White Man Lucky to Survive Family Massacre Now Wants to Talk to the Black Savage Who Killed Them All

WTAE
December 10, 2014

He was 12 when he was shot and stabbed. His family was killed while he was on the couch. The only survivor of a horrific attack is now an adult, speaking about his forgiveness.

Larry “RJ” Bobish Jr. said he was always at peace when it came to thinking about the man who killed his family.

In April 2002, Mark Duane Edwards Jr., then 19, shot and killed Bobish’s father in the kitchen of the family’s home in North Union Township, Fayette County. He then shot and killed Bobish’s mother, Joanna, and pregnant sister, Krystal, who was 17.

The crimes stemmed from an argument over drugs.

“He shot me while I was just sitting there,” said Bobish. He can remember it like it was yesterday.

Bobish used his arm to shield his face. The bullet went through his hand, grazed his ear, then into his back. It is still lodged in his body today.

He was stabbed and slashed in his lower lip, arm and neck. He lost consciousness but woke up to the sounds and smells of the house on fire. Edwards had tried to destroy the crime scene.

Bobish managed to make it out of the house and collapsed in his driveway.

“I know God is moving in me. There’s a reason why I’m alive. I know that, so I’m just living every day hoping to find out more and more what that is,” said Bobish.

In 2005, he was adopted by a family in Indiana County. Despite everything he has lost — and gained — he’s forgiving. He wants Edwards to know that.

“I do forgive him. And it’s not too often from his perspective where someone like me is forgiving someone who had that happen to their family.”

Last month, Gov. Tom Corbett signed Edwards’ death warrant. Execution is scheduled in January.

Bobish doesn’t want that to happen. Instead, he would like a chance to talk to Edwards.

“I want to hopefully make an impact on his life if I could, show him that I’m at peace and he could have that same peace.”