SEQUESTERED Podcast

The Shenandoah Park Murders

Episode 2: The Discovery

Release Date: October 20, 2025
Host: Road Trip Studios
Focus: The discovery of the bodies of Julie Williams and Lollie Winans in Shenandoah National Park in May 1996, the immediate search and investigation, public and community impact, and early questions about motive—including the potential of anti-lesbian bias.

Episode Overview

This harrowing episode narrates how the disappearance of Julie Williams and Lollie Winans—two skilled outdoorswomen—unfolded from their peaceful camping trip in Shenandoah National Park to the discovery of their brutal murders. Through detailed timeline reconstruction, the host explores the search, the shock to the national park’s community, the investigation’s early challenges, and the questions and advocacy that rose around the possibility of a hate crime.

Timeline and Key Events

Setting the Scene: Shenandoah, Late May 1996

• The episode opens with atmospheric narration recalling the era: “It's late May of 1996, a time before phones had maps, before we were always reachable.” (00:06, Narrator)
• Julie and Lollie, along with Julie’s dog Taj, arrive at Shenandoah National Park on Sunday, May 19, pitching their tent for some days of respite and freedom in the backcountry.

The Hiking Trip

• The women move through scenic trails—White Oak Canyon and Hawksbill Mountain (highest point in the park).
• Their camera, later found, preserved moments of joy: “Snapshots of two women completely at home in the wilderness. It was found among their gear at the campsite, still sealed inside a waterproof bag.” (02:10, Narrator)
• Last sighting: May 24, 1996. A ranger and a hiker see them with their dog.

The Disappearance and Initial Search

• Julie’s family expects her call on Memorial Day, May 27, but hears nothing. Concern grows.
• On May 31, her father notifies park authorities. The search intensifies:
  • Rangers “launched what they called hasty searches. These are quick, wide area sweeps of major trails that radiate out from Skyland.” (05:52, Narrator)
• Taj is found alone but unharmed on June 1 by a hiker, deepening fears.

The Discovery of the Crime Scene

• June 1, around 8:50pm: Rangers discover a hidden, secluded campsite along Bridal Trail.
• The shocking scene:
  • “Their tent was still standing, the flap partially unzipped. And when searchers pulled it open, they were met with a devastating scene. Inside were two women still in their sleeping bags. Their hands were both bound with nylon cords, their mouths sealed shut with duct tape, and both had deep knife wounds in their necks.” (08:18, Narrator)
  • The brutality and precision stuns the community and authorities.

Community Shock and Public Fear

National Park and Hiker Reactions

• The crime shatters the trail’s sense of sanctuary:
  • “There’s a very profound expectation of sanctuary in the woods. It’s been invaded. Any kind of violence is invasive.” (12:29, Brian King, Appalachian Trail Conference)
• For the first time, the national park’s safety is publicly questioned:
  • Rich Ashburn, a hiker: “We don’t hike alone anymore. Or if you do, you’re looking over your shoulder… It just makes you… a little fearful.” (13:09, Narrator paraphrasing)

Delay and Public Criticism

• The Park Service doesn’t alert the public immediately. A senator demands to know why:
  • “The delay in notifying the public sparked immediate backlash on Capitol Hill. An Alaskan senator demanded to know why no warning had been issued.” (12:01, Narrator)
• The incident draws national attention:
  • Los Angeles Times headline: “Murder Invades Idyllic World of Backpackers.”
  • Park Service spokesperson admits: “We have drunk drivers and we have assaults and we have all the other problems people face in the cities.” (14:27, Narrator quoting)

Community Mourning

• Both families’ hometowns reel with shock and grief:
  • “Teachers pulled out old yearbooks. Teammates called each other in disbelief.” (15:06, Narrator)
  • “Their funerals drew hundreds. Not just friends and family, but classmates, coaches, community members…” (15:52, Narrator)
• Woodswomen, the group where Julie and Lollie met, is devastated:
  • “Their murders cut to the heart of that mission.” (16:45, Narrator)

Theories, Investigation & Advocacy

Law Enforcement Challenges

• The case falls under federal jurisdiction; local, state, and federal agencies coordinate.
• Evidence is limited due to:
  • Remoteness and number of park visitors (over 1.5 million/year)
  • Weather and time elapsed

Early Motive Questions and LGBTQ Advocacy

• Theories swirl: Was this a random act, a targeted attack, or a hate crime?
• In 1996, being openly queer carried real risks:
  • “Two women camping together were often assumed to be queer...the very fear that kept them quiet was the one that found them.” (20:15, Narrator)
• June 7: National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) sends a letter to Attorney General Janet Reno, urging a thorough, bias-aware investigation.
  • “We are asking for your help to ensure that the FBI and National Park Service are diligent in investigating all aspects of these crimes, including the possibility that the murders were motivated by anti-lesbian bias.” (21:03, LGBTQ Advocate)

FBI’s Blind Spot and Community Concern

• An FBI spokesperson had downplayed hate crime motives:
  • “There was, quote, no indication this is a hate crime of any particular type, end quote.” (22:49, Narrator, quoting Special Agent John Donahue)
• LGBTQ advocates highlight a lack of knowledge—from FBI’s ignorance about victims’ orientation and a major prior lesbian couple attack:
  • “During this conversation, Mr. Donahue indicated that he was unaware that the victims were lesbians and that he had not heard of the Rebecca White and Claudia Brenner incident.” (23:07, LGBTQ Advocate)

DOJ Response

• Janet Reno’s office replies, affirming:
  • “From the outset, investigators have been exhaustively examining all evidence, following all leads, and pursuing all motives, including the possibility that the crime was motivated by the sexual orientation of the victims.” (24:37, LGBTQ Advocate)
• Legal limitations: Hate crime laws around sexual orientation not yet federal reality in 1996.

The Investigation Falters

• Leads trickle and unravel, the initial wave of calls and tips yields no breakthrough:
  • “But one by one, the leads unraveled. Suspects were cleared, witnesses faltered, and the phone lines that once rang late into the night grew quiet.” (25:45, Narrator)
• The sense of lost sanctuary, uncertainty, and unresolved grief deepens within the park and beyond.

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• "No one imagines that anything terrible could happen here. The park feels like a sanctuary. It's a little slice of America, perfectly untouched by violence." (00:36, Narrator)
• "Snapshots of two women completely at home in the wilderness… The images told the story of their final days." (02:10, Narrator)
• “Their hands were both bound with nylon cords, their mouths sealed shut with duct tape, and both had deep knife wounds in their necks.” (08:23, Narrator)
• “There’s a very profound expectation of sanctuary in the woods. It’s been invaded. Any kind of violence is invasive.” (12:29, Brian King)
• “We don’t hike alone anymore. Or if you do, you’re looking over your shoulder… It just makes you… a little fearful.” (13:09, Narrator paraphrasing)
• “We are asking for your help to ensure that the FBI and National Park Service are diligent in investigating all aspects of these crimes, including the possibility that the murders were motivated by anti-lesbian bias.” (21:03, LGBTQ Advocate)
• “At least one FBI spokesperson has already dismissed the possibility of a hate crime. Unless there are facts to support this conclusion, we are deeply alarmed by such an announcement.” (22:37, LGBTQ Advocate)
• “From the outset, investigators have been exhaustively examining all evidence, following all leads, and pursuing all motives, including the possibility that the crime was motivated by the sexual orientation of the victims.” (24:37, Janet Reno’s Office via LGBTQ Advocate)

Memorable Moments and Emotional Resonance

• The poignant description of the recovered photographs—ordinary snapshots made haunting by hindsight.
• The moment Taj reappears alone, unharmed but signaling something is very wrong.
• The piercing silence and secrecy surrounding the crime scene—“...the forest itself had swallowed the truth, a secret buried under moss and leaves just out of reach.” (26:30, Narrator)
• The parallel pain in two distant American communities, united by grief.
• The tension between public fear, LGBTQ advocacy, and federal law enforcement’s limitations.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:06–02:30: Setting the scene—Julie and Lollie’s arrival, hiking, and last days
• 05:30–08:30: Disappearance, search for Julie, Lollie, and Taj; discovery of campsite and bodies
• 09:06–11:57: Reaction of park, hikers, and public following the discovery; safety questioned
• 12:01–15:16: Media attention, community grief, funerals
• 15:46–18:47: Impact on Woodswomen and families; challenges faced by investigators
• 19:07–21:55: Rumors about motive, early LGBTQ-focused advocacy, context of 1990s attitudes
• 22:37–24:37: NGLTF advocacy and Janet Reno’s official response
• 25:30–26:30: The investigation’s challenges and the enduring silence after the initial media wave

What’s Next?

The episode closes on a note of lingering tension and introduces the seeds of a future suspect, setting up the following installment:
“A year after Julie and Lawley’s murders, another woman, a Canadian tourist…would introduce investigators to a man whose name would dominate Julie and Lawley’s case for years to come.” (27:00, Narrator)

For photos and more details, visit sequesteredpod.com.

This episode is a deeply researched, emotionally resonant account of the events and aftermath of the 1996 Shenandoah Park killings, notable for its sensitivity, its contextual insight into law enforcement and LGBTQ issues of the era, and its haunting evocation of a wilderness paradise forever altered by violence.