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

[jaejae]

Just mean I general he is a good suspect enjoy reading all your posts JnRyan and others

Thanks for the like geojeffrey I like to be liked as we all do Not sure if this has been posted before but I want to post it anyway as a bump for the case a rather moving blog from a girl that used to be a roommate of Heidi Childs. Certainly looked a nice and handsome couple:

It Happened To Me Contest Entry: My Roommate And Her Boyfriend Were Victims In An Unsolved Murder

 

[Justice101]

Here is a case that occurred almost a year later on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Very similar. One would hope LE has already looked into it.

Crime Scene - Blue Ridge Parkway shooting victim recounts attack that killed friend

I live in Virginia and if I remember correctly, this person was identified and arrested. He lived near Waynesboro and was identified thru her description of him and his truck. This happened probably 8 years ago if I am not mistaken.

 

[geojeffrey]

Crickets with this case...so frustrating!!

 

[JnRyan]

STILL nothing on this case! I've reached out to more than one podcaster and YouTube video persons who cover crime and I've yet to find anyone who will take it on. One podcaster did express an interest, but the more well-known ones already have a LONG list of potential cases.

 

[meade]

What is the source of the dna?

 

[geojeffrey]

What is the source of the dna?

I believe it was from the shell casings found at the scene...

 

[JnRyan]

What is the source of the dna?

Somewhere in the media reports I believe it is touch DNA, but I don't believe LE stated where it was found.

 

[jaejae]

I think if I remember right the murder weapon was a Harrington Shotgun but other posters can correct me if I am wrong.

 

[jaejae]

I think if I remember right the murder weapon was a Harrington Shotgun but other posters can correct me if I am wrong.

The point I want to make is this was a similar to the type weapon to the weapon used in the 2010 Blue Parkway Shooting and Steven Spingola picked up on this at the time and said it may be a possible nexus between the two crimes. Of course you also have proximity in time and geographical location.

 

[TedMac]

I think if I remember right the murder weapon was a Harrington Shotgun but other posters can correct me if I am wrong.

They were shot with a 30-30 rifle.

Five-year mark passes with no new public details in slayings of Tech students

 

[jaejae]

They were shot with a 30-30 rifle.

Five-year mark passes with no new public details in slayings of Tech students

Thank you for telling me that.

 

[JnRyan]

I've searched the internet for possible updates or even an article that mentions it. In the last year I found one and the Childs/Metzler case is not the main focus of the article.
Clues sought in missing infant case | The Southwest Times

The new sheriff states there still is 'task force' with 2 sheriff's dept investigators, VA State Police, FBI and US Attorney's office. The fact that they don't seem to want to keep this in the public view and thereby generate tips leads me to think this 'task force' is probably 2 deputies that pull out the case files ever so often and the remaining members of the task force is merely a list of names the 2 deputies can call with a question.

For such a horrific crime that came after the event where a VT student murdered so many, this case seems to be cold enough to liquify oxygen.

 

[Mountain Mama]

This is sadly true. At least Websleuths provides us with a way to keep David and Heidi's case in the public eye. IMO there is a person who has yet to be caught who has terrorized Virginia for too long. They may have moved on to another state by now. For many years women and couples were killed or abducted and murdered in VA, but many went unsolved. David and Heidi may have been a victim of this ruthless individual.

This is a link about four of the couples missing/murdered in Va.
The Cold Case Murders of Four Couples in Virginia
Here is a video about a string of three murders thought to be related to a serial killer in Northern Virginia.
Video: Virginia Town Fears Serial Killer on the Loose
Here is an article about the SK they indicted for the crimes:
Alleged Virginia serial killer indicted on 3 murder charges - NY Daily News

 

[JnRyan]

As usual I'm checking in. Nothing in the media. I find it really strange that after contacting one YouTube video person and over a half dozen podcasters NO ONE will touch this case. The only thing I can figure is that none of them find this case to have an "entertainment" element. The admin on "The Caldwell Fields Murders" Facebook page stated they had some interest from a TV program but that faded away, too.

 

[jaejae]

As usual I'm checking in. Nothing in the media. I find it really strange that after contacting one YouTube video person and over a half dozen podcasters NO ONE will touch this case. The only thing I can figure is that none of them find this case to have an "entertainment" element. The admin on "The Caldwell Fields Murders" Facebook page stated they had some interest from a TV program but that faded away, too.

I will throw my suspect Ralph Jackson out there again and that is the reason no one will touch it although I believe the FBI Agents involved in the cases care about them as human beings.

 

[dotr]

What happened to the camera and the purse it was in and why was David's wallet not taken?
It is scary to think that the perp is still out there somehow avoiding having his dna taken for other crimes he may have committed.
Is he living a" normal, respectable life" now, someone seemingly beyond reproach?
Was this someone whose relationship ended and the sight of a happy young couple singing and playing guitar together, incited uncontrollable rage, or is he what would now be labelled an "incel", one who is angry at the women he desires, but cannot attract?
Maybe he was resentful of students who attended that university for some reason?
random thoughts and speculation, imo.
The Childs and Metzler murders: Five years later
rbbm.
"Police said that within two hours of arriving at the fields, an unknown suspect shot the young couple with a 30-30 caliber-hunting rifle. A man walking his dog the next morning, on August 27, discovered their bodies. Childs’ was found outside of the car, while Metzler was found still inside.

Officials have remained almost silent on the case since March 2012 when they announced two major pieces of information.

Childs’ purse was taken following the murder. Her cell phone, camera, Hokie passport and credit cards were inside.

Also announced at the March 2012 press conference was the development of DNA evidence collected in the form of fingerprints. According to the Montgomery County sheriff’s office, investigators have obtained DNA samples from residents that frequent the area."

 

[dotr]

Field of Nightmares: David Metzler & Heidi Childs
It took years for the sheriffs to admit that Heidi’s purse with her belongings therein, including cell phone, credit cards, Hokie pass (for Virginia Tech), I.D., and camera was missing. The credit cards were never used by the killer. Apparently David’s wallet was still in his pants pocket, so we can assume he was seated in the car when shot and the killer did not disturb him to get the wallet. The sheriffs also announced they had touch DNA. They were sure it was the killer’s. We can tentatively deduce from this that the killer opened a car door in order to get Heidi’s purse and touched a few things.

The sheriffs were on safe ground to believe this was a random killing. The kids had only been back to school for 2 days. There was little time to have irked somebody and incited some twisted revenge. A few locals live off the road or frequented the area. Each was ruled out by a DNA comparison.

If a random killer, what kind? It wasn’t a serial killer. There were no more incidents.

Montgomery County Sheriffs waited almost 3 years to even give out the few bits of information mentioned above. Were they stigmatized by the tragedies that had befallen Virginia Tech of late?— the mass shooting, the beheading in the cafeteria. Bad things seemed to have been plaguing the otherwise safe and distinctive campus. But no serial seemed to materialize. This wasn’t the first installment of a lovers’ lane killer. It started and stopped here. Did some crazed student come out there and shoot them just for the fun of it?

Logically, we must deduce it was someone who knew the fields and their connection to the campus life of the students. Moreover, it was therefore someone who also knew there was little chance of cell phone contact out here. The parking lot billboard even warns campers of this fact and gives them directions to the local hospital. In this context, it is hard to believe it was spontaneous, at least in the impulsive sense. It was only two days since university was back in session. Someone knew and possibly stalked the area waiting for a pair of romancing students to arrive.

Why did this murderer not go on to commit a serial killer spree?

It didn’t, as we know. But there was no reason for David Metzler or Heidi Childs to be killed for revenge, jealousy, betrayal, anything. What kind of person would go to this trouble just to randomly pop off two kids?

The killer used a common hunting rifle. Since he used 30.30 caliber bullets he probably used a Winchester lever action. Other rifles fired the 30.30, but if it was a more unusual model you’d think the sheriffs would have a good clue and even announce the fact. The 30.30 was made for the Winchester and it is a popular deer hunting rifle. Lots of deer hunting along Craig Creek and there’s even a shooting range, but the latter is far down the road by the entrance from Highway 460.

So on the surface it looks like one of the redneck deer hunters went berserk and stole the female victim’s purse but not the man’s wallet.

Friends at campus knew that David and Heidi was coming out there tonight, and that Dave was going to play his guitar for her. They were a good, Christian young couple. Dave sat around the fire pit, played, and they sang together."

 

[JnRyan]

Field of Nightmares: David Metzler & Heidi Childs
It took years for the sheriffs to admit that Heidi’s purse with her belongings therein, including cell phone, credit cards, Hokie pass (for Virginia Tech), I.D., and camera was missing. The credit cards were never used by the killer. Apparently David’s wallet was still in his pants pocket, so we can assume he was seated in the car when shot and the killer did not disturb him to get the wallet. The sheriffs also announced they had touch DNA. They were sure it was the killer’s. We can tentatively deduce from this that the killer opened a car door in order to get Heidi’s purse and touched a few things.

The sheriffs were on safe ground to believe this was a random killing. The kids had only been back to school for 2 days. There was little time to have irked somebody and incited some twisted revenge. A few locals live off the road or frequented the area. Each was ruled out by a DNA comparison.

If a random killer, what kind? It wasn’t a serial killer. There were no more incidents.

Montgomery County Sheriffs waited almost 3 years to even give out the few bits of information mentioned above. Were they stigmatized by the tragedies that had befallen Virginia Tech of late?— the mass shooting, the beheading in the cafeteria. Bad things seemed to have been plaguing the otherwise safe and distinctive campus. But no serial seemed to materialize. This wasn’t the first installment of a lovers’ lane killer. It started and stopped here. Did some crazed student come out there and shoot them just for the fun of it?

Logically, we must deduce it was someone who knew the fields and their connection to the campus life of the students. Moreover, it was therefore someone who also knew there was little chance of cell phone contact out here. The parking lot billboard even warns campers of this fact and gives them directions to the local hospital. In this context, it is hard to believe it was spontaneous, at least in the impulsive sense. It was only two days since university was back in session. Someone knew and possibly stalked the area waiting for a pair of romancing students to arrive.

Why did this murderer not go on to commit a serial killer spree?

It didn’t, as we know. But there was no reason for David Metzler or Heidi Childs to be killed for revenge, jealousy, betrayal, anything. What kind of person would go to this trouble just to randomly pop off two kids?

The killer used a common hunting rifle. Since he used 30.30 caliber bullets he probably used a Winchester lever action. Other rifles fired the 30.30, but if it was a more unusual model you’d think the sheriffs would have a good clue and even announce the fact. The 30.30 was made for the Winchester and it is a popular deer hunting rifle. Lots of deer hunting along Craig Creek and there’s even a shooting range, but the latter is far down the road by the entrance from Highway 460.

So on the surface it looks like one of the redneck deer hunters went berserk and stole the female victim’s purse but not the man’s wallet.

Friends at campus knew that David and Heidi was coming out there tonight, and that Dave was going to play his guitar for her. They were a good, Christian young couple. Dave sat around the fire pit, played, and they sang together."

Not mainstream media, but a good article nonetheless. I know it captures a lot of my thoughts on this tragedy.

 

[Justice101]

If the gun used was in fact a 30-30, because this is so typical gun used for deer hunting from the country locals, as well as the location of the crime, it leads most anyone to thinking this was a hunter that did this.

No witnesses (that lived), no tire prints, no DNA, nothing at all.. out in the middle of the boonies.

Very little chance of solving this unless someone gets drunk or something and talks to much.

 

[jaejae]

I think you are right about the hunter bit. Someone whose family thought he loved hunting for animals but in reality for humans as Lynn-Marie Carty might say. I think there is DNA but others will know more definitely than I do.