2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. Since I used to travel I 64 between Norfolk and Richmond it would always bother me what would I do if I was pulled over by a cop. All the victims were killed with different methods (stabbing, strangulation, gunshot wound). To change his mind, Atwell's friend told him he had crime-scene photos from the Parkway Murders. Just to have the pictures floating around like that is very disrespectful.". Lauer and Phelps might have been a settlement of scores and was carried out by a professional, while Knobling and Edward were murdered following a robbery. A couple, romantically involved, was found bound, gagged and their throats slit almost 200 miles from the initial hunting grounds. Hope there is resolution. The refuge still has a reputation for being a place for a romantic spot and drug deals. All three cities are historic for various reasons, with Jamestown being the location of the original Virginia colony, which was founded along the James River. Throughout the '80s, this thoroughfare was home to what's believed to have been 10 murders. The killer had tried to burn the car with gasoline but had failed to do so. When did it happen, and whos the culprit? Thomas Hargrove, researcher, and archivist. Keith took her for a drive down the Colonial Parkway in his red Toyota Celica. These two were the only victims whose bodies were never found but thought to be victims: Eight people crossed paths with a serial killer in the late 1980s. The real question that lingerswere Keith and Cassandra ever on the Colonial Parkway that night, or was Keiths car simply staged and abandoned there? The back seat of Daniels car, filled with his hastily packed personal belongings for his move to the beach. Carmillo "Carmine" Galante was nicknamed "Lilo," Italian slang . For more on the Colonial Parkway murders, watch Oxygens new limited series Lovers Lane Murders, airing Thursday, February 11 and Friday, February 12 at 9/8c and 10/9c. Daniel Lauer was from Amelia County, Virginia. The car . Both women were found with rope burns on their neck and wrist with signs of strangulation. In Spingolas eyes, there was no serial killer. A crime scene photograph of some of the investigator at the recovery site. Over 30 years later they remain unsolved. 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. FBI photo of Ragged Island. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. However, her sister, Janette Santiago, told Lovers Lane Murders that Edwards, who she described as full of energy and not afraid of anything, had entered therapy and made remarkable progress in the months before her death. The last few years have not been kind to Janzen Robinson. The Parkway murders are believed to be the act of an apparent serial killer. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! This is a weird one: Saw a thing on THS over the weekend about this. It's hard to say for certain, but one detective believed they figured out the cause back in 2010. It seems that the CSIs should be able to get touch DNA from articles of clothing, rope and other items the killer may have had contact with. If they are smart enough not to get caught, theres very little we can do.. And with Stealing Manhattan, a book that details, as the author proclaims, a "mega-heist" that involved the taking of [More], On an unseasonably warm April evening in 2001, the headless body of a tiny girl was found discarded in a makeshift dump site in the woods on the southeast side of Kansas City, Missouri. The two-decade-old puzzle of the Colonial Parkway murders had pretty much fizzled out at the time the photos were uncovered. Someone has leaked graphic crime-scene photographs of the most notorious serial killings in Virginia history, the Colonial Parkway murders. For the third time in recent years, Atwell has cast a spotlight on the Colonial Parkway murders - albeit not in a manner in which the victims families are very happy about. On September 20, 1987, David Knobling, 20, and Robin Edwards, 14, were shot at point-blank range in the Ragged Island Wildlife Refuge, near the south shore of James River in Smithfield, Virginia. Their bodies uncovered in Virginias Shenandoah National Park. The drivers side window was partially rolled down causing police to believe that the perpetrator had possibly been posing as or was some sort of uniformed officer. They never returned home. He shoved a Honda off a bluff with two bodies inside. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. At least eight people along the Colonial Parkway were killed in this three-year span. 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. Send that DNA to Parabon and get this case solved so the families can have some peace. I was acutally born at old Riverside Hospital in Newport News. All rights reserved. Another couple's remains were too decomposed to find the cause of death, but they were believed to have been stabbed multiple times, as Historic Mysteries details. David Knobling at Christmas in 1986, a few month prior to his death. Thomas also said Atwell made an interesting call to police following the alleged robbery he committed earlier this week. The Colonial Parkway is a historic and scenic road that links together the three points of Virginia's Historic Triangle: Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown. For instance, Thomas and Dowski's murder was a hate crime, while the murder of Knobling and Edwards was a robbery that took an unfortunate turn. 2 years ago Lovers Lane Murders Covers Infamous Colonial Parkway Murders on Oxygen Network , Feb 12-13 At long last, the Lover's Lane Murders TV series covering the Colonial Parkway Murders is coming to the Oxygen Network February 12-13. None had been robbed or sexually molested, stumping investigators as to what the possible motive that galvanized the murders might have been. 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. One of the last photos of David Knobling. "He would spin the most elaborate tales you've ever heard," he said. They called a highway patrolman who arrived on scene to make the gruesome discovery of the bodies of two young women in the car. I live near the peninsula and lived in Richmond, Virginia because my father lived in Norfolk, Virginia and my mother and stepfather lived in Richmond. A typically tranquil area, no one expected the Parkway to be the setting for a gruesome string of murders. Someone has leaked graphic crime-scene photographs of the most notorious serial killings in Virginia history, the Colonial Parkway murders. Where most serial killers murder a single victim at a time, the Colonial Parkway murderer killed two for the price of one. Becky Dowski near the time of her murder. Almost immediately, the FBI announced it was conducting a top-to-bottom review of the cases in its jurisdiction. I think we understand where it came from. FBI photograph of the smashed back window of Cathy Thomass Honda Civic. He went from gadfly on the case to suspect, then, as seen in these. Sure, you know all about Ted Bundy, The Zodiac Killer, and The Golden State Killer. Crime scene photograph of David Knoblings coveted Ford pickup at Ragged Island. The autopsy was inconclusive and could not determine whether a blade had slashed their throats or if they had been strangled to near decapitation. Another man, David Rice, was acquitted after circumstantial evidence, including a pair of restraints and location history, put him on trial for the Winans-Williams murder, according to Historic Mysteries. Her date with Keith Call was their first and only one. The interior of Daniels car. David Knobling and Robin Edward State police and local agencies are investigating the murders of Knobling, Edwards, Lauer, and Phelps. You know, all his belongings.". Cathy Thomas and Rebecca Dowski Investigators do not yet know how much money, if any, Atwell pocketed from the raffle but they say he cashed a check for $270 that was supposed to go for Department of Motor Vehicle fees related to the nonexistent cars. The view north on the Colonial Parkway as it appears today, looking north from the pull-off where Cathy Thomas and Becky Thomas were discovered. It was the young couples very first date. FBI aerial photograph of the pull-over spot where Keith Calls car was found the day after their date. To truly understand what happened, we need to embrace and dissect some of the more vivid, abhorrent, and gruesome aspects of the case. Once more, there were no signs of sexual assault or robbery. Fred Atwell says this investigation into the leaked photos shouldn't be hard. On October 12, 1986, a pedestrian saw a car down an embankment on the Colonial Parkway where it was obscured from the view of the road. And he would find it. This image shows the James River Bridge and the roadway leading from the parking area to the river. These crime scene photographs show the area where the remains of David Knobling and Robin Edwards were found three days after their disappearance. The police investigated exhaustively, but eventually the case went cold. I had never heard it before. Dogs traced their scents to the river, but soon lost it. They're no longer there.". I can tell you that we recovered all the copies from the folks that we've contacted that had them. A ransom note was found in the home, but it was hours before her father, John, found her body in the basement. He did it again with a Toyota, and one final time at a rest area with a Chevy Nova. Did The Colonial Parkway Victims Know The Killer? The place is a sightseeing extravaganza brimming with historical points, scenic pull-offs, markers, and memorials. The former officer in question, Fred Atwell, had also inserted himself into the investigation several times, according to HuffPost. Part of HuffPost Crime. 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. FBI photograph of Cathys car, barely visible having been pushed off the embankment. By joining our list you will be entered into a contest for a free eBook, audio book or paperback of your choice! It was left with the door open, the keys turned to accessories, and the radio on. Listen to Nic Edwards Chilling Account of THE DELPHI MURDERS with the Audiobook Narrated by Kevin Pierce, Meet Internationally Renowned True Crime Author Ron Chepesiuk, Meet Author Nic Edwards, Acclaimed Podcast Host of True Crime Garage. . Are you sick of watching and reading about the same killers and crimes? Cathy Thomas And Rebecca Dowski Rebecca Dowski and Cathy Thomas The First Victims The Colonial Parkway Murders have been viewed as the work of a serial killer by many investigators. It's a roadway and state route, partly manned by the National Park Service, that interlocks Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown. Over the years, many theories have surfaced regarding the person or persons responsible. The first set of victims from the Colonial Parkway murders were killed via a mix of strangulation and cut throats. Cassandra Hailey and Richard Call Daniel Lauer and Annamaria Phelps A former police officer was arrested after an FBI profiler noticed the victims' windows had been left partially open, suggesting a deadly traffic stop. Most serial killers use the same methods each time. "He always tried to insert himself into the investigation and into the families," Thomas' brother, Bill Thomas, told The Huffington Post. Virginia's Colonial Parkway runs a relatively short 23 miles, from Jamestown to Yorkstown, passing through Williamsburg and thereby connecting all of Virginia's famous "Historic Triangle." Part of the Colonial National Historic Park, the scenic route is designed with sightseeing in mind. Rebeccas body was found in the backseat of the car, while Cathys was found stuffed into the hatchback. Annamaria and her boyfriends brother Daniel Lauer came back home for a short visit and so that Daniel could pack to move in with them. Last year, criminal profiler Pat Brown shared her own theory with AOL News -- a theory that centers on the fact that in some of the cases, the victims' driver's window had been rolled down. And as of today, all of the murders remain unsolved. All of the victims were young, White, and were either a romantic couple or could resemble one to. Call loved going to the beach and was especially fond of his car. Things seemed to return to normal until September 22, 1987, when the bodies of another young couple were found along the bank of the James River in Virginia. I just don't think it's right.". The former was a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and the latter a senior of Willam & Mary College. to the spots logistics and that particular set of prey. There were little signs of struggle. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Atwell's discovery of the 84 graphic photographs brought a lot of much-needed media attention back to the unsolved homicides. So, who were the Colonial Parkway murder victims? She had moved to Virginia Beach with her boyfriend, Clinton Lauer and was struggling to get by but living the American dream. "To me, this is the work of a serial killer. At least eight of these killings comprise the Colonial Parkway murders. The Colonial Parkway is a 23 mile (37km) scenic landscape/thoroughfare that links Virginia's Historic Triangle. Hanlon says he can't speculate how the leaked evidence might affect a prosecution because there's never been anyone to prosecute. "He called [a] suicide hotline and said that he is suicidal, a suspect in a serial murder [investigation] and wanted to commit suicide by cop," Thomas said. The Parkway is surrounded by woods and has far fewer entries and exits than a typical highway. Both had been shot in the back of the head. The car was found on the westbound side of the highway, the opposite direction of their destination, which confused police. Just a beautiful woman, her sister-in-law, Ginny Minarik, told Lovers Lane Murders.. "They took him and Sandra and they put his clothes back in the car, just tossed them. I feel like for my husband and my sister-in-laws sake well, really the whole family just wants to know what happened to their loved one, Jennifer Phelps, Annamaria Phelps sister-in-law, told Richmond.com. Here is the story of perhaps the most infamous unsolved case in Virginia's history. Both women had been strangled, and their throats were cut. Following the kill, there's the question of cleanup one body is easier than two. Show Who Killed. His tenure as the unelected Champion of Cleveland was rough, but it's hard not to catch glimpses of hope as tides of change [More], Copyright 2023 WildBlue Press. Some of his victims he held captive for days, [Read More], Get a closer look at the photos from Blaine Pardoe and Victoria Hester's new true crime TANTAMOUNT [Read More], For four years a killer, or killers, stalked Virginias Tidewater region, carefully selecting victims, sending waves of terror into the local community. The police attribute these eight murders to the same killer because of similarities in each case. That October, a hunter came upon the couple's skeletal remains less than a mile from the rest area. Joyce says she found out about the leaked photos in a phone call, not from the FBI, but from a family friend. Authorities have yet to confirm whether the call took place. I saw that over the weekend, too. The couple had been missing since the evening of October 9th after they had been seen leaving a computer lab. A typically tranquil area, no one expected the Parkway to be the setting for a gruesome string of murders. Thomas and Dowskis were a hate crime motivated by the couples lesbian relationship. Last month, Atwell was arrested in connection with an alleged phony car raffle, in which all of the proceeds were to go to "The Colonial Parkway Victims Fund." Copyright 2022 Crime Museum, LLC - All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy |. It was scary time back in the eighties!! This week Nic from the @TrueCrimeGarage podcast joins Bill and me for a roundtable discussion about the Colonial Parkway Murders. Theories Just three days later, they were found murdered inside Thomas 1980 Honda Civic, Richmond.com reported in 2016. The Colonial Parkway is a beautiful stretch of highway which cuts through the Colonial National Historical Park in South-East Virginia. But the FBI isn't giving up, and is now using new science to search for an old killer. Atwell says a friend of his, a security-company owner, asked him last year to teach a class about the killings. Both victims had been shot, Robin in the back of the head execution style, and David twice, once in the head and once in the shoulder like he had been running from the killer. The Colonial Parkway Murders are a set of killings in which at least four couples had their lives cut short. "I think any time you have things out there in the public domain of somebody's loved one, and this is still an open case, that yeah, that's a serious matter.". From pull-offs featuring lush foliage, to memorials, tunnels, and bridges charged with centuries of American history, there's a little something for everyone. This unwholesome section is grisly and malignant Youve been warned. If that was who was pertrating these crimes. "This would indicate someone approached the vehicle and was likely thought to be a police officer," she said. THE PARKWAY MURDERS Oct. 12, 1986: Cathleen M. Thomas, 28, left, and Rebecca A. Dowski, 21, were found strangled with their throats slit in the back seat of Thomas' car along the Colonial. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Dowski worked as a daycare provider and a clerk. The first and third murders were mere miles apart, and the second and fourth were committed about a half hour away from the Parkway. It's possible they just hadn't found the right fit for acting out on their illness, or that the killer was growing, evolving, branching out their system to better sate dark desires and lessen the possibility of being caught. They were brothers, sisters, sons, daughters,' says Joyce Call. But [Read More], In 1971 and 1972, a deadly predator stalked the streets of the nations capital. From 1986 to 1989, four double homicides occurred on or near the Colonial Parkway. You cant exactly finger a suspect and develop a viable culprit on car displacement and fascination with couples. "I often wonder if he knows something he is not telling us," Thomas said. Williams and Winans were also a hate crime, no doubt perpetrated by the same killer. And he would find it. Thomas had also entered a relationship with Dowski, and the two were known to regularly visit the area where they were murdered. She worked two jobs while studying, caring for toddlers at a daycare center and at the colleges English department as a clerk, the Virginian Pilot reported in 2016. All of these factors are critical to understanding the mystique that the murders still hold over the national narrative. The Colonial Parkway is a scenic, 23-mile stretch in Virginia that links the historic towns of Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown. Fred Atwell: Fred Atwell is the former deputy sheriff that was active during the investigation in 1986. Four double homicides occurred on or near the Colonial Parkway in Virginia during the 1980s. There were two pairs of underwear, shoes, and Davids wallet found in the car, which ruled robbery out as a probable motive. Fred was considered something of a hero when he uncovered a slew of photographs leaked from the FBIs office in Norfolk. Brown also said the perpetrator could be involved in law enforcement or, more likely, "wished he were. Their throats had been viciously slashed and they had been strangled to death. I am almost finished with this book after watching the Oxygen documentary special recently I became very intrigued and wanted more information. Atwell says they asked for his copies, and seized photographs from the school, too. But Atwell died behind bars before his involvement in the killings could be confirmed. They are both presumed dead, and evidence points to the same madman or madwoman responsible for the other killings. Their trip home on Labor Day weekend was only for a fewhours. She had a soft side but there was a toughness, too, her brother, Bill Thomas, told the producers of Lovers Lane Murders.. Seven years after the final fatalities, another case reignited the investigation. Edwards family members, meanwhile, grieved the lost opportunity to know the woman the teenager was becoming. For the first time in years, the family of one of the victims in the Colonial Parkway serial murders is meeting with the FBI. The police believed that the murders had happened elsewhere, and the bodies had been dumped in the car since there was not much blood in the car itself. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. The Colonial Parkway is a beautiful stretch of highway which cuts through the Colonial National Historical Park in South-East Virginia. "His crimes gave him this feeling: He was able to surprise, control and punish 'wrongdoers.'". Knobling lived in Hampton while he worked for his fathers landscaping business, and was expecting a baby with his longtime girlfriend. Controversial Figure In Colonial Parkway Murders Arrested. I am from this area born and raised. The former Gloucester, Va., deputy is accused of robbing a woman in Roanoke County at gunpoint Tuesday. The two women in the car were identified as Cathleen Cathy Thomas, a 27-year-old graduate of the Naval Academy, and Rebecca Ann Dowski, a 21-year-old student at the College of William and Mary. Thank you for writing this book. The killer taunted authorities by hanging his feathered roach clip on the half-opened drivers side window. None of these murders have been solved, and the photographs are out in the public. Like everyone else who has seen the show THS I wish they would solve this. FYI, this happened in Virginia, not Pennsylvania. Required fields are marked *. Finally, there was no evidence of sexual assault pre or post mortem; the pair were fully clothed and sexually intact. Hailey, 19, and Call, 20, were both students at Christopher Newport University. Keith was programming on leading edge home computing technology for the 1988. Its proximity to where Becky and Cathy were found a year earlier should have been a clue to the park rangers but it was one they chose to ignore. They show how the Colonial Parkway Killer stalked couples in cars, stabbed some and shot others, and then discarded their bodies. Some don't believe this pair can be counted in the Colonial Parkway murders because we don't know what happened to the victims, whereas others believe the case bears a convincing resemblance to the others. Was The Colonial Parkway Killer Pretending To Be Law Enforcement? They had met at an arcade earlier that day, and Robin had snuck out later that night to meet up with David. According to NBC, their love was a new, budding thing that would never get the chance to flourish. Robert Kalfus. The probable tragedy struck after the party. After that cycle, the killings abruptly stopped.. David never left his car unlockedand with the rain that night, a rendezvous in the marshlands seems unlikely. A Virginia State Police photograph showing the isolated logging trail from the air when the bodies were discovered. In 2018, 12 years after the Shenandoah murders, DNA studies including hair and biological samples potentially linked the two cases. Show Who Killed. 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. "Last January he called me and said he had been contacted by an attorney outside the country who claimed to have a client who was involved in the murders. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. At Ragged Island (as it appears today) this is the end of the roadway leading from the parking lot to the rivers edge. A killer who prowled dark roads at night, who slashed and shot, who has remained a shadowy spectre for two decades. It's unexpected. For two decades, the crime-scene pictures have. He knew most of his victims, some through his job at Taco Bell, [More], On February 13, 2017, two Indiana teenagers, Abigail Williams, 13, and Liberty German, 14, went for a walk in the woods near the abandoned Monon High Bridge. The first pair of victims, Cathy Thomas and Rebecca Dowski, were a romantic couple who were last seen alive going out to dinner in 1986, as Oxygen points out. Multiple searches were conducted for Call and Hailey, but no other trace of them has ever been found. Tragic, but important story and one not heard of before ( west coast reader). That means he's in charge of the Colonial Parkway cases. And only then, according to Atwell, FBI agents suddenly came knocking. The killer has never been identified and the case remains UNSOLVED!Construction stretched over twenty-six years through the Depression, World . Their bodies were found by hunters that came across the bodies weeks after they disappeared. Fred Atwell, a former Gloucester sheriff's deputy, says he has learned in the past month that his name is on a list of 130 suspects. It's difficult to imagine something as gruesome and shocking as a string of murders occurring on this seemingly safe road but that's exactly what happened decades ago. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! And they show exactly how the unknown killer left the bodies. The evidence of the crime was kept intact by a fluke of fate when the diesel failed to ignite. Fred Atwell was a deputy when the killer prowled this Parkway. They never returned home. A few key facts primarily that Davids black Ford Ranger pick-up truck was discovered with the side window partially rolled down that made investigators question whether the killer had ties to lay-enforcement or was posing as a police officer.

Are Angel Correa And Joaquin Correa Brothers, Hit Harder Than Jokes, Oceanside 76 Accident Yesterday, Articles T