VA VA - The Colonial Parkway Murders, 1986-89

[billthom56]

Stan:

I would say my sister Cathy Thomas age 27 and her friend Rebecca Dowski age 21 were parking. Cathy lived nearly an hour away in Virginia Beach, so I think they went to the Colonial Parkway to be alone in Cathy's Honda Civic. Chances are good that Keith Call and Cassandra Hailey were parking, although they were on a first date and the Colonial Parkway where Keith's Toyota Celica was found was way out of their way. David Knobling and Robin Edwards were likely parking in his truck at the Ragged Island Wildlife Refuge. Edwards was known to be pretty, ahem, advanced for her age. Annamaria Phelps and Daniel Lauer were likely not parking, as she was dating his brother and they were traveling together to Virginia Beach. His Chevy was found going the wrong way at an I-64 rest stop.

So I would say 2 out 4 parking. maybe 3 out of 4. Warm weather pattern noted, although colder weather could also mean fewer couples out parking, too>

Thanks.



Bill Thomas
Brother of Cathleen Thomas
Colonial Parkway Murders

I get the impression that all these couples were "parking" but all had at least one member who was 20 or more years old so why didn't they have their own place or get a motel room? Parking seemed particularly risky in the case of David Knobling, 20, and Robin Edwards, 14, since the age of consent in New Jersey is 16 when the other partner is more than 4 years older. I wonder if he knew her actual age.

At any rate, all the cases occurred in mild weather months for whatever that's worth. Maybe the killer was too big a pansy for hot or cold weather.

 

[Soulmagent]

Thank you Bill...


http://www.cbs3springfield.com/story/27432622/colonial-parkway-murders-remain-unsolved-28-years-later

 

[billthom56]

Here is a new story which ran on WAVY TV news in Norfolk/Virginia Beach and WLSL TV News Roanoke/Lynchburg:

http://wavy.com/2014/11/20/murder-victims-family-investigators-need-more-cooperation/

 

[STANDREID]

the age of consent in New Jersey is 16

That should have said Virginia is 18 or at least it is now. I think I got confused with another case-sorry. That only makes the Knobling/Edwards affair worse though.

Anyway-good job on the vid Bill.

 

[billthom56]

Had a great hourlong conversation yesterday (2/27/15) with the FBI Agent in charge of my sister Cathy Thomas and her friend Rebecca Dowski's murder as part of the Colonial Parkway Murders. They are also responsible for investigating the disappearance of Keith Call and Cassandra Hailey, which occurred on the Colonial Parkway near Williamsburg, VA. They are still actively checking out leads and submitting evidence to the FBI crime lab in Quantico, VA as new tests are approved and come on line, interviewing suspects, and conducting searches.

Hope springs eternal.

Bill Thomas
Brother of Cathleen Thomas
Los Angeles, CA

 

[morf13]

Great to hear that Bill, thanks for the update

 

[msvick66]

Glad to know they are still updating you, Mr. Thomas. I've been following this case for some time. I was actually the poster over at the Investigation Discovery boards, now defunct, who posted a suggestion that Dark Minds would investigate the case for the 2nd season. You posted right after me, identifying yourself and saying you hoped they would do a show on your sister's case as well. Then very quickly you posted that you were on the phone with M. William Phelps, either on that board or on your facebook page. Maybe a coincidence, maybe not, but I'm just glad the case received attention.

I keep hoping you will find resolution and justice as well as the other families, and that Keith Call and Cassandra Hailey will be found so their family may lay them to rest with the dignity they deserve. I'm hoping they will rerun the Dark Minds episodes soon, as each time it runs something could click that finally gives you and the other families the answers. I admire your tenacity, sir.

Hang in there.

 

[STANDREID]

A very intriguing case - I think the first time I heard of it was around 1990 on one of those half hour Unsolved Mysteries clones like Missing Reward or Prime Suspect.

The show the case was depicted on was "Real Stories of the Highway Patrol" in 1996. It was a crime re-enactment type show like "Unsolved Mysteries".

 

[STANDREID]

The annual couples murder aspect is very reminiscent of the Monster of Florence Case (1968-85). That was in Italy though.

 

[billthom56]

This new story just went out on the Crime Time show feed

Allison Hope Weiner, the host of Crime Time, is hoping to do a second interview with me soon to cover next steps for the investigation.

The Unsolved Colonial Parkway Murders Reexamined via @YouTube

[video=youtube;5ORYjQ_rrFs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ORYjQ_rrFs[/video]


Thanks.



Bill Thomas
Brother of Cathy Thomas
Los Angeles, CA

 

[STANDREID]

I suppose the standard way for one person to control two is to, at gunpoint, force one to tie the other one up. If it was a law enforcement individual, then I would almost expect that handcuffs would have been used and retrieved after death-any evidence of that?

 

[Mountain Mama]

Bill, Thank you for sharing the first episode of the series. Congratulations on getting these cases brought into the limelight again. You did a great job explaining the details of the case and where it stands. I will be hoping for testing of the clump of hair. My feeling is they could test the DNA from the Shenandoah murders and see if it matches any of the main suspects in the Colonial Parkway murders. IMO it seems reasonable to ask the suspects to agree to be swabbed for DNA, to rule themselves out.

Here is the link stating that there was DNA found in the Shenandoah murders: http://www.durangoherald.com/articl...ce-ask-for-calm-over-rumors-about-ex-prisoner

 

[CanManEh]

Hello i have never before read up on these murders but right away my thoughts went to since they were in cars and parked could this have anything to do with the zodiac ....Now please dont mock me for the fact is geo was not my best subject lol so if the 2 places are thousands of miles away from each other i appologuise i was just wanted to say what the first thing to jump into my head was like a gut reaction when u hear something thats what i had ..anyway hope some awnsers come soon...

 

[billthom56]

Here is new coverage of the still unsolved Colonial Parkway Murders in Virginia in anticipation of the 30th anniversary of the case on October 10, 2016.


http://wavy.com/2016/08/16/investigators-loved-ones-still-seek-answers-in-colonial-parkway-murders/

Bill Thomas,
Brother of Cathy Thomas,
Los Angeles, CA

 

[billthom56]

More new coverage of the Colonial Parkway Murders.

http://www.13newsnow.com/news/famil...s-search-for-answers-30-years-later/300872932

Bill Thomas,
Brother of Cathy Thomas,
Los Angeles, CA

 

[billthom56]

Sorry Can Man, hadn't seen your reply. . Yes, there are some similarities to the Zodiac killings, although the Zodiac case took place in California, and the Colonial Parkway Murders were in Virginia, so they are years and 2500 miles apart. Also, Zodiac taunted law enforcement with notes, and that behavior is not evident in the Colonial Parkway Murders. I met with the FBI this week to go over the status of the Colonial Parkway Murders case while I was in Virginia to do interviews in anticipation of the 30th anniversary of the case this October 10, 2016.

Bill Thomas,
Brother of Cathy Thomas,
Los Angeles, CA

 

[billthom56]

New podcast on the Colonial Parkway Murders dated August 18, 2016:

The Real Crime Profile team (Jim Clemente, Laura Richards and Lisa Zambetti) are honored to be joined by special guest, Bill Thomas, brother of Cathy Thomas.

Cathy Thomas and Rebecca Dowski were found strangled with their throats cut at a Colonial Parkway overlook on October 12, 1986. From 1986 to 1989, four young couples died at the hands of what the FBI long ago concluded was most likely the work of a serial killer, or killers. Nobody was ever arrested.

Our profiling team, Jim and Laura, dive deep into this case and offer insight into the cases that are linked and a profile of the killer.

https://art19.com/shows/real-crime-profile/episodes/f2b6390c-cc04-4209-9323-a29858c28060

Jim Clemente
Co-Host, Creator
Laura Richards
Co-Host, Creator
Lisa Zambetti
Co-Host, Creator

 

[billthom56]

New podcast on the Colonial Parkway Murders dated August 24, 2016:

The Real Crime Profile team (Jim Clemente, Laura Richards and Lisa Zambetti) are honored to be joined by special guest, Bill Thomas, brother of Cathy Thomas for more discussion of his sister's case.

Cathy Thomas and Rebecca Dowski were found strangled with their throats cut at a Colonial Parkway overlook on October 12, 1986. From 1986 to 1989, four young couples died at the hands of what the FBI long ago concluded was most likely the work of a serial killer, or killers. Nobody was ever arrested.

Our profiling team, Jim and Laura, dive deep into this case and offer insight into the cases that are linked and a profile of the killer.

http://art19.com/shows/real-crime-profile/episodes/fba14e15-94f8-4ddf-816c-e8e644fbb00b

Jim Clemente
Co-Host, Creator
Laura Richards
Co-Host, Creator
Lisa Zambetti
Co-Host, Creator

 

[billthom56]

Many thanks to the team at the Richmond Times Dispatch. The story runs this Sunday, October 9, which is the 30th anniversary of the Colonial Parkway Murders, starting with the death of our sister Cathy Thomas and her friend Rebecca Dowski.


http://video.richmond.com/30-years-after-the-Colonial-Parkway-murders-31478839

 

[Tulessa]

Thanks for the links Bill! Off to catch up!