VA VA - David Metzler, 19, & Heidi Childs, 18, fatally shot, Montgomery Co, 26 Aug 2009

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The police seemed pretty clear that they had DNA evidence in this case, so I am assuming they are certain (for whatever reason) that it came from the killer. Should have ruled in/out Jesse Matthew by now. I wonder what that evidence is and where it was found? Semen? or blood/tissue under nails? Could be lots of things. The murder weapon is interesting to me. That is very definitely a common hunting caliber, usually in a lever action rifle. It would require 2 hands. But also could have shot them from a distance. Were any shell casings found at the scene? I am sorry, I havent followed this case much until now.
 
Not sure if Fred Atwell's DNA is in the system, but it might be worth checking out if his DNA is available. I have spoken with Fred Atwell by phone dozens of times, and I will be the first to admit that he is a strange one. He took a very deep interest in the Colonial Parkway Murders.

Bill Thomas
Brother of Cathleen Thomas
Colonial Parkway Murders

VA1087 said:
Speaking of the Colonial Parkway murders, one of the persons of interest in that case, Fred Lee Atwell Jr., was in Roanoke Va. as of 8\30\2011 where he committed a robbery with a firearm. I know this was 2 years after the Caldwell Fields incident but he could have been in the area at anytime and went unnoticed until he was caught committing a crime(the robbery). IF he is in anyway responsible for the Colonial Parkway murders then he could certainly have mirrored that crime and be responsible for the Caldwell Fields murders. The similarities of the cases are there and he did have a firearm when he committed the robbery in Roanoke.
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What time of year did zodiac kill? Opposite coast, but soooo similar.
 
The killer could have a lighted scope mounted on the rifle.
 
They have been pretty hush hush about specific details of this case. They've never said what kind of DNA they have but I'm pretty certain they said Heidi was sexually assaulted. There is a shooting range on Craigs Creek Rd. before you get to Caldwell Fields. Directly after the murders and occasionally still the police will stop you and ask to check your guns. They will also ask if you have any other weapons at home and what kind they are. This road is very quiet, not many houses and the houses that are there are off the road, mostly in wooded areas. Therefore making it hard for any of the residents who may have been awake that time of night to clearly see any vehicles coming in and out of there. I believe there was interest in a white or light colored van at one time, not sure whatever came of that. They later released a list of 6 vehicles of interest seen around the area that evening, unsure if anyone that was in the area in one of those particular vehicles ever came forward so the police could interview them and mark them off the list.
 
It would also be interesting to know what kind of vehicles he owned in 2009, as the police previously issued a list of 6 vehicles of interest that were seen in or around the area of Caldwell Fields the night of the murders.
 
I knew nothing about this case until I saw it mentioned in an article about Morgan. This double murder sounded like a sexual crime to me. I figured she was taken from the car and raped after the perp killed her boyfriend, he raped her on the ground and then shot her. They didn't say she was raped but they have DNA so I think they know she was.
I don't know if it's linked to the other VA cases. Different MO, seems to me. There was a similar "lover's lane" killing here in Houston 20 years ago with the victims found in a similar fashion. Never solved.

I'm rambling now but in the case of JM, please take heed. I was raped by a yellow cab driver while a passenger in 1976. He had me for 6 hours before fate intervened and I was able to get away before he killed me. He was convicted, sentenced to 99 years. Cab drivers have a dangerous job, but cab drivers can also be very dangerous. Be careful and tell your daughters.
 
If it was "just" a random rape by a local then it would seem likely this wouldn't be their only attack. We haven't heard of any other DNA matches or the police would be talking about a serial rapist. It's also hard to believe it was just a robbery gone bad. Who would drive waaaay out that road on the slight chance of robbing somebody that might not even have much with them?
 
I hope this case is solved soon....I've thought about these two innocent victims many times over the years. Prayers.
 
This case is really strange. It's odd that there's been no other similar murders in the area and apparently no DNA match. This would lead me to wonder if they came upon someone in the act of something illegal. The gun type is puzzling too, as it's usually thought of as a hunting rifle? It does appear that David was shot first and then Hannah tried to run. If she was sexually assaulted, then this whole scenario doesn't work.

I hope this case will soon be solved and justice can begin for the parents of these precious children.
 
AnnaGrace said:
This case is really strange. It's odd that there's been no other similar murders in the area and apparently no DNA match. This would lead me to wonder if they came upon someone in the act of something illegal. The gun type is puzzling too, as it's usually thought of as a hunting rifle? It does appear that David was shot first and then Hannah tried to run. If she was sexually assaulted, then this whole scenario doesn't work.

I hope this case will soon be solved and justice can begin for the parents of these precious children.
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I wonder if they have any idea how long the couple was at the site before being murdered. Had they just arrived or been there a while. I believe there was talk of playing guitars at a fire. Is there evidence they actually did?

It is strange it's been the only crime like it in the area. Perhaps they did stumble across a drug deal. Otherwise, possibly angered a hunter by scaring off a deer or something? It's an odd gun for such a crime unless it's a sniper, but there's no other sniper shootings. The closest I can think of are the 2003 sniper shootings near Charleston, WV.
 
JohnTate90210 said:
I wonder if they have any idea how long the couple was at the site before being murdered. Had they just arrived or been there a while. I believe there was talk of playing guitars at a fire. Is there evidence they actually did?

It is strange it's been the only crime like it in the area. Perhaps they did stumble across a drug deal. Otherwise, possibly angered a hunter by scaring off a deer or something? It's an odd gun for such a crime unless it's a sniper, but there's no other sniper shootings. The closest I can think of are the 2003 sniper shootings near Charleston, WV.
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This article gives quite a bit of good info. It says Heidi and David were last seen about 8:00 pm. Investigators think the murders took place between 8:30 and 10:00 pm. The bodies were found early the next morning.

http://www.roanoke.com/news/crime/f...cle_b7f4cf7c-714b-5b11-af18-3567d48b02cf.html

The following article gives a list of vehicles seen in the area late that night:

http://www.wsls.com/story/20856445/heidi-childs-dad-says-dna-evidence-is-huge

• A green sedan, possibly a Ford Taurus or Dodge Intrepid, was seen stopping in front of residences on Craig Creek Road around 6 p.m.

• A dark-blue Dodge Caravan was seen parked near the border of Montgomery and Craig counties, near a logging site, around 8:30 p.m.

• A dark-colored van or minivan was parked at Caldwell Fields after dark.

• A dark-colored Ford Crown Victoria of Chevrolet Caprice was seen driving on Craig Creek Road around 10 p.m.

• A red or red and white Dodge extended-cab pickup with dual exhaust, oversized tires and tinted windows was seen driving up Lee Road at about 11 p.m., directly across from Caldwell Fields.

• A gray or cream-colored early 2000s model Pontiac Bonneville, parked near Caldwell Fields around midnight.

I wonder if this park is known to be a place for drug deals with all the late night vehicles? Or any kind of illegal activities?
 
AnnaGrace said:
This article gives quite a bit of good info. It says Heidi and David were last seen about 8:00 pm. Investigators think the murders took place between 8:30 and 10:00 pm. The bodies were found early the next morning.
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From the article, at 8:00 they were still in Blacksburg. If they were killed at 8:30 then it was about the time they would have arrived at Caldwell Fields. Unfortunately, there's a 90 minute window so it's hard to say. Apparently nobody has come forward that saw them at the site so we don't know if they'd just arrived or been there a while.

With her purse being stolen, the killer was up close. Or at least got close after shooting. The use of a rifle just seems odd. It's nothing anybody would carry for protection or robbery so it doesn't seem like the killer went there with intent to kill unless it was a sniper type attack. David was inside the car but I don't guess police have said if the window was shot, have they? I'd think they could tell if the shots were close or distant.
 
http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2009/082009/08292009/490240

Quote:

The campground is about 15 miles from Virginia Tech's campus in Blacksburg. Teddy Mullins, an officer with the U.S. Forest Service, said there probably would have been no one else around at the time. The nearest home is a few miles from the site.

Mullins expected traffic at the spot to pick up this weekend because Tech students returned to classes on Monday. "The weekends get quite busy once the students return," he said.

The area where Metzler and Childs were found is a wildlife viewing area overlooking a field full of wildflowers, birds and often deer.

The Forest Service cracked down on illegal activity in the area years ago because so many people, mostly students, were using the fields to party. "Students, some like to drink," Mullins said. "But I come across quite a few who are out there to enjoy the night, the friendship. I think they were just out there."
 
Thanks for the link above. It does sound like they were murdered soon after they arrived. It makes me think the killer was already there and they came upon him. They either interrupted something he was doing and didn't want anybody to know or he was just there waiting to attack the first person (people who showed up)? Creepy! It makes me think of some kind of crazy mountain man and it's very scary that he's never been found. I do believe it's someone who's local that knows the area well. All JMO.

The below essay entry was written several years later by one of Heidi's roommates at the time of the murders. This is an excellent first hand descriptive piece from this young lady. Also, I found some of the comments to be interesting too. One commenter did say that David was shot through the window of the car.

http://www.xojane.com/it-happened-t...-boyfriend-were-victims-in-an-unsolved-murder
 
Great essay by one of the roommates. Thanks for posting! Heartbreaking that this travesty has not be solved!!
 
AnnaGrace said:
The below essay entry was written several years later by one of Heidi's roommates at the time of the murders. This is an excellent first hand descriptive piece from this young lady. Also, I found some of the comments to be interesting too. One commenter did say that David was shot through the window of the car.

http://www.xojane.com/it-happened-t...-boyfriend-were-victims-in-an-unsolved-murder
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That article mentions David was in the passenger seat. True? Could we guess that the threat came from somebody on the driver's side of the car and the couple tried to exit the passenger side. Heidi made it out but David didn't? Otherwise, it seems odd David would be on the passenger side.

EDIT: Somebody posted (on another forum) that David was shot through the driver side window but I don't know if this is reliable. So, he was either trying to escape out the passenger side or was knocked that direction.
 
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