{"id":117962,"date":"2026-01-21T14:18:41","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T19:18:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cablemanpro.com\/wallstreetpr\/fbi-solves-colonial-parkway-murders-thanks-to-new-technology-bureau-says-117962"},"modified":"2026-01-21T14:18:41","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T19:18:41","slug":"fbi-solves-colonial-parkway-murders-thanks-to-new-technology-bureau-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cablemanpro.com\/wallstreetpr\/fbi-solves-colonial-parkway-murders-thanks-to-new-technology-bureau-says-117962","title":{"rendered":"FBI solves ‘Colonial Parkway’ murders thanks to new technology, bureau says"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

After nearly four decades of unanswered questions, federal investigators announced they have finally identified the killer behind one of Virginia\u2019s most haunting cold cases<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The FBI Norfolk<\/a> Field Office announced Tuesday that advances in forensic science have linked the 1986 murders of Cathleen Thomas and Rebecca Dowski, victims of the infamous “Colonial Parkway Murders,” to a now-deceased suspect who was allegedly responsible for at least six killings.<\/p>\n

FBI\u00a0investigators determined Alan Wade Wilmer Sr., murdered the two women, who were last seen together Oct. 9, 1986, at a computer lab at The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg.<\/p>\n

Wilmer\u00a0Sr., a local fisherman who died in 2017 at the age of 63, was connected to a series of at least six murders and disappearances of young people in Virginia between 1986 and 1989, according to the FBI.<\/p>\n

FLORIDA COLD CASE BREAKTHROUGHS: SHERIFF\u2019S UNIT CRACKS TWO LONG-UNSOLVED KILLINGS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

He lived in Lancaster County and spent most of his time fishing and hunting, often docked at marinas in Gloucester and Middlesex counties.<\/p>\n

Between 1986 and 1989, a series of violent crimes took place near Virginia\u2019s Colonial Parkway<\/a> and surrounding areas, resulting in the murders and disappearances of at least eight young people, according to officials.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The crimes were dubbed the “Colonial Parkway Murders,” one of the longest cold case investigations in Virginia history.<\/p>\n

FOX NEWS TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER: VIRGINIA NANNY’S STORY, DENTIST MURDERS CHARGES, BARRY MORPHEW’S PLEA<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

After the disappearance of Thomas, 27, and\u00a0Dowski, 21, their bodies were found inside their vehicle along the Colonial Parkway, stabbed and strangled. It is unclear if the women were sexually assaulted<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Though the case remained unsolved, advances in forensic science and DNA analysis recently led\u00a0to Wilmer\u00a0Sr.’s identification as the suspect allegedly responsible for the women’s killings.<\/p>\n

The U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia said that, had Wilmer\u00a0Sr.\u00a0been alive, evidence would have supported federal prosecution.<\/p>\n

‘TIMES SQUARE KILLER’ USED FAKE POLICE BADGE TO MURDER 18-YEAR-OLD NURSING STUDENT: DEATHBED CONFESSION<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Authorities said Wilmer Sr. was also responsible for the 1987 murders of David Knobling, 20, and Robin M. Edwards, 14, in the Isle of Wight, and the 1989 homicide of Teresa Lynn Spaw Howell, 29, in Hampton, Va.<\/u><\/a><\/p>\n

The bodies of Knobling and Edwards, who were last seen together on Sept. 19, 1987, were found dead days later with gunshot wounds along the shoreline of the Ragged Island Wildlife Management and Refuge Area on the south bank of the James River. Edwards, who was just 14 years old, was sexually assaulted,<\/u><\/a> according to officials.<\/p>\n

FOX NEWS TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER: ALEX MURDAUGH’S HOUSEKEEPER, JOHN WAYNE GACY ENCOUNTER, BRIAN WALSHE CASE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Two years later, on July 1, 1989, Howell was found dead in a wooded area after leaving a nearby nightclub.<\/p>\n

FBI Norfolk said Thomas was a “vibrant young woman” known for her compassion, intelligence and close relationships with family and friends.\u00a0<\/p>\n

They added Dowski\u00a0was a talented musician and college student with a “promising future” and is remembered for her creativity,\u00a0kindness\u00a0and love of music.<\/p>\n

“I am incredibly proud of the work done by the men and women of FBI Norfolk, whose tenacity and commitment to justice never wavered,” Dominique Evans, special agent in charge of the FBI Norfolk Field Office, wrote in a statement.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“This investigation\u00a0demonstrates\u00a0the strength of our partnership with the Virginia State Police<\/a>, the Hampton Police Division, and the Suffolk Police Department, and our shared determination to never give up on victims or their families,” Evans added. “We are thankful that advances in technology and DNA evidence allowed us to finally bring answers in this case.”\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Hampton Police Division thanked the community for its continued support and valuable information.<\/p>\n

\u2018YOGURT SHOP MURDERS\u2019 INVESTIGATORS LAY OUT HOW THEY SOLVED KILLINGS OF FOUR TEEN GIRLS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

“It is our hope that this development provides the families with a measure of closure,\u00a0comfort and peace,” the division wrote in a statement. The women’s families attended the announcement of closure of the case, though Thomas’ brother, Bill, told local outlet 13 News Now<\/a> he believes there were more than eight victims in the Colonial Parkway murders.<\/p>\n

“I personally think that Alan Wade Wilmer Sr. is good for additional murders as well,” Thomas told the outlet. “Right now, the way the laws are set up, even though Alan Wade Wilmer Sr. is a serial killer and has killed at least six people, including my sister, and her girlfriend Rebecca Dowski, we do not have the capability to upload his DNA into CODIS, because he was never convicted of a crime before he died in 2017.”<\/p>\n

The families are working to amend current laws to bring other unsolved cases to a close.<\/p>\n

FBI Norfolk said investigators will continue to actively pursue unsolved cases related\u00a0to the Colonial Parkway murders.<\/p>\n

Fox News Digital’s Chris Eberhart contributed to this report.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Source – https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/us\/fbi-solves-colonial-parkway-murders-thanks-new-technology-bureau-says <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After nearly four decades of unanswered questions, federal investigators announced they have finally identified the killer behind one of Virginia\u2019s most haunting cold cases.\u00a0 The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"twitter_2902945987_2902945987":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[16563],"tags":[],"stock_ticker":[],"class_list":["post-117962","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-market-news","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nFBI solves 'Colonial Parkway' murders thanks to new technology, bureau says - Wall Street PR<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cablemanpro.com\/wallstreetpr\/fbi-solves-colonial-parkway-murders-thanks-to-new-technology-bureau-says-117962\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"FBI solves 'Colonial Parkway' murders thanks to new technology, bureau says - 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