Dowski worked as a daycare provider and a clerk. The probable tragedy struck after the 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. 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. Fred Atwell clearly rekindled the efforts of law enforcement on the Colonial Parkway murders with his release of the crime scene photographs to the media. Cathy Thomas at the Naval Academy Cathy Thomas in civilian life To change his mind, Atwell's friend told him he had crime-scene photos from the Parkway Murders. The young woman had graduated from the U.S. 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. The Gloucester County whistleblower who last year revealed how the FBI leaked crime-scene photographs from the Colonial Parkway killings now says he's a suspect in the murder investigation. The FBI, working in unison with the regions law enforcement, had a victim criteria in their arsenal. The first set of victims from the Colonial Parkway murders were killed via a mix of strangulation and cut throats. Joyce Call's brother was one of the victims. The couple, investigators hypothesize, might have been romantically involved. The police investigated exhaustively, but eventually the case went cold. A killer who prowled dark roads at night, who slashed and shot, who has remained a shadowy spectre for two decades. It was scary time back in the eighties!! I just don't think it's right.". And, he says, he was ignored. Some aspects of the killings fly in the face of the patterns of other serial killers, and some of the facts don't quite add up. It is unclear whether Annamaria and David pulled over and were killed at the rest stop or if they were killed elsewhere and the killer moved their car. Robins pants were partially rolled down, but police were unsure if there had been sexual assault since it was presumed that Robin and David had had some sort of sexual relationship. They called a highway patrolman who arrived on scene to make the gruesome discovery of the bodies of two young women in the car. The Colonial Parkway Murders are a set of killings in which at least four couples had their lives cut short. Where most serial killers murder a single victim at a time, the Colonial Parkway murderer killed two for the price of one. Thomas had also entered a relationship with Dowski, and the two were known to regularly visit the area where they were murdered. -from DEATH BY TALONS by Tiddy Smith On December 9, 2001, Kathleen [More], Henry Louis Wallace terrorized Charlotte, North Carolina, from May 1992 to March 1994. None of the victims were robbed, and sexual assault did not appear to be a motive in any of the cases. It's unexpected. Bushwick July 12, 1979. Mainly because no bodies have ever been uncovered. Not him either. 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. One person is a whole lot easier to kill than two. There's less of a chance that a single victim will get away or fight back. The Colonial Parkway Murders first victims were Cathy Thomas (L) and Rebecca Dowski (R). A Virginia State Police photo of the rest area on I-64 where Daniels car was found abandoned. Throughout the '80s, this thoroughfare was home to what's believed to have been 10 murders. From 1986 to 1989 at least 8 people were murdered along the Colonial Parkway in Virginia and their killer was never caught. The police attribute these eight murders to the same killer because of similarities in each case. In 2018, the Facebook page Colonial Parkway Murders, which is run by Cathys brother Bill Thomas, revealed that DNA had been found at 3 of the 4 crime scenes which could potentially conclusively link the cases and lead to an arrest. On September 5, 1989, their car was found abandoned at an I-64 rest stop strangely, the rest stop was on the opposite route of their way back to Virginia Beach. A ransom note was found in the home, but it was hours before her father, John, found her body in the basement. Thomas and Dowskis were a hate crime motivated by the couples lesbian relationship. Crime scene photograph of David Knoblings coveted Ford pickup at Ragged Island. But [Read More], In 1971 and 1972, a deadly predator stalked the streets of the nations capital. Though this case has appeared in the media several times over the past 30+ years, it's still as mysterious as it is unique. Their bodies uncovered in Virginias Shenandoah National Park. The photographs were being used as a training tool for a security company, and a number of the images had been leaked to the media. 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. The car was found on the westbound side of the highway, the opposite direction of their destination, which confused police. Fred Atwell: Fred Atwell is the former deputy sheriff that was active during the investigation in 1986. Daniels Chevy Nova. He said they wanted $20,000 to reveal the locations where Keith and Cassandra's bodies could be found. Fred was always vocal about the case to the point that he had strong opinions on who the killer was. These crime scene photographs show the area where the remains of David Knobling and Robin Edwards were found three days after their disappearance. 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. One of the two died with her bra around her neck, suggesting she may have been strangled as well. In 2018, 12 years after the Shenandoah murders, DNA studies including hair and biological samples potentially linked the two cases. The body of Carmine Galante is taken out of Joe and Mary's Italian Restaurant. They are both presumed dead, and evidence points to the same madman or madwoman responsible for the other killings. This crime scene photo shows Robin Edwards shoe that she had doodled on, laying on the floor of Davids truck. Seven years after the final fatalities, another case reignited the investigation. Despite the continued efforts and media frenzy the murders seem to compel, there is little to no traction on the investigation. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. You know, all his belongings.". 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. When did it happen, and whos the culprit? We were very skeptical and at some point in the spring he dropped it.". Cassandra Hailey and Richard Call 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. To truly understand what happened, we need to embrace and dissect some of the more vivid, abhorrent, and gruesome aspects of the case. That October, a hunter came upon the couple's skeletal remains less than a mile from the rest area. Detective Steve Spingola was asked to investigate the Colonial Parkway Murders as a private investigator. State police and local agencies are investigating the murders of Knobling, Edwards, Lauer, and Phelps. Interest in the two-decade-old puzzle of the Colonial Parkway murders had pretty much fizzled out when the photos were uncovered. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! 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. All the victims were killed with different methods (stabbing, strangulation, gunshot wound). For at least a year, and maybe for many years, these pictures have circulated among civilians. You must log in or register to reply here. Its difficult to imagine something as gruesome and shocking as a string of murders occurring on this seemingly safe road but thats exactly what happened decades ago. 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. Atwell says they asked for his copies, and seized photographs from the school, too. "We're still trying to deal with it. Annamaria Phelps locket as found on the logging trail. "They were people and they were loved. This contemporary photograph shows part of the boardwalk from the Ragged Island parking area to the beach area near where the bodies of David and Robin were found. According to Oxygen, the Colonial Parkway killer changed things up from victim to victim. Logically, this is the most easily accessible place at Ragged Island for the two young victims to have reached the water. Theories Someone has leaked graphic crime-scene photographs of the most notorious serial killings in Virginia history, the Colonial Parkway murders. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. The Parkway murders are believed to be the act of an apparent serial killer. As it appears today from the road, this is the lonely trail leading back into the woods where the victims had been taken and killed. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. "I was floored. Naval Academy in 1981, as part of its second class to admit women. And as of today, all of the murders remain unsolved. Richard Keith Call Keith to his friends and family. well the walls aren't even relatively straight in a lot of them so either she needed to move tf out of where she lived ASAP before it crumbles or she is photoshopping. They had both been shot in the head, execution-style. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Cassandra Hailey every bit the girl next door 1980s style. I have to wonder if they were all committed by the same person. On Wednesday, police in Gwinnett County, Ga., arrested 62-year-old Fred Atwell. Even though the cause of death could not be determined, there were what appeared to be stab marks on Annamarias bones, suggesting she had been stabbed to death. Just to have the pictures floating around like that is very disrespectful.". It is a pageantry of American history embroiled in dozens of tunnels and bridges that are incredibly charming and visually impacting. None of these murders have been solved, and the photographs are out in the public. A couple, romantically involved, was found bound, gagged and their throats slit almost 200 miles from the initial hunting grounds. The murders had not happened on the Colonial Parkway, but police linked the cases due to the fact that both sets of victims were couples who had been killed at or around lovers lane areas, and the two locations were only about a 30-minute drive apart. FBI aerial photograph of the pull-over spot where Keith Calls car was found the day after their date. I can only hope these murders, like other recent cases from decades back, can still be solved and the victims loved ones can get some answers (especially the Call and Hailey families, who dont even have the remains). It's hard to say for certain, but one detective believed they figured out the cause back in 2010. The real question that lingerswere Keith and Cassandra ever on the Colonial Parkway that night, or was Keiths car simply staged and abandoned there? I don't know the law, but I hope it does not, in any way, jeopardize the case if they do find somebody.". 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. This image shows the James River Bridge and the roadway leading from the parking area to the river. Cathy Thomas And Rebecca Dowski Rebecca Dowski and Cathy Thomas The First Victims I lived within 30 miles from the Chesapeake Bay where some of the bodies were found. The keys were still in the ignition, the door was open, and the windshield wipers were going. Nonetheless, inconclusive MRI scans appear to show that at least one of the bodies might have suffered knife wounds. Everything seemed to be going fine as the pair moved their outing to a local party where they enjoyed themselves until around 1:30 a.m. Hailey was an 18-year-old college student. 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. For two decades, the crime-scene pictures have. Like everyone else who has seen the show THS I wish they would solve this. 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. The killer has never been identified and the case remains UNSOLVED!Construction stretched over twenty-six years through the Depression, World . FBI photograph of David Knoblings truck. Sure, you know all about Ted Bundy, The Zodiac Killer, and The Golden State Killer. Four double homicides occurred on or near the Colonial Parkway in Virginia during the 1980s. According to NBC, their love was a new, budding thing that would never get the chance to flourish. Here is the story of perhaps the most infamous unsolved case in Virginia's history. Just three days later, they were found murdered inside Thomas 1980 Honda Civic, Richmond.com reported in 2016. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. The tale got more fantastic as it went on. Several clothing items were found in the vehicle, as were the car keys. The car had been pushed down an embankment off the Colonial Parkway. Both had been shot in the back of the head. The Parkway is surrounded by woods and has far fewer entries and exits than a typical highway. But he says he says the FBI did take this breach seriously, even if they didn't take action until a few days ago. But Atwell died behind bars before his involvement in the killings could be confirmed. ", "He wanted authority and probably did not have it," she said. On April 10, 1988, two Christopher Newport University students, Cassandra Lee Hailey, 18, and Richard Keith Call, 20, went missing after attending a party together in Newport News. And only then, according to Atwell, FBI agents suddenly came knocking. It was the last time they would be seen alive. A number of people saw this on the parkway after the party, including his brother Chris. Months later, they were found murdered, wrapped in a blanket in the woods. "These were human beings. They had been stabbed to death. "I often wonder if he knows something he is not telling us," Thomas said. Thomas had also entered a relationship with Dowski, and the two were known to regularly visit the area where they were murdered. Still, some investigators are on the fence and dont want to definitively classify their disappearance as part of the serial killers cycle. Copyright 2022 Crime Museum, LLC - All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy |. He snatched a couple from their truck, leaving their clothes inside. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. Or could it be that four separate criminals were executing young people in the area? We're a little less trusting," Phelps said. Rumors and legends started hitting the headlines. Carmillo "Carmine" Galante was nicknamed "Lilo," Italian slang . All the victims were from different backgrounds and demographics, making a profile an incredibly difficult task. 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. Over the years, police have questioned 150 suspects in connection to these four cases, but all have been cleared. David Knobling and Robin Edward David always backed his vehicle in, never left it unlocked, and it didnt require the keys turned to accessories to play the radioall signs that his vehicle was staged for theft the calling card of the Colonial Parkway murderer. The rest of the leaked images depict more than can be shown on television. Edwards had struggled with her mental health and was prone to running away and some reckless behavior. One long night turned into four long years for [More], Available Now About the Book In the spring of 1853, a family of eight drove their wagon to the wharf in Bergen, Norway. "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. Knobling lived in Hampton while he worked for his fathers landscaping business, and was expecting a baby with his longtime girlfriend. Dowski was younger and still a student at the College of William and Mary. Imagine, if you will, sitting in your car, catching your breath after a candle-lit date with your favorite sweetie. A typically tranquil area, no one expected the Parkway to be the setting for a gruesome string of murders. Was it a serial killer or a coincidence? It is easy to see how the vehicle was overlooked for so long. Why did it take so long before authorities were willing to admit there was a possible serial killer? His investigation came to the startling conclusion that the murders were committed by multiple assailants and arent tied together. I hope I can catch this show at some point. Karl and Judy Knobling with David (the taller youth) and his brother Michael in 1977. 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. All of the victims were young, white, and either a romantic couple or could resemble one to an outsider. 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.

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