Colonial Parkway Murders | Ep 228

Summary

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Crime and Coffee Couple – Colonial Parkway Murders | Ep 228

Release Date: January 18, 2026
Hosts: Allison and Mike

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Overview

In this episode, Allison and Mike—true crime podcasting couple—delve into the notorious unsolved case known as the Colonial Parkway Murders. With their trademark blend of warmth, offbeat humor, and deep empathy, they guide listeners through the details of a chilling series of double homicides that terrorized Virginia from 1986 to 1989. They explore the victims’ stories, investigative missteps, forensic developments, and the most recent break in the decades-old case, all while honoring the lives lost and reminding listeners of crime’s emotional impact.

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Episode Structure

• Welcome & Banter: (03:01–11:28)
• Case Introduction and Historical Context: (11:36–13:12)
• Detailed Walkthrough of Each Murder Pair: (13:12–47:06)
  • Kathy Thomas & Becky Dowski (1986)
  • David Knobling & Robin Edwards (1987)
  • Keith Call & Cassandra Hailey (1988)
  • Anna Phelps & Daniel Lauer (1989)
• Suspect Theories and Investigative Developments: (47:06–63:10)
• 2024 DNA Breakthrough and Alan Wilmer: (53:48–63:32)
• Reflections, Safety Advice, and Closing Thoughts: (63:34–69:41)

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Colonial Parkway

• Scenic but secluded 23-mile road in Virginia linking Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown.
• Became a known “lovers’ lane”—private but dangerous.
  • “...this also made it the perfect spot for a predator to hunt for distracted, innocent victims.” (12:28)

The Victims and Attacks

1. Kathy Thomas (27) & Becky Dowski (21) — October 1986

• Kathy: Pioneering woman and lesbian, US Naval Academy graduate.
• Both went missing after leaving a computer lab.
• Found days later in Kathy’s car, violently murdered (severe throat wounds, both also strangled with rope).
• Bodies and car had been doused with diesel, but not set alight.
• Robbery ruled out; possessions left untouched.
• Quote:
  “The only desire is just to kill.” – Allison (18:29)
• Early profiling suggested law enforcement or fisherman as possible suspect.

2. David Knobling (20) & Robin Edwards (14) — September 1987

• David: Had a pregnant girlfriend, out with Robin after driving her home from an arcade.
• Both disappeared, found days later shot execution-style on a riverbank.
• David’s truck found staged; items (wallet, clothes) left behind.
• Robin was only 14.
• Allison discusses Robin’s struggles and maturity, reflecting on vulnerability and family tragedy.
• Families were “absolutely horrified” to learn of their children's deaths via the news, not directly from police. (25:09)

3. Keith Call (20) & Cassandra Hailey (18) — April 1988

• On their first date, last seen at a party.
• Keith’s car found abandoned, clothing and personal items left inside, but no bodies ever found.
• “...their families do not believe that they would have stopped along the Colonial Parkway for any reason.” (37:12)
• Investigators theorize they may have been forced by the killer, perhaps impersonating an officer, to stop or undress as a method of control.

4. Anna Phelps (18) & Daniel Lauer (21) — September 1989

• Not a couple but may have appeared to be; Daniel helping Anna and his brother move.
• Disappeared en route from Amelia County to Virginia Beach.
• Car found parked in an odd location; remains discovered 44 days later, skeletonized and wrapped in an electric blanket.
• Anna’s locket and other belongings found at the scene.

Investigative Theories and Evidence

• Consistent crime scene signatures: couples attacked in secluded locations, vehicles staged, personal items (wallets, keys) left behind.
• Similarities suggest a serial offender—possibly law enforcement or someone posing as police.
  • “It could have just been that it was dark outside and he's shining a flashlight in people's face saying, police.” (68:10)
• Forensic evidence: presence of hair, fingerprints, and nautical line at the scenes.
  • “...a piece of nautical line was found caught up in Kathy's hair.” (49:05)
• The “fisherman” theory emerges from fuel type, knife use, and river proximity.
• Breaks between murders: three double homicides within three years; last one (Anna and Daniel) happened a bit farther from the Colonial Parkway but similar in manner.

Breakthrough: The Alan Wilmer Revelation

• In 2024, DNA links Alan Wilmer Sr. to the murders of David Knobling and Robin Edwards.
  • Wilmer was a fisherman, tree service owner, and local “nice guy.”
  • Previously dismissed after passing an FBI polygraph in 1988, despite erratic behavior (stalking couples, cleaning/spray-painting his truck, handcuffs/porn found in his trailer).
  • DNA from his remains (collected posthumously for identification in 2017) matched evidence from multiple cases.
    • Quote:
      “...why not just take a DNA swap? Oh, no, you passed your polygraph test. Run along. Toodaloo. Enjoy your life.” – Allison (62:53)
  • Wilmer is also forensically tied to two other single-victim murders: Lori Ann Powell (1988) and Teresa Howell (1989).
  • No conclusive link yet to the other Colonial Parkway murders (Kathy/Becky, Keith/Cassandra, Anna/Danny), but investigators are revisiting evidence.

Investigative Hurdles and Missed Opportunities

• Polygraph tests led to premature elimination of suspects.
• Law enforcement did not always obtain DNA or follow up on behavioral red flags.
• Families left in limbo for decades; some learned of developments through the media rather than direct notification.
• Leak of graphic crime scene photos in 2009 caused added trauma to families and prompted case review.

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Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On how true crime changes your perspective:
  “...now that we're true crime podcasters, it's like everything is a murder situation.”
  — Mike (13:06)

• Allison’s empathy for victims and families:
  “...they have never been held accountable for it. That’s always something that just gets me so much because, like, the horror that these people lived through and the way their lives ended...”
  — Allison (66:31)

• On the “nice guy” phenomenon:
  “Like, no, he's responsible for four murders... and rapes. Like, sickening.”
  — Allison (67:24)

• On Wilmer’s double-life:
  “...the man who committed these crimes was not someone we knew. The revelation of what he has done has deeply impacted our family as we are forced to reconcile who we believed him to be with the unimaginable things that he has done.”
  — Reading Wilmer family statement (60:34)

• On trusting your instincts (Safety Advice):
  “...if you have that sense inside of you that a red flag is rising, something doesn't feel right. Trust your gut instinct and don't freaking worry about hurting someone's feelings because your safety is of the utmost importance.”
  — Allison (68:38)

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Timeline — Important Segments

• Case begins, Colonial Parkway description – (11:36)
• Kathy Thomas & Becky Dowski’s murders – (13:12)
• David Knobling & Robin Edwards’ story – (19:00)
• Robin’s background and family reaction – (25:10)
• Keith Call & Cassandra Hailey’s disappearance – (34:25)
• Anna Phelps & Daniel Lauer’s case – (40:44)
• Forensic & suspect discussion (fisherman & law enforcement hypotheses) – (49:03)
• DNA breakthrough and Wilmer’s identification – (53:48–63:32)
• Wilmer’s background, additional murders, family statement – (59:20–61:28)
• Safety reflections and closing thoughts – (63:34–69:41)

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Tone & Style

• Warm, bantering, and respectfully empathetic
• Infused with humor, especially regarding their married life and personal asides, while never mocking victims or crime’s gravity.
• Dedicated to honoring victims and emphasizing vigilance and empathy.

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Memorable Moments

• Mike’s astonishment at how a place for romance became a site of horror:
  “Well, how many of us have been out with a loved one and just been fooling around? ...Imagine you're, you know, in a situation where you can be taken advantage of.” (18:41)
• Both hosts' strong reactions to Robin’s age and the 20-year-old involved:
  “If I found a 20-year old talking to my daughter, I would beat the living out of him.” — Mike (29:38)
• The careful distinction between evidence and speculation—Allison’s research consistently focuses on provable facts, honoring nuance.
• The real-life relevance: repeated reminders to trust instincts, take responsibility for your safety, and not feel guilty for taking “impolite” action to protect yourself.

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Closing Reflections

• The case remains partly unresolved: only the murder of David and Robin has been officially linked (via DNA) to Alan Wilmer; other double homicides remain open.
• The episode underscores how advances in forensic science—even after decades—can still bring answers, accountability, and some measure of closure.
• Hosts close with heartfelt sympathy for victims’ families and a call to listeners to honor their own safety and share the podcast’s mission.

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For More: Visit crimeandcoffeecouple.com

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End of Summary

Transcript

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[Alison]

Hey everyone. My name is Jess and I'm the co host of a weekly true crime podcast called Wife of Crime. Every week I tell my husband one of my favorite true crime stories and he reacts to them. Sometimes I get mad at him. You're gonna really regret all of this judginess that you're doing right now once I tell you this story because you're being very judgmental. Obviously something bad's gonna happen. She's making a lot of bad decisions. Well, you're being very judgmental. Stop. And sometimes he makes really weird Noises. He now thinks that he's an profiler.

[Will (IQ Bar Sponsor)]

Yeah, how about that, Rusta Profiler.

[Mike]

Placebo effects.

[Alison]

But most of the time, he just has really funny color commentary.

[Mike]

Wow.

[Alison]

So he's sitting in his human leather.

[Will (IQ Bar Sponsor)]

Chair eating fruity pebbles out of a skull.

[Alison]

You can find us wherever you listen to podcasts and check us out on Instagram, ifeofcrimepod. Hello, everyone. Welcome back to another episode with the Crime and Coffee Couple. My name's Alison.

[Mike]

And my name's Mike.

[Alison]

Hi, Mike.

[Mike]

Hello.

[Alison]

How are you?

[Mike]

I'm good, thank you for asking.

[Alison]

Welcome, welcome, welcome.

[Mike]

Come on in, everybody. Come on. There's still plenty of room. Everybody. There's. Make sure all the seats are filled in the back.

[Alison]

Gather in. We are the Crime and Coffee Couple. If you're new to us, I'm Alison, this is Mike. We've been married for 23 years, and we've been podcasting for four.

[Mike]

Yeah, we're. We've got a lot of new listeners, so we thankful for all of you guys. And we are like, just an independent little podcast. There's no huge network behind us yet. I mean, who knows? Or. We got plenty of comments, people like, I thought you guys would have millions of subscribers. And you know what the answer is? Not yet. No, we don't. But not yet because it's happening. So you're in on the ground floor. Welcome. And because of people like you, we will get to millions of followers or whatever it is, so one never knows.

[Alison]

The only thing I can control is sitting in the seat and providing you with quality content.

[Mike]

Yeah, quality information. And Allison studies her cute little derriere off. I tell you that much. She's. She's gathered all sorts of information. So thanks for giving us a try. But we come at you every Sunday with a free episode and then bonus episodes on Wednesday, depending on your subscriptions, whether you're Patreon or Apple subscribing, whatever, what have you.

[Alison]

So what's new with you?

[Mike]

I don't know. Like, I stayed up a little bit later last night. I was listening to a DJ because I'm 46 years old, and I guess that's what I do sometimes. One of our friends, our dear, dear friends is in Mexico City, and we're recording this. Like, pre recording this. So the guy's name is Fred again, and she's really into this guy Fred Again. He's a. He's a dj. Like, techno music, a little bit of drum and bass, a little bit everything. He's a. He's a cute little Kid, she, she finds him adorable. He's 20 something years old.

[Alison]

I thought he was in his 30s, maybe 30. I don't know, maybe I'm WR.

[Mike]

He could be.

[Alison]

I don't know. I'm not into electronic music, so I would. No, I'm also not into clubbing. That stays out till the 3:00am hour.

[Mike]

Yeah, I, I'm.

[Alison]

It ain't my cup of coffee.

[Mike]

That's right. That's right. I love that type of music. But I also like, like heavy metal and, you know, 90s alternative and classic rock and all that kind of stuff. I get into a lot of different things. John Mayer is one of my favorite artists. I've talked about this before, but if.

[Alison]

I'm working out, electronic music's fine. But I would never, like, sit in my car and listen to it.

[Mike]

I love it in my car with like a good sound system. I'm still such like a 90s kid. Like, I just love bass. I don'. Know, I don't. I don't have one of those like 15 inch subwoofers or anything. It's got a nice little system. And, you know, I love a little bass every once in a while. All right. I'm not ashamed to admit it.

[Alison]

When I do drive, I just listen to true crime podcasts.

[Mike]

Yeah, well, that's. I mean, you know, there's. There's different, different strokes for different folks, as I say.

[Alison]

So I was talking to Mike yesterday. I was on Instagram and I was watching this thing, which now that I'm older, apparently I have no way of identifying what is an AI video and what isn't.

[Mike]

Oh, no, you've lost it.

[Alison]

Well, no, it's not that. Some of them don't look, you know, out of place, but there was this weird one, this couple, like bolts up out of bed and they're talking about this dog hammock. And I'm like, oh, hell is a dog hammock.

[Mike]

Yeah, yeah, I just saw that.

[Alison]

So I'm like, looking at the comments to see if it's gonna explain what the hell a dog hammock is and why the dog would be stuck.

[Mike]

No, no, it wasn't a dog ham. It was a floor hammock.

[Alison]

Oh, a floor hammock.

[Mike]

Their dog was stuck in the floor hammock in their bedroom.

[Alison]

Okay. I was like, what in the world is happening in this video? Why is there fuzz flying throughout the room? But the main thing I saw in the comments was that everyone was like, what kind of a psychopath sleeps with socks on? And I was like, wow. I didn't know people felt so passionate about people sleeping in socks. And I am someone that I sleep in socks probably 363 days a year.

[Mike]

What are the days you don't.

[Alison]

If I wake up in the middle of the night, for whatever reason I'm hot, I might take them off in my sleep.

[Mike]

Probably a perimenopause.

[Alison]

Perimenopause. But I have just. My feet are always cold. I was laying on the couch yesterday when I was telling Mike the story. I'm like, I have socks on and a blanket, and my feet are freezing.

[Mike]

Yeah. I never sleep with socks. Rarely with a shirt on. I would say. I don't think you're a psycho for that, but, I mean, it sounds like you might be.

[Alison]

My dad was asking me. He's like, do you want maybe pajamas for Christmas? Because, again, we're recording this early. But I was like, no, I don't wear pajamas to bed. I just wear sweatpants and a T shirt.

[Mike]

Nothing sexy, Nothing skimpy. Allison. Very much like sweatshirt. Yeah. Just, like, you know, baggy, which is fine. You look like you.

[Alison]

Normally, when I wake up in the morning, I go straight. I brush my teeth, wash my face, and then start my workout. We have a tonal system in our house that we've had since COVID and so I. Whatever I wear to bed, I could work out in. That's just always what I've done. I've never been a pajama girl, but. Yeah. So I just thought that was interesting how people are so passionate about people who sleep in socks.

[Mike]

Why'd you bring up AI? Is it an AI video?

[Alison]

Somebody said, oh, you can't tell. This is AI.

[Mike]

Well, I would imagine it is. Because, like, the whole idea of a floor hammock just doesn't make any sense. Basically, it was, like, in the floor. It's just, like an empty, like, hole. Maybe it's like a hole to the bottom. Like, you know, the family room.

[Alison]

Like, if you were looking up, you could see a net.

[Mike]

Yeah, exactly like a net. And their dog was, like, in it. In a dog bed or something. Like, oh, honey, we forgot our dog. And people are like, hammock.

[Alison]

Why wouldn't the dog bark if the dog wanted to get in bed with you?

[Mike]

Yeah, probably. Maybe it was whimpering. Who knows? But it was so weird. It was just a weird situation. The stuff like floating. It was definitely weird.

[Alison]

People were like, are they in the Upside Down?

[Mike]

Right. It totally. From Stranger Things. It would totally look like they were.

[Alison]

Dust your house yeah.

[Mike]

Yeah, it was funny.

[Alison]

Oh, and then another funny thing happened yesterday. We were at our daughter's art event. Her artwork was featured because she's so talented. I don't know who she gets it from. Certainly not me.

[Mike]

Definitely me.

[Alison]

But we were. They were serving hot cocoa, and it was freezing in the cafeteria where it was being held, and my son was like, oh, I didn't bring a sweatshirt. It's freezing in here. And our daughter ran and grabbed me. Hot cocoa. I'm like, cam, why don't you get some hot cocoa? He's like, oh, I'm not thirsty. I was like, people don't drink hot cocoa because they're thirsty.

[Mike]

Kids are.

[Alison]

Can you imagine being like, oh, man, I'm so thirsty. I could really go for some hot cocoa or coffee.

[Mike]

Give me a nice cup of coffee. And I'm just like, you're, like, burning your throat.

[Alison]

You're such a weirdo.

[Mike]

Yeah, he's a fun kid. He also saw a funny enough little story he told us yesterday, like, a week ago. He's like, oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you guys. The gas station. I was pumping gas, and this car came up, and I looked around, and it was John Cena.

[Alison]

I was like, yeah, they were at, like, neighboring Palms. Because he lives in our town, oddly enough. We're in, like, the suburbs of Tampa, and he lives here, and people see him everywhere, and they say he is the nicest person. He goes to our local pizza place. So apparently our son was like, oh, are you John Cena? And he's like, yeah. And he's like, oh, cool. I love your show, the Whatever. And I guess John Cena even asked him, oh, who is your favorite character in the show? He said he was super, super nice. I love a nice celebrity.

[Mike]

Y a like a doll, from what I understand. Everybody, like, the local pizza place even posts about him, like, every couple weeks. And they're like, thank you for supporting us, John Cena. Everybody uses his full name all the.

[Alison]

Time, and I have never heard anyone who has had a negative interaction with him. And I always joke because he loves a flat white coffee. And I had messaged him about the local coffee place that's up the street from us. And I was like, oh, hey, John, you should check it out. Have you tried their flat white? It's really good. And I was like, so rude. He hasn't responded to my message out of 21.4 million followers.

[Mike]

And you asked our son. Did you ask him about replying to my message?

[Alison]

I was like, well, when you were at the gas station, did you say, hey, you didn't respond to my mom's Instagram message.

[Mike]

His show called the Peacemaker just popped into my Peacemaker. Yeah, Everybody. Everybody listening is like, it's the Peacemaker. It's the Peacemaker. Say it. I haven't seen it yet. I heard it's fantastic.

[Alison]

So I just love a nice celebrity because I can't imagine, like, at what point in your career do you just think you're better than other human beings.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Alison]

And you treat them like crap.

[Mike]

It's got to get kind of annoying to a point at some point when you're like, ah, just please leave me alone. But he just embraces it, man. And he takes it for what it is. Him and, like, the Rock just both seem like, like, legit dudes. Yeah. It's the wrestling thing, because they had to show up for people and they had to, like, be part of the crowd, sort of.

[Alison]

And you have to understand, like, without fans, you don't have a career.

[Mike]

Right, Right.

[Alison]

And I totally get it. Don't get me wrong. I think people need their privacy. They should be able to go and pump gas and be left the hell alone. I get that. But when you're in a small town and you see somebody and you know he wasn't drawing it. Our son wasn't drawing attention to him because it was late and they were the only two people there. But I could see that it would be. Be annoying. But I would never be rude to somebody.

[Mike]

Right, Right. But it was so cool just to be like, yeah, he just saw John Cena at the gas station.

[Alison]

And we're like. And you didn't tell us before now?

[Mike]

He's like, I didn't think about it. We're like, oh, gosh, this kid, I tell you, he's the kind of guy that would drink a hot cocoa if he was thirsty.

[Alison]

Such a goofball. So we should get started because this case is a doozy. Are you ready to jump into this piping hot cup of coffee?

[Mike]

Let's do it.

[Alison]

All right, so this is a listener suggestion from my dear friend Lydia. So thank you so much, lids.

[Mike]

And I also, this DJ event in.

[Alison]

Mexico City, she's a trooper because I could not have stayed out till 4am so, Lydia, hats off to you. You are a good friend and a ride or die friend.

[Mike]

Ride or die friend.

[Alison]

Yes. So I also wanted to give a shout out to Lydia's friend, Heather Star, who, incidentally, also listens to us.

[Mike]

What a great name.

[Alison]

Lydia was talking to her cousin and she's like, oh, I, my friend is a podcaster and she's like, what? You know Allison from the crime and coffee couple?

[Mike]

It's, hey, even though we've got, you know, a couple thousand listeners that' it's, it's cool to like, you know, that knows that we people care and like, want to hear more about this.

[Alison]

Yes. So thank you for this case suggestion, Lydia. And this is the Colonial Parkway murders. So the colonial parkway is a scenic 23 mile or 37 km stretch of road that links the three points of Virginia's historic triangle. This is Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown. And it runs between the James river and the York River. So since long stretches of the road are very dark and isolated, it became a popular lovers lane destination that was frequent by young adults. So on the darker note though, this also made it the perfect spot for a predator to hunt for distracted innocent victims. You think about it, it's probably 2am A couple is kissy facing in a dark car. All of a sudden a predator comes upon them.

[Mike]

I wouldn't even think that that's so horrible. But now that we're true crime podcasters, it's like everything is a murder situation.

[Alison]

Yes. So this seemingly quiet road is a place where four double homicides occurred between 1986 and nineteen 1989. So all of the victims were young, white, and either in a romantic relationship or maybe they resembled one from the outside. So they were each sitting inside of a car when they were targeted with both partners killed. So while three pairs or six victims have been recovered, another couple has never been found, but they are presumed murdered. So double homicides are a rare occurrence in and of itself. So the fact that four, you know, of these had taken place in such a short span of time in close proximity of one another, made people assume that odds are the same person was committing these crimes, making it a serial killer out on the loose. So the first known victims in what became known as the Colonial Parkway murders were 27 year old Kathy Thomas and 21 year old Becky Dowski. They had been dating for several months. So Kathy graduated from the U. S. Naval Academy in 1981 as part of only the second class to admit women. So just imagine this. You're in a place where not only are women not very, you know, regular, but now you're also a lesbian.

[Mike]

Yeah, talk about a pioneer, right?

[Alison]

So I read a book about a woman who was in the in Nassau. She was an astronaut and she was also gay. And it's like the fact that people had to Keep the relationship secrets. And that they were doing something illegal according to the military standards that would get them, you know, what was it? Is it not I to say the word? A victim. Discharged, discharged, whatever, is just so shocking and sad to me.

[Mike]

I mean, Even in the 90s when we went to high school, like, it was taboo to be gay. Like, you know, you didn't know any gay people because nobody would want to come out. And it was like, it's like, who cares who they want to, like, French kiss and do other stuff with?

[Alison]

It's always been a mindboggling thing to me. After it, anyone would care who somebody's in love with. So since homosexuality was banned within the Navy at the time, her brother indicated that she had been investigated by nine agents regarding her sexuality. What the hell do you care?

[Mike]

All right, sit down. Let's talk about your sexuality. Do you like girls? Yes.

[Alison]

How about this? It's none of your GD business.

[Mike]

Can you shoot a gun? Yes. Okay, let's go. You're fine.

[Alison]

So after leaving the armed forces, she transitioned into a successful career as a stockbroker. And she was also working towards a master's degree. So meanwhile, Becky was a senior at College of William and Mary in Williamsburg. She was studying business management, and she was working two jobs jobs. She cared for toddlers at a local daycare center, and she also worked in the college's English department. So the couple vanished after they left a computer lab on the campus of William and Mary. It was about 6:30pm on October 9, 1986. So they had been there that night helping friends with a class project. They were leaving to go get dinner together because Becky was apparently leaving town because there was going to be a fall break. So three days later, a jogger came across Kathy's white 1980 Honda Civic. It was nose down at the bottom of an embankment at the Cheatham Annex overlook. This is an area that Becky and Kathy were known to frequent. So the car was off the road in thick shrubbery, only a few feet from a 15 foot drop down to the York River. So this person who came upon the car, it just looked, you know, alarming. Maybe somebody had gotten into a car accident is what somebody, you know is. That was the initial theory. So the person called the police. And after a highway patrolman was called to the scene, he found both women's bodies inside the car. So Becky's body was found in the back seat while Kathy's body had been stuffed into the hatchback. The driver's seat was adjusted back to a Position that suggested that someone other than Kathy was driving at someone much taller. So not only had the autopsy confirmed that both of the women's necks were so severely slashed that they'd been nearly decapitated, especially Kathy. But rope burns were also found around their necks and their wrists. So strangulation was also involved. Although their bodies, as well as the car had been doused in diesel fuel and matches were found near the parking area, it had not been ignited. So there were more than a hundred latent and full prints on both the interior as well as the exterior of the car, but they were not a match to anyone in police records.

[Mike]

Latent, are those, like, possible, like a partial?

[Alison]

Yeah, they're just prints that are there. So it was clear that Kathy had fought with their attacker as a clump of hair was located between her fingers. So evidence was left behind. There were fingerprints, there was hair. So both women were fully clothed, and there was no evidence of a sexual assault. Robbery was ruled out as a motive since each of their purses were found sitting in the car and no money or jewelry had been stolen.

[Mike]

That's kind of crazy. It's like, you know, you're going through this, like, murdering process. It. Wouldn't you at least, like, check for valuables? I guess it just shows, like, how crazy this person was. Just wanted to murder, right?

[Alison]

And that's the point. This person wanted nothing but to kill two innocent girls, which is more dangerous than anything. It's. It's scary as hell because when not a motive, the only desire is just to kill.

[Mike]

Well, how many of us have been out with a loved one and just been fooling around? Like, I know we have back in high school, we remember we would, like, pull over and, like, try to find a secluded spot. Because we both lived with our parents, obviously when we met when we were 16, it's like, well, let's go over here to this place. Like, imagine and you're, you know, in a situation where you can be taken advantage of.

[Alison]

Oh, my gosh. It's. You're so vulnerable.

[Mike]

Just think, you remember that, like, dark road where we thought a cop was, like, upon us?

[Alison]

Oh, yeah. Somebody pulled up behind us.

[Mike]

It's like, that's a situation where somebody could have offed us easily.

[Alison]

Yes, absolutely. And nobody knew where we were.

[Mike]

And you're just like, in a place with somebody you presumably love or at least really like quite a bit. And it's like. It's like you're just having a wonderful time just getting, you know, with each other.

[Alison]

Your guard is down at one time. So investigators believe that the murders had taken place elsewhere because obviously I mentioned that their throats had been slashed. But little blood was found inside the car. And only weeks later, In November of 1986, FBI profiles started to work together to construct a profile of the person or people that were responsible. And at one point they suggested that the perpetrator could potentially be a member of law enforcement. So moving forward to nearly one year later when on a very rainy night in on Saturday, September 19, 1987, now we're talking about 20 year old David Knobling and he agreed to drive his younger cousin, his brother Michael and his brother's friend, this is 14 year old Robin Edwards out to have a good time so that they wouldn't have to walk in the bad weather. It sounds like that was the initial plan, was that they were just going to go off and do their own thing. But because the weather was so terribly rainy, David agreed to take them. So that night David's younger cousin had intended to take Robin out on a date. So initially they had planned to go out and see a movie, but they ended up at an arcade instead. They stayed there for about an hour or two and then on the ride back in David's beloved blood black Ford Ranger pickup truck, they were taking their cousin and Robin back home. This is sometime after 11pm that night the two boys chose to ride in the bed of the truck so that Robin wouldn't get wet. And that's very chivalrous. So this left David and Robin in the cab of the truck together for the 15 to 20 minute ride back to town. And this would have been the only time that they were alone together that night. They didn't know each other before this. So after David and Michael got back home, Michael recalled that David went outside to smoke a cigarette and they sat there together until David stood up and told Michael that he was going out. So when they said goodbye to one another, this was sadly the last time Michael ever saw his big brother. So the next morning the phone rings and David's mom gets a call that her son's truck had been found abandoned at Ragged Island Wildlife Refuge. And this is just across the street from the James River. So an isle of White sheriff's department or excuse me deputy spotted it early Sunday morning and it just, it stood out to him. The truck was oddly parked. One of the windows was slightly down, the driver's side door was a jar and the keys were in the ignition. The radio was playing and the windshield wipers were actively going. So David's wallet was sitting right there in plain view on the dashboard, and there was clothing strewn across the gear shift, while shoes were on the floor of the passenger side. They did not belong to David. So when David's mom asked Michael, do you know who this clothes and shoes belong to? He was able to say, that belongs to Robin. So although each of the underwear were inside the truck, the pants, both of their pants were nowhere to be found. So at this point in time, no one knew where David had gone the night before, who he had even been with. You know, like I said, he was 20 years old. He stood up, he said, I'm going out. They never knew where he went from there.

[Mike]

Wasn't Robin, 14?

[Alison]

Yes.

[Mike]

Silly.

[Alison]

So it turned out that David had been with Robin Edwards and she had snuck out of her home that night. Because we know that David brought Robin home. He dropped her off. Now we know he went back and picked her up.

[Mike]

That was the first night they were meeting. You said.

[Alison]

Yes.

[Mike]

And he's 20, she's 14.

[Alison]

Yes. So for two days, the rain continued to pour down as police searched the James River. But there was no sign of David or Robin. No one knew where they were. So David's father, Carl Knobling, he went down to the river himself to search, and he was wearing waiters and just trudging through the swamps and, you know, the. The river for any sign of his son. So it wasn't until days later, on Wednesday, September 23, when a jogger was out just running along the beach of the James river, and he spotted Robin's remains lying face down, down. And only minutes later, David's body was also found. Meanwhile, Carl, David's father, is actively out there searching. He's just further down the beach, maybe 50 yards away.

[Mike]

50 yards, that's it?

[Alison]

Yes.

[Mike]

Oh, my gosh.

[Alison]

When he heard the devastating news that his son's body was found, I mean.

[Mike]

50 yards, you could see that, like, easily.

[Alison]

Yeah. You know, I don't know what kind of shrubbery and brush there was that was concealing.

[Mike]

No, no, I'm just saying, like, he's right there. Right, right.

[Alison]

So, like Robin, David was also lying face down. And both victims had each been shot, David twice. Once in the back of the shoulder with a bullet that was angled up, and the other shot to his head. Robin had also been shot once in the back of the head, execution style. So both victims were partially clothed. Robin was wearing her jeans that were unfastened. Her bra was up around her neck, back. So despite the fact that she was underage and only 14 years old, it was presumed that she and David had a sexual encounter while they had been parked at Ragged island that night. And I mentioned that both of their pairs of underwear were in the car, so she obviously put her jeans back on when whatever happened, happened. So sadly, their devastated families learned that their bodies had been recovered. Heard while they were watching the news. That's how they found out Robin's family and David's, obviously Carl was down at the site. But David's mother and her bro, his brother, learned that their bodies had been found while they were sitting there watching the news. And they were absolutely horrified that authorities hadn't notified them before this information reached the media.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Alison]

So according to her family, Robin was an 8th grader who was far more mature beyond her years due to the experiences that she'd endured. She was a fearless spitfire, and she had run away from home several times in the past. She struggled with her mental health, and she was prone to reckless behavior even though she was as young as 14, in an eighth grade. That's exactly the age of our daughter. So although her family worried that maybe she had gotten hurt, maybe she, you know, snuck out the window and did something foolish and drowned or something like that, never once did it enter their minds that she could have been a victim of murder. In the months before her death, she started therapy. She was really working on getting herself back on track. She had really been in the process of turning her life around. And now her family was only left to wonder, what kind of a person would she have grown to be? Because, yes, she struggled a lot, but she was like a really, truly good person. Nobody does selling better than Shopify. Shopify is the home of the number one checkout on the planet and the not so secret secret with shop pay that boosts conversions up to 50%, meaning way less cards go abandoned and way more sales going through. So if you're into growing your business, your commerce platform better be ready. Ready to sell wherever your customers are scrolling or strolling on the web, in your store, in their feed, and everywhere in between. Businesses that sell more sell on Shopify. Upgrade your business and get the same checkout that Skins uses. Sign up for your $1 per month trial period for three months at shopify.com Westwood1 all lowercase go to shopify.com to upgrade your selling today. Shopify.com Westwood1.

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[Alison]

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[Alison]

So David, who lived in Hampton while he was working for his father's landscaping business business. He had a long term girlfriend who actually recently discovered that she was pregnant with his child. So why David had been out with a much younger Robin that night is unknown to everyone who knew them. This was a very mind boggling part of the story. Like oh my gosh, they're dead. But why were they out there together?

[Mike]

If I may, as a father of a 14 year old, if I found a 20 year old talking to my daughter, I would beat the living out of him.

[Alison]

Like get the hell out of here.

[Mike]

Oh I would make his life a living hell and make sure that everybody knew that he was a pedophile like, online, everywhere. I'd be like, in a legal way, obviously. But now, like, imagine you lose your son, then you find out he's potentially a pedophile. Like, that's crazy.

[Alison]

And it's tough because everyone said, my gosh, Robin was so mature, and. And she looked mature, but that doesn't mean she is mature.

[Mike]

I mean, you can't be with her, man. That's just not cool. I mean, it's an old illegal, too. So not only is it not cool, it's highly illegal.

[Alison]

Right. So, you know, obviously that is a big part of that, but it's also. It's not the focus of this.

[Mike]

No, I get it. But I just needed to say it because everybody's thinking it.

[Alison]

So other than the time they had spent together in the cab of his truck, this is a 15 minute drive back to town, to their houses while it was raining. That's the only time they had ever been alone together. So obviously, while they were riding in the car together, the truck together, they were clearly having some chemistry. And they're talking. And they must have arranged a meetup later that night. Hence why David left and picked Robin up, who snuck out of her house.

[Mike]

Which is interesting because this is 1987. There's like no text messages back and forth. It's just like, there must have been a spark there.

[Alison]

Yes. And they must have quickly arranged a meetup. So Ragged island, where David's truck had been found, was said to be a really rough area with a gritty reputation, especially at night because it was very poorly lit and isolated. So basically, with it being darkness, if there weren't lights on, the headlights or whatever, it was pitch dark. So the are. There are only two paths that the killer and his victims would have taken based on where their bodies were recovered. One was from the parking lot that was straight to the James River Bridge. And since the area was lined by a chain link fence and a swamp, there was basically no escape route. They were basically trapped. Trapped. So the second path is a winding trail through the swamp to the beach that was not far from where their bodies recovered. And on a dark, rainy night, either path would have been treacherous and precarious to walk. So it was determined that David's truck had been staged that night because he was known to always park his truck a certain way. That was just always David's way. He backed into every parking spot. That's actually how I parked park. So he never, ever left his truck unlocked, because like I said, this was like his pride and joy. So David and His brother had wired the radio so that they were able to play it without needing the car keys, whereas the killer had turned the keys to accessories in order for the radio to be on and playing. And this was something that David would have known he didn't have to do. So it seemed like the killer had purposely left the truck unlocked with the key keys plainly there out in the ignition, likely trying to get someone to steal the car. That was likely the goal of why it was left that way. So it's likely that Robin and David had been in the back of his truck. When the killer approached the vehicle, they were likely forced out of the car at gunpoint and marched down to the James River. Because David was shot in the back, it's likely he had taken off running and then the killer turned his attention to Robin. So as far as David and Robin's murders were concerned, a group of teens who were out at Ragged island on Saturday night into Sunday morning, they were there till about 2am on Sunday morning. This is September 20, 1987, they indicated that they hadn't seen David's truck while they had been out there. So since the driver's side window was found partially rolled down, investigators were wondering if maybe the perpetrator had been posing as a uniformed officer. So as with Becky and Kathy's murders, David's wallet was found sitting on the dashboard. So robbery was clearly not the motive. Again, so authorities suspected that the two sets of double murders were connected since each set of victims were couples that had been murdered at or near Lovers Lane area and their locations were right around a 40 minute drive to one another. So about seven months after David and Robin's murders. Christopher Newport, college students. This is 18 year old Cassandra Haley and 20 year old Richard or Keith Call, he went by his middle name, Keith. They were reported missing on April 10, 1988 after they were last seen the night before on April 9. So Keith had only recently broken up with his girlfriend of four years when he asked Cassandra out on a date. This was one of his business classmates. They want, they wanted to go see a movie on Saturday night and then go to a party together.

[Mike]

You wanted to get into some of her business.

[Alison]

Very good, Mike. So Keith was a lover of technology and he was majoring in computer science and his friends and family always joked that he was a pre geek because he got into technology before the computer craze of the mid-90s. So before Keith picked Cassandra up, they knew, you know, they were going to be going out to a party. And by the way, just to give you perspective if you're from this area. Cassandra lived in Grafton, so this is going to be their first date. They're going to be going to see a movie and then going to a party after. So Keith asked his brother if he could get them some beer because they were underage. So they drove off in Keith's red 1982 Toyota Celica. And then after they attended a party at the University Square Apartments. They were seen leaving this party at about 1:45, maybe 1:30 in the morning. And according to partygoers, much of the time they had been at this party together. They were socially. They were socializing in separate groups.

[Mike]

Like mixing.

[Alison]

Yeah, they were mixing. And again, they're. This is their first date. They're probably catching up with their own friends. So Keith's empty Celica was found at the York River Overlook in Yorktown with the keys as well as his gold watch sitting on the driver's seat seat. And according to his family, he would have never voluntarily taken off his watch. So nearly all of the clothes that Keith had been wearing that night, including his underwear, were found on the back seat. Some of Cassandra's clothing was there as well, including three shoes. So one of Cassandra's shoes were missing and have never been found. So there was also a couple of empty beer cans on the back seat. The glove box was open, and Keith's wallet was on the console, while Cassandra's purse was also there. So police dogs were able to track the couple sent along the parkway past the site of where Kathy and Becky's bodies were found to the Indian Field Creek shoreline. And the dogs basically ran up to the water. So then they started theorizing that maybe the couple had stopped and gone on skinny dipping that night, and maybe they drowned. Because the mouth of the Indian Field Creek, it does have sandy beaches, and during the summer months, it's a popular swimming hole. However, when they were out that night, the temperatures were in the mid-40s. And I don't know about you, but there is no way in hell that I would be entering the water when the temperature is that low.

[Mike]

No, over here, it was like 50 last night. And I was just like, talking to our little niece. I'm like, you would not want to jump into this pool, right?

[Alison]

So this made swimming a very unlikely scenario. So after the river and the surrounding areas were searched, there was no sign of Keith or Cassandra. And despite the passage of nearly 38 years, their bodies have never been found. So witnesses who were at the party with Keith and Cassandra that night, like I said they indicated that they left sometime between 1:30 and 1:45am and their families do not believe that they would have stopped along the Colonial Parkway for any reason. For a. For a number of reasons. So Cassandra was a very responsible young woman, and she had a 2am curfew. Her parents said that she was always on time, and if she was ever running even a little bit late, she would call them to let them know that that was the case. I think her. Her parents lived maybe somewhere between like 15 and 18 minutes away from. From this location where they were at the party. So leaving the party when they did would have gotten her home by about 2am so they don't think they would have ever stopped. They would have come straight back to her house after the party. Not only that, but Keith's family was aware of the fact that he was very uneasy even driving along the Colonial Parkway, let alone stopping along this location, because he was very well aware of the recent murders that had taken place.

[Mike]

It sounds like me, like, I would probably have avoid it 100, especially with them with a girl.

[Alison]

Right. So. And especially, you know, that the two double murders that had taken place were people that were out on dates. So they were like, there's no way he would have stopped at this location. So investigators theorized that whatever happened took place between the party and Cassandra's home along the Route 17 corridor. So the killer had likely gotten them to pull over before taking control of them. Them. And it's possible they were forced to drive around until the killer ordered them to remove their clothing as a way to exert control over them until they were ultimately murdered. And then Keith's car was abandoned. And they even referenced the beer cans in the back seat. They wondered, like, did the killer drive around forcing them to drive and maybe drink those beers? They didn't know. So since their bodies have never been recovered, they. You know, where their bodies were left? We have no idea. Were they buried? Were they put into a waterway? How they died, it's completely unknown because we know in Kathy and Becky's cases, a knife was used, whereas in David and Robin's cases, a gun was used. So Cassandra's mom and dad have since relocated to Florida. But while they lived in York county, they kept a candle in their window, waiting for their daughter to come home. Home. For the 30th anniversary of their disappearance. This happened in 2018. The Haley family wrote a message that voiced their frustration at the lack of answers in the case and the feelings of abandonment that they have for the FBI The Virginia State Police as well as the National Park Service, they kind of feel like their, their daughter's case has just gotten forgotten.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Alison]

So in the days after Keith and Cassandra vanished, the FBI became aware of a local fisherman. And this is 33 year old Alan Wilmer. And he drove this distinctive blue 1966 Dodge Fargo pickup truck. It was, you know, at the time of these cases. And the license plate was M raw E M R A W. So it was a very noticeable car and license plate. So the reason why they were turning their attention to this guy was that he had approached at least one other couple along the Colonial Parkway around the time of these murders. And he was aggressively banging on their window and scaring the crap out of these couples.

[Mike]

Okay, well this is your only lead. I mean at least the best lead.

[Alison]

So in one instance, in the one instance I'm talking about, the young man in question had long hair. So Wilmer thought that it was two girls in the car and he's banging on the glass like sneering at them, are you girls having fun? And when he realized that it was actually a man and a woman in the car, they said that he backed off a little bit. So after Wilmer was placed on surveillance, he was doing very highly concerning things. Officers noted him cleaning and spray painting his truck. And after the FBI obtained a warrant to search his trailer, they found handcuffs, a gun and pornography. But then an FBI polygraph examiner, he completely cleared him from the case after he passed the exam with flying colors. They basically just completely forgot about this guy. So In May of 1988, the FBI offered a ten thousand dollar reward which in 26 or 2026, excuse me, would be equivalent to about $28,000. And then by June of 1988, the spree of three double homicides were officially dubbed the Colonial Parkway murders. So nearly a year and a half later, on Labor Day, this is Monday, September 4, 1989, 18 year old Anna Maria, who went by Anna, this is Anna Phelps. She and her boyfriend's older Brother, this is 21 year old Daniel or Danny Lauer. They disappeared while they were on their way back to Virginia beach from Amelia County. So Danny's gold 1972 Chevy Nova was later found abandoned along Interstate 64 at a rest stop in New Kent County. So Anna and Danny were not in a romantic relationship. And that's why I was saying in the beginning they may have resembled one. But because she and Danny's brother, this is Clint, they live together, they were young and they were struggling financially, Danny agreed to move in with them to start helping with their monthly payments. So since Danny needed to go back home to Amelia county to get his belongings, Anna decided to accompany him on the trip because this would give her time to see her family. So while he was gathering his things and getting them ready to officially move to Virginia beach, she was visiting with her family. This is a drive that would have taken about two and a half hours. So he picked Anna up at about 11pm and on their way back to Virginia beach, they vanished. So the next morning, obviously, they expected to be home somewhere around, I don't know, maybe 1:32am they weren't there by the next morning. So this is when their family members contacted the Virginia State Police to report them missing. And then at about 5:30pm that day, now it's Tuesday, September 5th. A Virginia State Police officer found Danny's car at a rest stop along the westbound side of Interstate 64 in New Kent County. This is despite the fact that it didn't make sense, because to get to Virginia beach, they would have been traveling eastbound on I 64. So the car was also parked at an odd angle on the merge acceleration ramp, where no one parks unless they're having car trouble. So both the driver and the passenger side's door doors were unlocked. The driver's side window was also rolled halfway down. The keys were in the ignition, and there was a roach clip with feathers that were dangling from the window that Danny always kept attached to the rear view mirror. So the founder of the Virginia State Police's behavioral science unit, this is Larry McCann. He felt that the person who did this had put the roach clip there just to taunt authorities. So since Anna's purse was found in the car, once again, robbery was excluded as a motive. So the Virginia State Police, as well as the new count, or, excuse me, New Kent County Sheriff's office, they were searching for Dana, Danny, and Anna, but they could find no trace of that them. Much of the area was searched using helicopters, but because there was a lot of surrounding dense woods, it was nearly impossible to visualize anything on the ground. So meanwhile, their families were just holding out hope that they would come home safely. And it wasn't until 44 days later when their skeletonized bodies were found on October 19 out by Turkey hunters. And this was off of a logging trail in a wooded area along I 64 between Williamsburg and Richmond. And this was about a mile from the rest stop where Danny's car was found. Their remains were lying side by side. They had been wrapped in an Electric blanket from Danny's car. Because they were so badly decomposed, their causes of death couldn't even be determined. Nor could it be determined if a sexual assault had occurred. So there was a knife wound that was found to one of Anna's finger bones. So we do know that a knife. Knife was involved in some capacity, and it had proved that she had fought with her killer. So 50ft from her body, investigators found Anna's locket. In this locket. It's just so tragic. It held photos of her little nephews, but the chain was never recovered. So Anna was known to be someone who liked to go barefoot. And oddly enough, she was found wearing Danny's socks and shoes, which just didn't make sense. Sense. So since the area where the remains had been recovered was very difficult to navigate, especially in the darkness of night, when we know this happened, it's likely the killer either knew the area very well or had previously scoped it out with the intention of doing something terrible like this. So, because it had been raining a lot during the six weeks that Dana, Danny, and Anna had been missing, a lot of the evidence that may have been involved had likely been washed away. So since there was no mud on Danny's tires, it's likely the killer picked Danny and Anna up from the eastbound rest area. That's the area they would have been heading. They drove it in. They drove in his car to the wooded area where the remains were ultimately found. They. This person murdered them and then left their bodies before going back to the rest area and moving Danny's car to the opposite side of the interstate state. Why they would do that? Maybe just to cause some confusion.

[Mike]

Yeah, this guy just seems to be.

[Alison]

Playing with them, playing with people. So the killer then took the electric blanket from Danny's car, went back to the crime scene, covered the remains, and then left. And as with David's truck and Keith Celica, the keys were sitting out there out in the open, probably so that someone would be tempted to steal the car. So, of the four sets of double homicides, this crime scene was the farthest from the Colonial Parkway. But it was a relatively short drive to each of the other crime scenes. Many people question whether Annie. I keep wanting to call them Annie and Dana. This is what my brain does. So many people were questioning whether Anna and Danny's cases were tied to the others, including criminal behavioral specialists from the FBI as well as the Virginia State Police. So two weeks after Jewel Phelps buried her daughter, investigators had given her a box of Anna's belongings and they had been, they had all been analyzed in jewel. This is Anna's mom. She was obviously grief stricken and devastated and she took this box and she just put it up somewhere. And it wasn't until more than 20 years later in 2010, when her relatives started going through these items and they found that there was a letter inside that, that Anna had written herself. It was undated and it indicated that she was planning to meet someone in a blue van at a rest stop. And the note not only named the person, but it also provided a phone number. However, I will tell you, I scoured the Internets and law enforcement has not released the details of who was named in this letter. So at the first crime scene where Kathy and Becky had been murdered, Kathy's wallet had been removed from her purse as if she was taking it out to maybe show her photo ID to someone who was coming upon their car.

[Mike]

It might be in the law enforcement officer.

[Alison]

So the window of David's truck was slightly down, as was the driver's side window of Danny's Nova. This suggested that the killer may either have been a member of law enforcement or was just posing as one. Because we've done cases where people have done that. Cats and Keith and Cassandra's murders, the glove box and Keith Celica was found opened as if he was going in there to potentially get his registration out. So this would explain how the attacker was able to easily approach their victims and subdue them. So another theory was that the killer was maybe a fisherman. So in the first set of murders, a piece of nautical line was found caught up in Kathy's hair. Not only that, but diesel fuel had also been doused on their bodies as well as Kathy's car. This was suggesting that maybe the perpetrator purchased the fuel at a gas station for the use of a boat rather than directly from a marina. This is something that was common among the fishermen. I don't know if it was cheaper to get it at a place elsewhere from the marina, but that's what a lot of fishermen did. And not only that, the knife that was used to slash their throat throats had nearly decapitated Kathy. So this was also. Fishermen were known to have very, very sharp knives on them. So David and Robin's bodies were also found on the banks of the James river, while Cassandra and in Keith's sense were tracked by dogs to the end of the York River. Maybe a boat was involved in these cases. Maybe the the person had taken a boat out and come upon them on foot that way. So In September of 2009, nearly 80 graphic photos were leaked when it was discovered that they had been used inappropriately in training sessions that were run by a private security company. So a former agency photographer who has since died, he took copies of these photos when he retired and the photos were internal evidence that were not intended for public viewing and the leak caused significant distress to the victim's families. So with this, authorities vowed to resume and restart the investigation.

[Mike]

Yeah, because they screwed up and allowed these photos out somehow. Or I guess they didn't allow it, but hired somebody that took them that did.

[Alison]

So the point is, they were basically saying, well, as an apology, we will start to renew this investigation.

[Mike]

Okay? We'll take it seriously.

[Alison]

So it wasn't until January 8, 2024. This is more than 36 years after 20 year old David Knobling and 14 year old Robin Edwards were murdered in September of 1987 when the Virginia State Police and multiple law enforcement agencies announced that they had a suspect for their murders.

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This podcast is supported by the Real Real. Meet Christine. She loves shopping and this is the sound of fashion overload. Too many fabulous things, not enough space. So Christine started selling with the RealReal.

[Alison]

I've always loved collecting designer pieces, Gucci bags, Prada heels. But my style keeps evolving. Selling with the RealReal game changer. I earn more. And they do everything.

[Ad Host]

Seriously. Just drop off your items or schedule a pickup. We handle the photos, descriptions, pricing, even shipping. You just sit back and watch your items sell fast to our 40 million members.

[Alison]

And I get peace of mind knowing I earn more selling with the RealReal than anywhere else else.

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[Alison]

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[Alison]

[e-mail] so this was Alan Wilmer senior. So he was linked to David and Robin's case through DNA evidence. Wilmer was the guy that was the FBI suspect only days after Keith Call and Cassandra Haley vanished in April of 1988. But he was completely cleared from the case after he passed that polygraph exam. So because Wilmer had no felonies on his criminal record occurred, his DNA was never obtained and entered into the CODIS database.

[Mike]

Well, you had a search warrant. Why not take it? Maybe you're not allowed at that point.

[Alison]

I don't know if you have probable cause, you can take his DNA. So it wasn't until December 15, 2017 when he died alone in his Virginia home at 63 years old when his DNA was obtained for identification purposes. His body was found a month after he died, so it was significantly decomposed. So in order to conclusively say that this was him, they had to take his DNA. So with a fresh look at the old cases, authorities started to look into Wilmer as a suspect. When they realized that he was dead, they legally obtained his genetic material and Submitted it to the forensic science department to compare it to the evidence that was collected at the murder store scenes. So In June of 2023, the Virginia Department of Forensic Science issued a certificate of analysis that confirmed a genetic match to Wilmer based on evidence that was collected from the Isle of White county and city of Hampton homicide victims. So although initial investigations were unsure if Robin Edwards had been sexually assaulted, it was later determined that yes, she had been at 14 years old. And in 2024, with the DNA that had been left behind, investigators were able to say for sure that Alan Wilmer senior was Robin Edwards and David Knobling's killer.

[Mike]

So they could determine that Robin was sexually assaulted. Well, that's by somebody that was. Wasn't David most likely.

[Alison]

Oh yeah. It was a match to Wilmer.

[Mike]

Okay.

[Alison]

It was his DNA that was wondering how.

[Mike]

Yeah. Okay.

[Alison]

So in addition to David and Robin's murders, Wilmer Homer has also been forensically tied to two completely different murders that we have not talked about. This is the 1988 murder of 18 year old Lori Ann Powell as well as the 1989 murder of 29 year old Teresa Howell.

[Mike]

So these weren't couples. These are just individuals.

[Alison]

Totally individuals. So 18 year old Lori Powell was last seen on March 8, 1988, after she and her boyfriend, this is Chris Cutler, they had gotten into an argument and she stormed out of his car at 11:30pm so she walked along Route 614 in the direction of Route 17. And that's the route that Cassandra and Keith would have likely taken home. So this was in the White Marsh area area of Gloucester County. So initially the investigators thought that Chris may have been involved because obviously he was the last person person that she was with. They were fighting and she stormed off.

[Mike]

Sure.

[Alison]

So nearly a month later, on April 2, 1988, her body was recovered from the Elizabeth river near Craney island. And she was found nude with multiple stab wounds to her back. And she had been sexually assaulted. According to Lori's sister, she was brave, spontaneous, witty, smart and beautifully herself. She was a firecracker who spoke her mind. She followed her heart. Heart. And she had never apologized for just being herself. Lori's family realized that at this point in time, nothing can erase the pain of losing her. But they find comfort that the truth has come to light after 36 long years of not knowing who took her life. So Wilmer's fourth victim. This is 29 year old Teresa or Terry Howell. She was last seen leaving the Zodiac Club. This is a popular Hampton night spot spot at about 2:30 in the morning on July 1, 1989. And then seven hours later, her body was found by a construction worker in a nearby wooded area that was 11 miles from where David and Robin's bodies were recovered. And she had been strang strangled and sexually assaulted. So he's using different means of murder. He's using a gun, a knife, and strangulation. Which is kind of interesting because usually killers have an M.O.

[Mike]

Yeah, they stick to their method methods.

[Alison]

So her murder wasn't connected to the Colonial Parkway murders until 2022, when DNA from her case matched the DNA from David and Robin's cases. That's when they realized that whoever killed David and Robin also killed her. So Wilmer, who stood at 5 foot 5 and weighed 165 pounds, was a stocky, muscular man with sandy brown hair and a close crop beard. And he went by the nickname Poky. And he drove a blue 1966 Dodge Fargo pickup truck. Again, the license plate was MRAW. And he often carried clamming equipment and had a large affix metal toolbox in the bed of his truck. This was one of several trucks he drove in the 1980s and early 1990s. So Wilmer also owned a small commercial custom built wooden fishing boat. He was a fisherman. So he had this boat built in 1976, and it was named Denny Wade. And he often lived on this boat and he would dock it at marinas in Gloucester and Middlesex counties and around the Northern Neck and Hampton Roads areas. He worked as a fisherman in the 1980s, mostly farming oysters and clams.

[Mike]

So that's probably his license plate. Eat them raw? Yeah, like raw oysters.

[Alison]

Oysters. So he also ran a business called Better Tree Service. So not only was he a fisherman, but he also cut trees. He was an avid hunter, and he belonged to at least one hunt club. Wilmer was married in 1975, but he later divorced. He did have two children, both of whom were adults at the time of his death and were likely young children when he was committing all these crimes. His family released a statement after he was connected to the murders, and they said the man who committed these crimes was not someone we knew. The revelation of what he has done has deeply impacted our family as we are forced to reconcile who we believed him to be be with the unimaginable things that he has done. They went on to say that they have been cooperative with law enforcement and they deeply mourn for the victim's families. They are shocked that he could have done what he did.

[Mike]

I was hoping they Weren't going to be like, there's. It wasn't him. It's like, okay, okay.

[Alison]

So they also spoke to investigators, spoke with Wilmer's neighbor, this is Tommy Haymans. And he knew the man to be very peaceful and nice. Someone who did a lot of work for people in the area. He would know, be known like, say a storm came through and people had trees down. He would go over and help them out and cut them down. And he as his family was Wilmer's family. He was stunned to learn that he could be connected to four murders. They're like, this doesn't equate. This is not the man that I had known. So obviously he was able to hide behind a mask, Jekyll and Hyde, which is very scary. But I have to say, when I look at his photo, he's a scary looking man. So family members of the remaining six victims involved in the Colonial Parkway murders believe that maybe Wilmer could be responsible for those as well. But I will tell you, at this point in time, police and FBI investigators have not established a conclusive link. However, they are continuing to pursue those cases. We know that only days after Keith Call and Cassandra Haley vanished, the FBI was looking at Wilmer as a top suspect. Why? They didn't just take a DNA swab saying, hey, you fit the profile. You are aggressively banging on people's cars in the middle of the night, scaring the crap out of them. What reason would you have to do that?

[Mike]

I mean, that's a big, big red flag.

[Alison]

That's, that's really sick and twisted. You're going out and getting kicks. Scaring the crap out of young kids, that's weird. And then, not to mention they found suspicious things in his trailer. So why not just take a DNA swap? Oh, no, you passed your polygraph test. Run along. Toodaloo. Enjoy your life.

[Mike]

It's got to be pointed out it wasn't just a random polygraph test. This was by the FBI. So you would think if anybody knows their stuff, it'd be the FBI. And unfortunately they failed us.

[Alison]

Right. So according to Kathy Thomas's family, there are unconfirmed reports that Kathy and Becky were seen at the Yorktown Pub. And this is a place that was situated along the Colonial Parkway way where Wilmer was said to be a regular. Did he see them and think, huh, they look like a couple. I'm going to go ahead and follow them. But you have to say, like, Kathy was found clutching hair in, in her hands. So how they couldn't tie it to him. Conclusively, I'm not entirely sure. However, at this point in time, three of these double homicides remain unsolved. The October 1986 murders of Kathy Thomas and Becky Dowski. The April 1988 presumed murders of Keith Call and Cassandra Haley, whose bodies have never been recovered, as well as the September 1989 murders of Danny Lauer and Anna Phelps. The murders along Virginia's Colonial Parkway remain some of the most haunting cases in American true crime history. For multiple decades, families have lived in limbo, many continuing to wait for answers. These innocent victims were young adults who were sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, and friends. Each of their lives were violently cut short on quiet stretches of road. Hope remains that with advances in technology, the truth might still be brought to light despite the passage of nearly four decades at this point in time. And that is a sad case of the Colonial Parkway murders.

[Mike]

Crazy so.

[Alison]

Which I'd never even heard. Heard of.

[Mike]

Yeah. As you were ending, I was like, this is one of the most notorious. I'm like, how come we didn't know about it?

[Alison]

And my friend Lydia, who suggested this case is from Virginia, so that's why she's familiar with the cases.

[Mike]

And crazy that law enforcement hasn't let go of Anna's letter. Like, I mean, a blue van. She was planning on meeting somebody. I wonder how that all came about. Like, nowadays it'd be easy because you could look at emails and text. But, like, back then, how that happened.

[Alison]

And, I mean, you would think if it wrote Alan Wilmer and this is his phone number, we would know. But I assume it couldn't be Alan Wilmer that was written on that.

[Mike]

Yeah, exactly. Because then there might be somebody else out there. They don't want to create hysteria.

[Alison]

Right, Right. And it could be completely unrelated to what happened to them. So they don't want to throw an innocent, potentially innocent person under the bus. Yeah.

[Mike]

And then you can't, you know, tie it back to Kathy and Becky for whatever reason. That's kind of weird. I assume they would just be like, yep, he also did it to them.

[Alison]

But again, there was hair clutched in her hands. So if that was running, if, you know, there was, you know. Yeah, the DNA gotta have the follicles attached. I assume. I'm certainly not a forensics expert.

[Mike]

You have done over 400 true crime.

[Alison]

Podcasts, but I'm certainly not a forensic expert. But say they maybe there weren't any follicles attached and they couldn't get any DNA from it. I don't know. But it was weird that there Was a nautical line tied up in Kathy's hair?

[Mike]

Yeah. And I mean, it's not illegal to have pornography and. Well, unless you're Florida now, but. Or what? Yeah.

[Alison]

Handcuffs.

[Mike]

Handcuffs?

[Alison]

No, of course not. It just. It's suspicious in lieu of the circumstances and the fact that he was spray painting his truck to make it look different. That's very suspicious.

[Mike]

You have handcuffs in your nightstand, so.

[Alison]

Most certainly don't.

[Mike]

Whoopsies. Sorry, son. If you're recording editing this.

[Alison]

Most certainly don't. But it's just so sad to think that three of these cases, there's no. No one attached. Somebody did this to. To six innocent young people and they have never been held accountable for it. That's always something that just gets me so much because, like, the horror that these people lived through and the way their lives ended and this person is potentially just out doing their thing.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Alison]

Highly, highly violent person.

[Mike]

Gross. Well, so sorry to all the families affected by this terrible thing.

[Alison]

Absolutely. And it's just another reminder that, like, people who, who found out that it was Alan, they were like, no, he was such a nice guy. That scares the crap out of me.

[Mike]

I mean, I'm thinking of, like, people that we know that are helpful and nice. It's like in the neighborhood. Right.

[Alison]

We're at work. You're at work and you're like, oh, what a nice guy.

[Ad Host]

Yeah.

[Mike]

He just wants to help everybody.

[Alison]

Like, no, he's responsible for four murders.

[Mike]

Like, what?

[Alison]

And rapes. Like, sickening.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Alison]

So just terribly, terribly sad. My heart goes out to any of the family's victims or loved ones. I'm just so sorry that this happened. It's so, so scary.

[Mike]

Yeah, it's definitely important to remember these stories and just in case it helps anybody, you know, and just it's important to remember these people that were once part of our society too.

[Alison]

And it is possible, based on the evidence with the windows down and the glove box open and yada yada, that he was posing as a police officer very easily. It's pitch dark outside. Even if he didn't have a uniform on, if he shined a flashlight in their face inside. Police.

[Mike]

Yeah. But also you would find some kind of police stuff, like a police badge.

[Alison]

He might not have even had anything to. To, you know, it could have just been that it was dark outside and he's shining a flashlight in people's face saying, police.

[Mike]

Right. That's true.

[Alison]

You know, so. And then that's another thing too. Like, you have the legal right to go pull off at a safe Location you don't have to pull off where a police officer is shining their lights on. Yeah. You know, you can get yourself to a safe location for doing so.

[Mike]

And you can call 911 if you don't believe it's a police officer. I mean, do it like, we got to take advantage of our safety and stuff. And if you think somebody might be posing as a cop, call 911 and say, I would just like some backup just in case this isn't. You're within your right to do so.

[Alison]

Right. And we were even talking to our daughter and her girlfriends about, you know, our natural instinct is to want to be polite to people. But if you have that sense inside of you that a red flag is rising, something doesn't feel right. Trust your gut instinct and don't freaking worry about hurting someone's feelings because your safety is of the utmost importance. Yeah.

[Mike]

Absolutely. Think yourself first. It's okay to be selfish in those situations. F. Politeness, as I say, because really gut.

[Alison]

Your gut instinct is, you know, often times. Right. Yeah.

[Mike]

And even if it's not, what's worst case scenario? You got to weigh the pros and cons. It's like if the con is any kind of bad thing, something terrible like a murder, then go ahead and go with the pro of just getting the heck out of there.

[Alison]

That was always my problem when I was a teenager. I always wanted to be polite to everybody. Don't hurt anyone's feelings. When I was like, something doesn't feel right about this.

[Mike]

Yeah. And odds are it's probably not going to be a terrible situation. But. But better safe than sorry.

[Alison]

Absolutely. But thank you guys so much for being here with us. We appreciate each and every one of you. Share our podcast maybe with a friend, if you know someone that likes true crime, pass us along.

[Mike]

Yeah. If you want us to get to a million, we got to do this together, folks. Let's do it. So we appreciate you every Sunday, come at you with a free episode. Every Wednesday, there's a bonus episode. Go ahead and look on Patreon or Apple subscriptions. It'll explain the situation. So.

[Alison]

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[Alison]

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