Dowski, 21, was found in the backseat of the car while Cathy, 27, was stuffed into the hatchback. Advocate. However, Cathy moved on and pursued a thriving career as a stockbroker. Over the years, things have changed, you know, my dad died and my mom mentally cant handle the stress of dealing with the case, said Santiago. Shes remained in Gloucester most of her life, just in case. It also happens to be ground zero for one of the nation's most brutal crime sprees, which remains clouded in doubt and tragedy more than three decades later 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. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Will mock murderers with glee. to a serial killer. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. For two decades, the crime-scene pictures have been secret, critical evidence in the hunt for a serial murderer. Finally, the killers scope and the geographical stretch of his spree make it near impossible to set up a proliferation point from which to work from, a range to actively stake-out. From 1986 to 1989, four double homicides occurred either on or near the scenic, seemingly safe road. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! On October 19th, a month and a half after their disappearance, hunters along interstate 64 between Williamsburg and Richmond stumbled onto the skeletonized remains of both kids. These killings, known as the Colonial Parkway murders, remain unsolved. Just like those 1400 unsolved murders, Hargrove conducted his studies on, theres a huge likelihood that the Colonial Parkway Murders will remain a cold case and that the devil behind it will never be brought to justice just like Jack The Ripper Just like the Zodiac Killer Just like the Alphabet Killer The Barnaul Maniac Charlie Chop-off and the 85 other serial killers. Three days later, their bodies washed up onto the beach at Ragged Island Wildlife Refuge. "Cathy was somebody that could more than hold her own in any situation," he said. The second night airs Friday at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. While genetic genealogy offers the family members a new prospect, they have never given up hope that their siblings cases will be solved. "The families are determined to see this through. The following episode continues to examine the initial Colonial Parkway homicide, but the case is still unsolved when a new double murder takes place less than a year later. And its still certainly a possibility. ET. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. The analyzed DNA can then pinpoint the exact relation between those tested, allowing law enforcement agencies to narrow down their suspect pool and make an arrest. The Virginia State Police did a casual investigation, during the panic galvanized by the murders, of Camp Peary and its soldiers. The Parkway is surrounded by woods and has far fewer entries and exits than a typical highway. There is this allure of serial killers, said Steve Spingola, former homicide detective and author of Predators on the Parkway, who has spent more than 20 years looking into the murders. But is it possible they are tragic, separate events? Fred Atwell: Fred Atwell is the former deputy sheriff that was active during the investigation in 1986. And unfortunately . S, eries co-host Maureen OConnell, a former FBI special agent, sees telltale signs to support this theory. It's difficult to imagine that a community could be infiltrated in that way, he emphasized. 19 talking about this. Their bodies were uncovered after an exhaustive three-day search party. Victims were in cars and all were young and killed in pairs. (Oxygen). [27] In 2010, Spingola published Predators on the Parkway, a 29-page magazine article that detailed his findings.[28]. This unwholesome section is grisly and malignant Youve been warned. Dowski was younger and still a student at the College of William and Mary. The Colonial Parkway is a beautiful stretch of highway which cuts through the Colonial National Historical Park in South-East Virginia. There is a possibility that the murders happened at the hand of a moral enforcer who viewed homosexuality, public sex, or a 20-year-old man with a teenaged girl as punishable acts, according to Clemente. Call loved going to the beach and was especially fond of his car. The Colonial Parkway murders . 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. [9], In 2013, the Colonial Parkway murders were profiled in the Investigation Discovery television series Dark Minds, with host and true crime author M. William Phelps. Fully researched, completely skeptical, unreservedly on the side of the victims. [citation needed] The show mentioned that this disappearance may be part of the Colonial Parkway murders. Directions and Map (904) 525-8080. Or could it be that four separate criminals were executing young people in the area? The theory the first murder was a targeted hate crime adds heft to the notion the murders wereunconnected events. None had been robbed or sexually molested, stumping investigators as to what the possible motive that galvanized the murders might have been. Spingola proposed that the murders are the work of different killers, especially the slayings of Cathleen Thomas and Rebecca Dowski. [1] During that time, three couples were murdered and one couple is missing and presumed to be dead. A man named Bill Thomas had reached out on their new Facebook page, What happened to Richard Keith Call and Cassandra Hailey?. Here are prominent theories that have been put forth over the years. However, the string of murders that followed their deaths made them wonder whether a serial killer was involved. 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. The pair went on a date, seeing a movie and attending a party, on April 9, 1988. The Colonial Parkway is a beautiful stretch of highway which cuts through the Colonial National Historical Park in South-East Virginia. We dont need the reminder that these are cold cases.. After a deep dive into the four Colonial Parkway murders. Its still unclear what David Knobling, 20, and Robin Edwards, 14, were doing together the night of their murders in 1987. [citation needed], In January 2010, a team from FBI Norfolk and FBI Headquarters met with the victims' families to update them on the status of the investigation. Cathy has been gone longer than she was with us. Get the best of Fox News' entertainment coverage, right in your inbox. The Colonial Parkway murders were the slayings of at least eight people apparently by a serial killer along the Colonial Parkway of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia between 1986 and 1989. 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. Williams and Winans were also a hate crime, no doubt perpetrated by the same killer. A more micro look reveals that victims werent all killed in the same way. The violence suggests, Pettler said, that the killer may have been someone who knew Thomas. In September 1987, a truck belonging to David Knobling, 20, was found abandoned by the James River Bridge. She described Robin as a firecracker personality, who got along with everyone she met. What the investigators uncovered was a horrid tableau of deprivation. Authorities discovered Cathleen and Rebecca on Columbus Day weekend, 1986, inside a white 1980 Honda Civic. "And it saddens me that Cathy Thomas would have been one of those women. 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. Daniel Plott, retired Virginia State Police, concurred. The former was a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and the latter a senior of Willam & Mary College. Psychic Pam Coronado felt that the killings were all related but that the locations of the cars were not where the actual violence occurred. Unlike OConnell, Coombs doesnt see the work of a serial killer. 10 The First Murders Photo credit: Wild Blue Press It was considered a double murder. Ryan Noah Yawel Criminal Psychologist. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. The cases are now the subject of a new four-part true-crime docu-series on Oxygen titled "Lovers Lane Murders." 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. They were never found. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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. The investigations into all eight murders are ongoing and active, the Virginian Pilot reported. He may have been watching victims, the former profiler theorized, and when the opportunity arose he became a predator.. "Yes, this is a tragedy, but hope never dies," he shares. Thomas said Cathy was "very upbeat and excited." Naval Academy in 1981, as part of its second class to admit women. Most crime scenes were near the water. It connects Virginia's historic triangle: Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown. The Colonial Parkway murders were the slayings of at least eight people apparently by a serial killer along the Colonial Parkway of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia (or nearby) between 1986 and 1989. They were never seen again after that night. Virginia's Colonial Parkway. 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. This murder series is the single greatest unsolved murder series in the history of Virginia and it needs attention, Thomas said. Oct. 12, 1986: The bodies of Cathleen Thomas, 27 and Rebecca Dowski, 21, were found at a pull-off on the parkway in Thomas Honda Civic, which had been pushed over an embankment. 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. Im the older brother of Cathy Thomas who together with her girlfriend Rebecca Dowski were the first two victims in the so-called Colonial Parkway Murders, he wrote. Sandy was unique. In the 1980s, the Colonial Parkway was known as a gay lovers lane, according to Spingola. Cathys throat was slit so deepthat she was nearly decapitated. "I hope people will understand that the loss that weve suffered has not prevented us as families from continuing to focus on seeing some degree of justice done," Thomas, who serves as one of the shows producers, told Fox News. Still, he cant help but wonder what might have been. He and Cassandra Hailey vanished while on their first date in 1988. A year later in September 1989, the outlet reported Annamarie Phelps, 18, and Daniel Lauer, 21, vanishedfrom a rest stop in New Kent County. (Oxygen). In total, 4 pairs of people were targeted, resulting in eight murders and six bodies found. On April 10, 1988, Christopher Newport University students Cassandra Lee Hailey, 18, and Richard Keith Call, 20, were reported missing after attending a party in the University Square area in Newport News during their first date together. 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. Stoking this belief is the fact that victims car windows were found rolled down at crime scenes, according to Irvin Wells, retired FBI special agent. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Actor Steve Altes portrayed the killer. Many who believe the homicides are connected think the killer presented himself as a police officer or park ranger, or someone with authority. He told Lovers Lane Murders that it suggests the driver was responding to authority. He and Cassandra Hailey vanished while on their first date in 1988. 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. During this time, a serial killer had struck multiple times, mostly attacking couples, along the Colonial Parkway in and around Williamsburg, Virginia. While the search for answers continues, theories have emerged. 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. As the agent at the beginning of this diabolical coverage said: What made these murders stand out was the complexity of them.. [25], On July 23, 2021, The Daily Beast published an article about the Colonial Parkway murders, primarily focusing on the murder of Cathleen Thomas and Rebecca Dowski, the first known victims of the Colonial Parkway killer. ", EMILIE MORRIS, THE FORMER STUDENT WHO DIED AFTER ACCUSING HER COACH OF ABUSE, BECOMES FOCUS OF TRUE-CRIME DOC. Now, more than 10 years later, the families are pushing for another meeting. The Colonial Parkway Murders families have been told by law enforcement (FBI and Virginia State Police) that they may have perpetrator DNA in 3 of the 4 crime scenes in the unsolved Colonial Parkway Murders. Cathy Thomas (left) andRebecca Ann Dowski were dating at the time of their murders. Despite the fact that there have been no public updates on the case for nearly 11 years, some of the families have found renewed hope through genetic genealogy and a resurgence in public awareness. Spingola believes the ThomasDowski crimes are directly linked to the deaths of Lollie Winans and Julie Williams who were found with their throats slashed in the Shenandoah National Park, 180 miles west of the Colonial Parkway, in 1996. He dropped Edwards off at her home, but later that night she snuck out to meet him. 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. The human carnage six bodies were found, while two presumed-dead victims have never been recovered was collectively called the Colonial Parkway Murders. Building awareness of the Colonial Parkway Murders, in which 8 young people were killed in series of unsolved crimes in and around the. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! She had everything going for her. The Colonial Parkway murders were the slayings of at least eight people apparently by a serial killer along the Colonial Parkway of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia (or nearby) between 1986 and 1989. 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. Im sorry we met as a part of this club that no one wants to be invited to join, but they are wonderful, thoughtful people on their own and have done great things to keep their family members memories alive, Thomas said. She worked two jobs while studying, caring for toddlers at a daycare center and at the colleges English department as a clerk, Cassandra Hailey and Richard Keith Call, For more on the Colonial Parkway murders, watch Oxygens new limited series. The odds of four double homicides in as many years are extremely rare, which is why the slayings are. For Teri and Paula Hailey, it is the hope that they and their parents will see justice. Their bodies uncovered in Virginias Shenandoah National Park. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. ", NASHVILLE TV PRODUCER VERONICA BOZZAS MURDER EXPLORED IN TRUE CRIME DOC: THE WHOLE THING WAS SENSELESS, The James River as seen from College Creek Beach on the Colonial Parkway. 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. So as long as theres something left to analyze, theres always hope that it will be solved through genetic genealogy.. They didnt use that expression much back then, but that was the idea. With portions built between 1930 and 1957, it links the three communities via a roadway . Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Call's red 1982 Toyota Celica was found, unoccupied, at the York River Overlook on the Colonial Parkway the next day with some articles of clothing inside. The double homicides took play over a four-year span . Remember, this was over 30 years ago in Virginia, which is a very conservative, military area. 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. (ill Tiernan). PETER NYGARD ACCUSER EXPLAINS WHY SHE'S SPEAKING OUT IN NEW SHOCKING DOC: 'I HAVE NEVER BEEN QUIET ABOUT THIS', Bill Thomas, a producer on Oxygen's 'Lovers' Lane Murders' is seen here with a portrait of his sister Cathy Thomas. 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