ET. Calls Toyota Celica was later found on the parkway along with several articles of clothing and the car keys. The Colonial Parkway murders began here in Hampton Roads nearly 35 years ago. Each had been shot in the head. Theres always hope that you might find more DNA, finding smaller amounts, with more advanced techniques of detecting DNA, said Moore. All the investigation had to go by is circumstantial DNA evidence, a few forensic strands from a period where that whole branch was getting its wings, and a few similarities that dont help out; the proverbial needle in the haystack. Step by step directions for your drive or walk. While genetic genealogy offers the family members a new prospect, they have never given up hope that their siblings cases will be solved. My theory is that David saw something he wasnt supposed to see, Karl Knobling told Lovers Lane Murders. OConnells response: Wrong place, wrong time. Knoblings theory points to why innocent people become victims all too often. The car had been pushed down an embankment off the Colonial Parkway. After nearly three decades, the parents who are alive, many in declining health, are still without answers. And unfortunately . Despite her drive and determination, Cathy left the Navy just before her death. All rights reserved. The sightseeing is prime. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. The Colonial Parkway is a scenic, 23-mile stretch in Virginia that links the historic towns of Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown. Her brother, better known to his friends and family as Keith, had aspirations of becoming a computer programmer and spent his free time toying with his new at-home computer. Cathy was eager to introduce her new girlfriend to the family during Thanksgiving that year. The remains were too decomposed to reveal the manner of death. or redistributed. According to Moore, this new advancement has led to hundreds of arrests across the country. Keith Call, top row and third to the left, and Cassandra Hailey disappeared April 10, 1988. Their bodies were uncovered after an exhaustive three-day search party. On April 10, 1988, two kids from Christopher Newport University both perfect in-synched with the killers victim profile were reported missing after attending a party in Newport News during their first date together. Justice is found here. It appears that Thomas may have struggled with her attacker as a clump of hair was later found between her fingers. Inside the Maddening Search for Virginia's Colonial Parkway Serial Killer COLD CASE Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast / Photos Courtesy Bill Thomas Four brutal double homicides near. (Oxygen). Lauers Chevrolet Nova was found on the westbound exit ramp, keys in the ignition, the next day. "And it saddens me that Cathy Thomas would have been one of those women. Dateline Crime Capsule: The Colonial Parkway Murders, SpaceX launches international crew to space station, At least 2 dead after exposure to unknown substance at N.Y. senior facility, Clark Atlanta University students mourn loss of athlete fatally shot near campus, Iranian government to investigate series of poisonings, Pennsylvania man accused of trying to bring explosive on plane, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle asked to leave Frogmore Cottage. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. The FBI, working in unison with the regions law enforcement, had a victim criteria in their arsenal. It was the last time they would be seen alive. The second night airs Friday at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. Though two slayings took place on the actual parkway and two were in nearby areas, all four are tied together by the name, the Colonial Parkway Murders. [26], In June 2010, the victims' families requested the assistance of a retired Milwaukee Police Department homicide detective Steve Spingola. Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps. They all died at night. Fox News Flash top entertainment and celebrity headlines are here. All of the victims were young, white, and either a romantic couple or could resemble one to an outsider. According to the special, gays and lesbians were banned from the Navy at the time and she had reportedly been investigated by nine agents. Three pairs were definitively murdered, but another couple went missing but were suspected to have been targeted by the same killer. Naval Academy in 1981, as part of its second class to admit women. They didnt use that expression much back then, but that was the idea. In September 2009, it was discovered by CBS News affiliate WTKR that nearly 80 highly graphic crime scene photographs of Colonial Parkway murders victims were used to instruct a class by a retired and now deceased former FBI photographer. With portions built between 1930 and 1957, it links the three communities via a roadway . They had both been shot in the head, execution-style. Federal Bureau of Investigations Public Affairs Specialist Christina Pullen would not confirm the presence of DNA, whether it has been tested or any specifics on the ongoing case. Their throats had been viciously slashed and they had been strangled to death. She was actually the most improved Russian speaker at the Naval Academy. But she left with great regret because she had hoped to have the kind of career that my dad had.". Phelps, who family members described to Lovers Lane Murders producers as having a very sharp wit, was dating Lauers younger brother, whom she lived with in Virginia Beach. This, in turn, ratcheted up the media when they got a hold of the fact that Camp Peary is a training facility for the Central Intelligence Agency. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! The former was a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and the latter a senior of Willam & Mary College. A critical future was the way the perpetrator might have approached them. On October 19, 1989, the skeletonized bodies of Phelps and Lauer were found in a wooded area by hunters along Interstate 64 between Williamsburg and Richmond. You cant exactly finger a suspect and develop a viable culprit on car displacement and fascination with couples. All the victims were killed with different methods (stabbing, strangulation, gunshot wound). It's difficult to imagine that a community could be infiltrated in that way, he emphasized. And. [14], On June 25, 2018, editors at Listverse released a new article, "Ten Disturbing Facts About the Colonial Parkway Murders. He may have been watching victims, the former profiler theorized, and when the opportunity arose he became a predator.. "In those first classes at the service academies, they were subject to such levels of hatred and harassment. Still, some investigators are on the fence and dont want to definitively classify their disappearance as part of the serial killers cycle. The Colonial Parkway murders were a series of four double homicides from 1986-89. Murders all occurred, she said, within a 30-mile radius and all on a weekend or holiday., Moreover, the slayings occurred at night, and mostly in areas that look like lovers lanes. This unwholesome section is grisly and malignant Youve been warned. Rebecca Dowski, top left, and Cathleen Thomas, bottom left, were killed Oct. 12, 1986. [6] Former WTKR investigative reporter Mike Mather found that much of the evidence, stored for over two decades, had yet to be tested for DNA and other trace evidence. Every couple weeks, he hears from someone new. He dropped Edwards off at her home, but later that night she snuck out to meet him. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. Explore! In the 1980s, the Colonial Parkway was known as a gay lovers lane, according to Spingola. When did it happen, and whos the culprit? All rights reserved. [23] and "Was the Colonial Parkway Killer Pretending to be Law Enforcement? Over the years things have changed, you know, my dad died and my mom mentally cant handle the stress of dealing with the case.. Im proud to know them. We feellike we could be just as close to start to solve these cases. Although it is compelling and plausible, there is no evidence that it was law enforcement, said former prosecutor and series co-host Loni Coombs. The Parkway is surrounded by woods and has far fewer entries and exits than a typical highway. The theory the first murder was a targeted hate crime adds heft to the notion the murders wereunconnected events. helps manage a Facebook page, Colonial Parkway Murders, with 14,000 followers, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Here are prominent theories that have been put forth over the years. Their throats had been viciously slashed and they had been strangled to death. Soon, other victims family members followed with Thomas leading the charge, providing interviews to the media and speaking out about their frustration with the lack of progress on the case. Four double homicides occurred on or near the Colonial Parkway in Virginia during the 1980s. Knobling lived in Hampton while he worked for his fathers landscaping business, and was expecting a baby with his longtime girlfriend. The double homicides took play over a four-year span . In 2010, the FBI arranged the first and, to date, only in-person meeting with all the families to discuss the status of the cases and field questions. Its still unclear what David Knobling, 20, and Robin Edwards, 14, were doing together the night of their murders in 1987. Virginia's beautiful Colonial Parkway has a dark history of unsolved murders and disappearances. Oxygen's two-night true-crime special Lovers' Lane Murders focuses on the slaying of eight men and women at the Colonial Parkway in Virginia. Six weeks later their bodies were found by hunters. "[18], On April 25, 2019, The New York Times published a story on the use of DNA in the Golden State Killer case, the Colonial Parkway murders and other unsolved homicides titled Sooner or Later, Your Cousin's DNA is Going to Solve a Murder. Were reverse engineering the family tree of this unknown person, and eventually their identity through the family tree with who they share DNA with one or two genealogy databases that we have access to, said Moore. During this time, a serial killer had struck multiple times, mostly attacking couples, along the Colonial Parkway in and around Williamsburg, Virginia. [17], On December 22, 2018, veteran reporter Mike Holtzclaw wrote an article for the Daily Press marking Colonial Parkway murders whistleblower Fred Atwell's passing titled: "Former Deputy's Death Leaves Parkway Victim's Families Wondering What He Knew. The Colonial Parkway Murders A Tale of Two Killers? Annamarie Phelps, top right, and Daniel Lauer, bottom right, disappeared Sept. 5, 1989. Cathy Thomas, 27, and Rebecca Dowski, 21, had been dating for several months when they went out for food on October 9, 1986. The cases are now the subject of a new four-part true-crime docu-series on Oxygen titled "Lovers Lane Murders." Cathy Thomas, 27, and Rebecca Dowski, 21, were strangled and had their throats cut in 1986; David Knobling, 20, and Robin Edwards, 14, were shot in 1987; Keith Call, 20, and Cassandra Hailey, 19, disappeared after a college party in 1988 and are still missing; and the remains of Annamaria Phelps, 18, and Daniel Lauer, 21, were found by hunters in 1989. The first known victims there could very well have been others before that havent been uncovered or linked to the case were Cathleen Thomas, 27, and Rebecca Ann Dowski, 21. Once more, there were no signs of sexual assault or robbery. Daniel Plott, retired Virginia State Police, concurred. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. [But] we certainly were worried about harassment. In 2018, when the news broke that the 45-year-old Golden State Killer cold case had been solved with the arrest of Joseph DeAngelo, many, including Thomas and other families of the Colonial Parkway Murder victims, found a renewed sense of hope with investigative genetic genealogy. Emily discusses a slew of disappearances and double murders within a four-year period along the Colonial Parkway in Virginia in the late 80's. . Lauer needed to go back home to get his belongings, and Phelps decided to accompany him for the drive to see her own family in their hometown. There is a pattern that OConnell said she cannot ignore.. Three days later, Robin Edwards and Knoblings bodies were discovered in the Ragged Island Wildlife Refuge in Isle of Wight County, shot to death. Survivor. It was the first of several gruesome murders. Fred was considered something of a hero when he uncovered a slew of photographs leaked from the FBIs office in Norfolk. Though both are presumed dead, their bodies have never been found. Thomas, who was in Los Angeles at the time, had seen a story on WTKR detailing how sensitive photos in the Colonial Parkway murders were leaked to the public. For Thomas, who has dedicated years of his life searching for answers, it is the hope that after three decades, his sisters cold case will be finally closed. Backtrack and take a look at the whole gruesome spectacle There were either multiple killers or the singular lone wolf was rather adept and elastic, forever changing and molding his M.O. (Photo by Scott Neville/ For The Washington Post via Getty Images). All of the victims were young, White, and were either a romantic couple or could resemble one to an outsider. "Im very optimistic," he said. ", "Was The Colonial Parkway Killer Pretending To Be Law Enforcement? The brutal crimes claimed the lives of eight young people, including one couple whove never been found. A year later in September 1989, the outlet reported Annamarie Phelps, 18, and Daniel Lauer, 21, vanishedfrom a rest stop in New Kent County. They show how the Colonial Parkway Killer stalk 1 weather alerts 1 closings/delays A more micro look reveals that victims werent all killed in the same way. After speaking for hours with Call-Canada about their family members cases, the pair began planning their efforts to pressure law enforcement. Fun Fact: Tunnel was built in 1942 and is 1,190 feet long. Laundry room crime scene. You saw Dr. Pettler in the four part true crime TV series, "Lovers Lane David + Robin. He became a well-known whistleblower, and thanks to his action, the FBI was put under the proverbial microscope. They plan to write another soon. [Thomas] could hold their own from day one. Part 1 and 2 of Oxygen's 'Lovers Lane Murders' airs Thursday night. Since October 1986, 10 On Your Side has covered what are now known as the "Colonial Parkway murders." There were four double homicides. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Psychic Pam Coronado felt that the killings were all related but that the locations of the cars were not where the actual violence occurred. Wallets found open in the victims vehicles on the floor and on the dashboard respectively inthe first and third homicides add heft to the law enforcement theory, former FBI profiler Jim Clemente told Lovers Lane Murders. They could have been preparing to show their license or registration. A double homicide is a rare occurrence in and of itself, so four happening so close together has naturally caused many to wonder if a serial killer is behind this series or murders. The understanding, years later, that his parents had to make three separate phone calls to him and his two brothers; one, in New York at the time, took an entire day to reach. It helps explain how the killer could take control of two people at once. Each homicide occurred somewhere along the Colonial Parkway, hence the colloquial name. She had a soft side but there was a toughness, too, her brother, Bill Thomas, told the producers of Lovers Lane Murders.. The first two known victims were United States Naval Academy Class of 1981 graduate Cathleen Thomas, 27, and College of William & Mary senior Rebecca Ann Dowski, 21. And as of today, all of the murders remain unsolved. In 2007, the disappearance and presumed murder of Cassandra Hailey and Keith Call was featured in the Investigation Discovery program Sensing Murder, whereby investigators brought in psychics Pam Coronado and Laurie Campbell to gain new insights into the crimes. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! In 2018, 12 years after the Shenandoah murders, DNA studies including hair and biological samples potentially linked the two cases. (Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press). Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. This year she would have turned 48. As this field continues to advance, Moore said agencies could be waiting to test for better results. [1] During that time, three couples were murdered and one couple is missing and presumed to be dead. Still, as crime writer David Lohr of the Huffington Post tells us, the stretch has seen its share of bloodshed in the shape of a suspected serial killer. The evidence of the crime was kept intact by a fluke of fate when the diesel failed to ignite. The violence suggests, Pettler said, that the killer may have been someone who knew Thomas. According to Moore, there may be reasons why the DNA has not been tested yet, such as the sample size of the DNA could be too small or too severely degraded to undergo genetic genealogy analysis. Joyce Call-Canada is the older sister of Keith Call. Shes remained in Gloucester most of her life, just in case. 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