In this case, there was a browser hijacker extension installed on this computer called Direct Search. There are many sites advertising downloads for further scans to detect and remove it, but I don’t have a lot of trust in those not adding to the problem. Therefore, it might come back on you like it’s been doing on my Mac, so I’m not guaranteeing a long term solution here.
Uninstall the extension by clicking on the puzzle piece in the upper right hand corner of the Chrome browser window in the extensions tray next to the photo or icon representing that you're signed into Chrome. Choose "Manage extensions." If Direct Search is there, choose "Remove."
Next, reset your default search engine. In the 3 dot menu in the upper right corner of the Chrome browser window, choose "Settings." In the left column, choose "Search engine." In the address bar search engine drop-down menu, choose Google or another search engine of your choosing.
