the area.
Rosetta, a Black woman, didn’t live in a vacuum. She was a grieving widow and a mother of four, who worked hard to build a new life for her family. But the public image of her, cast by authorities and the media, reduced her to “a Negro beauty,” implying she was somehow unworthy of justice. Instead of being seen as a victim, she was portrayed with unfounded claims that she was “half-naked,” “pretty,” and had “several boyfriends.” This narrative ignored her character and overlooked the fact that she had been subjected to a brutal crime, with clear signs of forced entry and danger to her children. The police withheld crucial details from our family, telling us it would help “trick” the killer. Yet, after all this time, they never came back to us-leaving us in limbo.
Key Facts that Demand Scrutiny
- Prime Suspect with a Violent History: Albany Police questioned Willie Thomas (alias Wesley Mallory), Rosetta’s brother-in-law’s step-grandfather, who had a documented history of extreme violence, including a brutal attack on a white woman in Alabama in 1934. He strangled her unconscious, broke her finger, and fractured her skull. This history was well known to the police, yet he was inexplicably cleared in Rosetta’s case.
- A Troubling Conflict of Interest: In 1951, six years before Rosetta’s murder, then-Chief of Police John P. Tuffey intervened directly in Willie Thomas’s case, hand-delivering clemency papers from the governors of New York and Alabama to the judge presiding over his trial. This same officer then became involved in Rosetta’s murder investigation, where he failed to follow up or share any information with our family. Given his prior connection to Willie Thomas, Tuffey’s involvement represents a glaring conflict of interest that casts doubt on the integrity of Rosetta’s investigation.
- Pattern of Unsolved Murders: As noted by journalist Phil Joyce in a 1961 article, Rosetta’s murder shared an M.O. with three subsequent unsolved Albany murders of white women: Dorothy Waterstreet, Beatrice Furbeck, and Carole Segretta. Each woman was found strangled, with no evidence of sexual assault or robbery. We believe that, had Rosetta’s murder been investigated thoroughly, perhaps these later deaths could have been prevented. Rosetta wasn’t the first victim, nor would she be the last in this disturbing pattern.
Appeal for Federal Intervention
With Albany Police seemingly unwilling to provide information, and with the cloud of bias and potential cover-up surrounding this case, it is imperative that this investigation be taken up by the DOJ and FBI. This is about seeking justice for all families affected, not just for Rosetta. If the Albany Police Department cannot be impartial in handling her case, an external and unbiased investigation is essential.
Our family deserves answers, and the community deserves to know if these crimes could have been prevented. We urge the DOJ and FBI to step in where local authorities have failed.
https://facebook.com/DiscoveringPie
