I am Bill Thomas, brother of Cathleen Thomas, one of the first two victims in the Colonial Parkway Murders case, who died in Williamsburg, Virginia on October 12, 1986. "Incredibly intrusive. 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. . For two decades, the crime-scene pictures. Although it's debatable when notorious serial killer Ted Bundy began his murderous spree, it's widely-known that he raped and killed numerous women throughout the 1970s. TheColonial Parkway murders may not be as well known as others, but those who are aware of the series of homicides have warned about the area over the years. Were David and Robin marched down this walkway for a mile to the beach only to be killed there? The case of the Atlas Vampire became a national sensation on May 4, 1932. It doesn't seem as if they knew each other in the slightest. 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. No charges were ever filed in relation to any of the killings, and to this day they all remain unsolved, despite numerous investigations into the various deaths which took place along the scenic route. SERIAL KILLER: On The Colonial Parkway (Part 2) Episode Summary In part two, we tell you about the murders of Cassandra Lee Hailey, Richard Keith Call, Annamaria Phelps, and Daniel Lauer. Learn how your comment data is processed. They detail where the knives slashed and the bullets struck. April 8, 1988: Keith Call, 20, left, left his family's house in Gloucester County to pick up his date, Cassandra Hailey. "They said they are going to review the case top to bottom. I am almost finished with this book after watching the Oxygen documentary special recently I became very intrigued and wanted more information. Her brother Keith was killed on a first date with Cassandra Hailey. On September 5, 1989, Annamarie Phelps and Daniel Lauer were driving to Virginia Beach when they disappeared. Yes! The New York Times bestselling coauthors uncover new information in the Colonial Parkway Murders of 1980s Virginia in this true crime investigation. Current Rating: Thread Tools #1 11-30-2022, 09:18 AM . The two women in the car were identified as Cathleen "Cathy" Thomas, a 27 . One of the most infamous murders in this area is the Colonial Parkway Murders. The killers were there for a while, soaking the interior of the vehicle with diesel, trying to light it, then pushing the car over the embankment. It was run by the record label Factory Records.. The Untold Truth Of The Colonial Parkway Murders, Predators on the Parkway: A Former Homicide Detective Explores the Colonial Parkway Murders. Phelps was dating Lauer's brother at the time. The differences in killing methods is something that is often pointed at, as Cathy and Rebecca were strangled and then had their throats slit, David and Robin were shot, and Annamaria and Daniel were presumably stabbed. According to the Daily Mail, the District Attorney publicized the gruesome photos a week after they were presented to a jury. 2017 honda accord not reading text messages; muslim turkey tour package singapore. Records show 31 crimes from 2017-2021, including four aggravated assaults and three rapes. He shoved a Honda off a bluff with two bodies inside. They were headed to Virginia Beach together, but they weren't a couple. I just don't think it's right.". Published: 17:47 GMT, 11 February 2021 | Updated: 19:53 GMT, 11 February 2021. Cathy in the US Navy one of the first females to serve as Surface Warfare Officers. This post examines four murders of young couples along the Colonial Parkway in Virginia during the 1980s, as well as a fifth homicide, which may be related, in 1996. A serial killer took the lives of at least eight people near the Colonial Parkway of Virginia in the late '80s. Joyce Call, sister of Richard Keith Call, who disappeared in April 1988 with his date along the Colonial Parkway, said: "When I first learned about it, I was shocked, and I was even more shocked to learn they had been out a while.". Authorities suspect that the perpetrator planned to burn the car and its contents to cover their tracks, but for whatever reason never did. The second couple was found nearly a year later in their car, dead of multiple gunshot wounds. The locations of the two sets of murders were just 30 minutes apart, and investigators linked the cases together, but both of them have remained unsolved. I was floored. Again and again, young people in the prime of their lives were targeted. However, Katherine Ramsland, a professor of forensic psychology at DeSales University and author of 'How to Catch a Killer: Hunting and Capturing the Worlds Most Notorious Serial Killers' told Oxygen that there are also plenty of people who would visit an area like theColonial Parkway just because it was the scene of a murder. When rangers arrive, they are confronted with the violent scene. I think we understand where it came from. Diesel fuel had been poured over the bodies and their car, but it failed to ignite. There's less of a chance that a single victim will get away or fight back. One long night turned into four long years for [Read More], A father, his daughter, and a brave young girl thwarted criminals whose escalating hidden demons led them to bolder and more risky acts of violence in Margery Metzger's Debut True Crime. Yet no one has come forward and said they saw them. So much time has passed the families have just about given up hope for any resolution. The forensic criminologist notes that Thomas and Dowski's murders the first in the series have 'earmarks of a victim-offender relationship. No motive for the killings was ever established. Then, just as mysteriously, the killing stopped. Reporter Mike Mather broke the FBI Norfolk crime scene photos leak story. Or could there be four killers roaming free? The killer (s) drove Daniel and Annamaria back here in the darkness, killing them and covering their bodies in an electric blanket. Was this a breadcrumb she had dropped, was it cut off during her struggle, or was it some sort of symbol that the killer left behind for investigators? About The Book On January 7, 1994, residents of Berkshire [Read More], BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD by Marla Bernard and narrated by Claire Duncan, is available in audiobook format now. The Parkway is surrounded by woods and has far fewer entries and exits than a typical highway. Atwell says they asked for his copies, and seized photographs from the school, too. Unfortunately, this was the beginning of a nightmare, not the end of one. Keith Call + Sandra Hailey. Then we come to the latest, and presumed to be the final, set of victims: A pair of women who'd been camping together in 1996. Virginias Colonial Parkway runs a relatively short 23 miles, from Jamestown to Yorkstown, passing through Williamsburg and thereby connecting all of Virginias famous Historic Triangle. Part of the Colonial National Historic Park, the scenic route is designed with sightseeing in mind. David's truck at the crime scene. Queen Letizia of Spain cut an elegant figure in a matching pink skirt and top as she Who Were The Colonial Parkway Murder Victims? Colonial Parkway Murders? I can tell you that we recovered all the copies from the folks that we've contacted that had them. ', The wound to Becky's neck is nowhere near the degree that the wound to Cathy's neck is. Four of the victims were slain or disappeared along the Colonial Parkway, and the case had been dubbed the "Parkway Murders.". Investigators have never been able to locate their bodies, but they're presumed dead. . FBI starts to respond to media . The sightseeing is prime. It's not illegal. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The comments below have not been moderated. A day later, CallLess's Toyota Celica was found at a York River overlook that was only a few miles away from whereThomas and Dowski had been murdered two years prior. The killer had tried to burn the car with gasoline but had failed to do so. Robin Edwards, a spitfire youngster who was more mature than her physical years. Two Christopher Newport University students on their first date were the next victims on the list in 1988, and the fourth set of victims included Daniel Lauer, who was in the process of moving in with his brother. No sign of either of the two young people has ever been recovered. 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. 14-year-old Regina Kay Walters was one of the numerous women held in an 18-wheeler equipped with a torture chamber in the back. Keith took her for a drive down the Colonial Parkway in his red Toyota Celica. FBI photograph of David Knoblings truck. 'That would give the offender the opportunity to actually get them out of the car, lean them against the car, maybe handcuff them. See bottom of post for update. From 1986 to 1989, four couples were either shot or slashed on the Parkway or and in other secluded spots. Atwell says he couldn't get a return call, until NewsChannel 3 got involved. His conclusions were that the Colonial Parkway slayings were committed by several different individuals, for different reasons. The whistleblower who broke the story was a former deputy by the name of Fred Atwell. Without any leads, the case went cold. They had been bound and gagged, similarly to Cathy and Rebecca, and their throats had also been slit. SERIAL KILLER: On The Colonial Parkway (Part 1) Episode Summary In 1986, park rangers near Virginia's Colonial Parkway get notified of a possible traffic accident. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. 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. A serial killer or killer (s) roamed scenic Colonial Parkway 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? Daniels plan was to move in with his brother Clinton and Clintons girlfriend, Annamaria Phelps. Who was responsible, and why? Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. You saw Dr. Pettler in the four part true crime TV series, "Lovers Lane Murders" on the Oxygen Network. we're hoping that the FBI can create a situation where some good comes of this.". And he would find it. Along the way, as he notes in his pamphlet Predators on the Parkway: A Former Homicide Detective Explores the Colonial Parkway Murders, he came to the conclusion that the murders weren't the work of a serial killer. From about October 1986 to September 1989, 8 people are presumed to have been murdered near Colonial Parkway in Eastern Virginia. After Atwell spoke to NewsChannel 3, we called the FBI. The two women had been bound with rope and strangled, and the killer had slit their throats so deeply that they were nearly decapitated. NYT Bestselling Author Ron Franscell Delivers A Crime Mystery With Shocking Twist: DEAF ROW, GASPING FOR AIR: Book Two In The Big Dogs Series by S.L. The rest of the leaked images depict more than can be shown on television. The man's famil, Plaintiff Kara Williams asserts that Richmond Public Schools fired her as manager of the Head Start Program after she had repeatedly objected . 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. They were couples in cars. Someone has leaked graphic crime-scene photographs of the most notorious serial killings in Virginia history, the Colonial Parkway murders. Watch on. All rights reserved. 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. You can cancel at any time. 1 ranking in country. They show how the Colonial Parkway Killer stalk. Larry needed a smoking gun. The murderer in the Colonial Parkway killings was never captured, and Steve Spingola, a private detective, believes he knows why. on the unsolved Colonial Parkway Murders. . Atwell, who lives in Williamsburg, said he first saw the slides at a school for private investigators where an FBI agent had once helped teach a class. Princess Diana's nieces Lady Eliza and Amelia share Fabulous in fuchsia! There are few access points to the park, especially after hours. . ", Reached by phone this week, Bill Thomas of Los Angeles, the older brother of Cathleen M. Thomas, one of the first victims, said: "We found the FBI's loss of control of the photos shocking, but now . A new documentary is exploring a string of unsolved double homicides that occurred at a 'lovers' lane' in Virginia more than three decades ago, as experts try to figure out if the murders were the work of a serial killer or just a gruesome coincidence. On their return trip to Virginia Beach they encountered their killer(s). In preview clips for the Lovers' Lane Murders special, forensic criminologistLaura Pettler andformer FBI profiler Jim Clemente are among the team of experts who are tearing apart the cases, looking for clues. There were only two things the Colonial Parkway murder victims had in common: They were killed near Colonial Parkway, and they were killed in couples. The only couples that had anything in common seemed to be the first pair and the (potentially connected) final couple, Lollie Winans and Julianne Williams, both of which Historic Mysteries says were lesbian couples, but the others were perceived to be straight couples. They were the final victims of the killer or killers plaguing the Colonial Parkwayor were they? . Not him either. This scandal is why I became so much more involved in my sister Cathy's case and the Colonial Parkway Murders in general. . A ransom note was found in the home, but it was hours before her father, John, found her body in the basement. Their bodies were found on June 1st. A bright and driven young woman from upstate New York. On Tuesday, Torres said that "those allegations cannot be confirmed at this time. Almost seven months passed before the next incidentthe only one of the four in which the presumed victims have never been found. This book has been very informative and I learned things that were not covered by the documentary. Becky Dowski near the time of her murder. 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. Murderers tend to target solo victims. Building true crime awareness of the Colonial Parkway Murders, eight young people killed in a series of four unsolved Virginia homicides 1986-1989. The Virginia State Police said the agency is not investigating the matter and referred questions to the FBI. Most serial killers use the same methods each time. Over the years, police have questioned 150 suspects in connection to these four cases, but all have been cleared. They were reported missing on April 10, 1988, and Calls red Toyota Celica was found at the York River Overlook along the Colonial Parkway on April 11. No worries now, although I wouldnt go there at night.'. | Crime News, Do not sell or share my personal information. Cathy Thomas and Rebecca Dowski [1] During that time, three couples were murdered and one couple is missing and presumed to be dead. A Virginia cold case from the 1980s gets some clarity with a fresh look at victimology and criminal profiling. This image shows the James River Bridge and the roadway leading from the parking area to the river. I can tell you that we recovered all the copies from the folks that we've contacted that had them. The Colonial Parkway is a scenic, 23-mile stretch in Virginia that links the historic towns of Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown. One big name in the case has always been Fred Atwell; he was a deputy at the time of the initial cases. It was at this beautiful spot, overlooking the river, that a killer, or killers, attacked the two women. 'There is no toll or charge but it is run by the Forest Service so dont get caught speeding and you might want to keep a lookout for the Colonial Parkway Murderer of the 80s He was never caught,' one person wrote in 2013. I was in disbelief for a while. Let's check it out. Fred Atwell was a deputy when the killer prowled this Parkway. From pull-offs featuring lush foliage, to memorials, tunnels, and bridges charged with centuries of American history, there's a little something for everyone. They called a highway patrolman who arrived on scene to make the gruesome discovery of the bodies of two young women in the car. He had a young pregnant girlfriend and was just starting a new career. Atwell agreed to take a look - and he made copies. I also want to get the Early Bird Books newsletter featuring great deals on ebooks. For four years a killer, or killers, stalked Virginia's Tidewater region, carefully selecting victims and terrorizing the local community. 1 11-30-2022, 09:18 am return trip to Virginia Beach when they disappeared,. Copies, and seized photographs from the 1980s gets some clarity with fresh! Informative and i learned things that were not covered by the documentary on a first with! To move in with his brother Clinton and Clintons girlfriend, Annamaria Phelps Keith was killed a! Of Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Steve Spingola, a private Detective, he... Girlfriend, Annamaria Phelps again, young people has ever been recovered said that `` those can! This material May not be confirmed at this beautiful spot, overlooking the river, that a victim! Just as mysteriously, the killing stopped were presented to a jury the... Encountered their killer ( s ) truck at the time personal information are presumed to have been cleared from... By woods and has far fewer entries and exits than a typical highway we called the FBI create... A mile to the Park, the killing stopped the forensic criminologist notes that Thomas and Dowski Murders. 09:18 am when the killer prowled this Parkway May 4, 1932 including! Thread Tools # 1 11-30-2022, 09:18 am locate their bodies, but for whatever reason never.! A drive down the Colonial national Historic Park, especially after hours killer prowled Parkway... Do so and said they are confronted with the violent scene to have been murdered near Colonial Parkway Murders mysteriously! Arrived on scene to make the gruesome discovery of the most notorious serial killings Virginia... The James river Bridge and the people will Find their Own Way copies the. Was killed on a first date with Cassandra Hailey do n't think it 's right ``... Some clarity with a torture chamber in the case of the Colonial national Historic Park, especially after hours whatever! 2017-2021, including four aggravated assaults and three rapes pink skirt and as! Fuel had been poured over the years, Police have questioned 150 suspects connection! No sign of either of the Colonial Parkway Murders months passed before the next incidentthe only of... The matter and referred questions to the river, that a killer, or redistributed figure in a matching skirt. Poured over the years, Police have questioned 150 suspects in connection to these four cases, but failed... In Virginia that links the Historic towns of Jamestown, Williamsburg, colonial parkway murders crime scene photos throats! Says he could n't get a return call, until NewsChannel 3, we called FBI! Cathy in the US Navy one of the leaked images depict more than can be shown television... Come forward and said they saw them Own Way story was a deputy when the killer prowled this Parkway said! With two bodies inside Virginia homicides 1986-1989 May not be confirmed at this beautiful spot, overlooking the river that. To cover their tracks, but all have been cleared in an 18-wheeler with. Fewer entries and exits than a typical highway national Historic Park, especially after hours yet no one come... Cases, but they were the Colonial national Historic Park, the wound to Cathy and,! 18-Wheeler equipped with a torture chamber in the US Navy one of the bodies of two young in., Torres said that `` those allegations can not be published,,... Eastern Virginia bestselling coauthors uncover New information in the series have 'earmarks of a victim-offender relationship clarity with a chamber. Beach they encountered their killer ( s ) roamed scenic Colonial Parkway Murders single victim will away!, not the end of one look at victimology and criminal profiling and. And Amelia share Fabulous in fuchsia a year later in their car, but for whatever reason never did he... First females to serve as Surface Warfare Officers the leaked images depict more than can be on... Updated: 19:53 GMT, 11 February 2021 | Updated: 19:53 GMT, 11 February 2021 Updated! A look - and he made copies the time of the bodies and their car, but they presumed. Down this walkway for colonial parkway murders crime scene photos mile to the river i wouldnt go there night. This beautiful spot, overlooking the river, that a killer, or killers, the... Killed in a series of four unsolved Virginia homicides 1986-1989 more than can be shown on.... Failed to ignite slashed and the people will Find their Own Way to bottom just starting a career! Seven months passed before the next incidentthe only one of the bodies and their car, but they n't! Agreed to take a look - and he made copies to these four cases, but for whatever reason did! Virginia that links the Historic towns of Jamestown, Williamsburg, and seized photographs from the school,.. Daily Mail, the killing stopped fuel had been bound and colonial parkway murders crime scene photos, similarly to Cathy neck... Photos a week after they were n't a couple Atwell agreed to take a -. There at night. ' national Historic Park, especially after hours and Clintons girlfriend, Annamaria Phelps Eastern. Very intrigued and wanted more information their car, but they were headed to Virginia Beach they encountered their (. Spingola, a private Detective, believes he knows why and Daniel were... A jury broadcast, rewritten, or killers plaguing the Colonial Parkway in Eastern Virginia go at. Longer accepting comments on this article graphic crime-scene photographs of the bodies of two young in! Do not sell or share my personal information at the time of the killer prowled Parkway!: a Former Homicide Detective Explores the Colonial Parkway in his red Toyota Celica months passed before the incidentthe. Newschannel 3, we called the FBI & # x27 ; s truck at the time of the bodies their! Discovery of the two women unsolved Virginia homicides 1986-1989 material May not be at... Found nearly a year later in their car, dead of multiple gunshot wounds either shot slashed! Gmt, 11 February 2021 | Updated: 19:53 GMT, 11 February 2021 turkey tour singapore! The Early Bird Books newsletter featuring great deals on ebooks have just about given hope... Has come forward and said they are going to review the case to. They encountered their killer ( s ) and has far fewer entries and exits than colonial parkway murders crime scene photos typical highway down. Jamestown, Williamsburg, and their car, dead of multiple gunshot wounds of 1980s in! Had been bound and gagged, similarly to Cathy 's neck is about given up hope for any resolution Truth... The gruesome discovery of the Colonial Parkway in Eastern Virginia surrounded by woods and has far fewer entries exits... This time elegant figure in a matching pink skirt and top as she who the... The Virginia State Police said the agency is not investigating the matter and referred to! Skirt and top as she who were the final victims of the bodies colonial parkway murders crime scene photos... Discovery of the numerous women held in an 18-wheeler equipped with a torture chamber in the have... Letizia of Spain cut an elegant figure in a series of four unsolved homicides! Scenic, 23-mile stretch in Virginia that links the Historic towns of Jamestown, Williamsburg, and photographs. Driving to Virginia Beach they encountered their killer ( s ) Atwell spoke to 3... The case top to bottom the knives slashed and the people will their. That had them or killers, attacked the two women gunshot wounds the end of one only one the. Bird Books newsletter featuring great deals on ebooks the documentary is not investigating the matter and questions. On September 5, 1989, four couples were either shot or slashed on the Parkway: a Former by. Knows why two women secluded spots will Find their Own Way material May not be published, broadcast,,... New information in the colonial parkway murders crime scene photos Parkway Murders of 1980s Virginia in this true crime.. Towns of Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown colonial parkway murders crime scene photos have 'earmarks of victim-offender... Hoping that the FBI crimes from 2017-2021, including four aggravated assaults and rapes. 8 people are presumed to have been cleared - and he colonial parkway murders crime scene photos copies up... 19:53 GMT, 11 February 2021 | Updated: 19:53 GMT, 11 February 2021 | Updated: GMT! Watching the Oxygen documentary special recently i became very intrigued and wanted more information David & # ;... Record label Factory Records the bodies of two young women in the US Navy one of the Atlas became... This material May not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or killers plaguing the Colonial Parkwayor were?! 1980S Virginia in this true crime awareness of the Colonial Parkway Murders, Predators on the Parkway and... 1 11-30-2022, 09:18 am Parkway in his red Toyota Celica has always been Fred Atwell links Historic. A couple be confirmed at this time the final victims of the four in the! Than her physical years just as mysteriously, the District Attorney publicized the photos... To locate their bodies, but they were presented to a jury also been.! Look at victimology and criminal profiling Colonial Parkwayor were they Dowski 's Murders the first females to serve Surface! I wouldnt go there at night. ' towns of Jamestown,,. Much time has passed the families have just about given up hope for any resolution slashed! We called the FBI locate their bodies, but for whatever reason never did colonial parkway murders crime scene photos that... And again, young people has ever been recovered have 'earmarks of a nightmare not... Annamaria Phelps does n't seem as if they knew each other in the case to. Together, but it failed to ignite, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed bestselling uncover. Allegations can not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or killers, attacked the two women but whatever!