VA VA - The Colonial Parkway Murders, 1986-89

[Mountain Mama]

Kemo:

Lots of good observations. I don't know if apparently killing 8 people in four double homicides in the same geographic area would be be considered "quite a bit of time" between the murders. It sure didn't feel that way when they seemed to be happening one right another.

Agreed that he/they could be presenting as law enforcement. The crime scenes often felt like a law enforcement officer rolled up on the couples while they were parking.
Thanks.


Bill Thomas
Brother of Cathleen Thomas
Los Angeles, CA

BBM.. Bill, have you any idea how one could find out if there were any Park Rangers employed at the Colonial Parkway during the time of the murders, who also went on to work at Shenandoah during the double homicide at that park? They transfer regularly I hear.

 

[billthom56]

Mountain Mama:

There were 3-4 National Park Service Rangers who were working at the Colonial Parkway in 1986 when Cathy Thomas and Rebecca Dowski were killed who were transferred to the Shenandoah National Park in time for the 1996 murder of Julie Williams and Lollie Winans. At least one of the rangers who was a person of interest in the 1986 Thomas/Dowski murder was involved in the investigation of the Williams/Winans murder in 1996, which always struck me a strange since the FBI said that they were looking at "substantial similarities" between Thomas/Dowski and Williams/Winans. The two parks are 3-4 hours apart by car as I understand it, of course, both in Virginia.

All ten murders remain unsolved.


Bill Thomas,
Brother of Cathy Thomas
Los Angeles, CA

 

[GotawayGirl]

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.

Bcz sir...
It was college town... most lived in dorms and frat houses at one end of the parkway and military bunks at the other. The 14 yr old was my friend. And they snuck out one night. Her parents forbid the relationship. He was too old. Blah blah. So they snuck around. Wrong or right she may still be here if they'd just not pushed it so hard. She was very mature for 14 about to be 15 And he was not just turning 20. If only society didn't create so many stupid rules of etiquette.. no doubt her parents would not have felt like they should ban it when that's how it was forever. We don't all for the cookie cutter and the who dont the better truly ❤

 

[billthom56]

GotawayGrl:

Word was that Robin Edwards and David Knobling had met that same day they were killed at the Ragged Island Wildlife Refuge. Are you saying different?


Thanks.


Bill Thomas
Brother of Cathleen Thomas
Los Angeles, CA

 

[billthom56]

We just got word that from true crime authors Blaine Pardoe and Victoria Hester that their new book on the Colonial Parkway Murders, "A Special Kind of Evil," has been pushed back to a July 2017 release date by their publishers, Wild Blue Press. I have had a chance to read some of the drafts of the book, and think it is very well done.

Please look for it in July.

Bill Thomas
Brother of Cathleen Thomas
Colonial Parkway Murders

 

[jca91180]

I've been on WS for awhile and randomly decided to see if there's a thread here for these horrible murders. I grew up right off (and when I say right off I mean near the rest area) 64 in Virginia, near Williamsburg, not far from the logging road where a couple of the bodies were found. My mother told a story of driving home on Route 60 (which runs parallel to Interstate 64) late at night. She says there was a woman on the side of the road, waving down cars and maybe 30 feet behind this woman was a man walking behind her in front of his parked car with the lights on. Mom says she felt weird about the situation, so she pulled over and just cracked her window. The woman is pounding on the window and pulling on the door handle saying "Please let me in, he's going to get me, he's my boyfriend" etc. etc. All this time the guy is continuing to walk towards the car. Mom tells the woman she will go to the next house and call 911 and asks the woman for her parents' phone number to call them (happened in 80s before cell phones). Mom drives off, turns onto the next road off of 60 and stops at the first house. She calls the police and calls the number the woman gave her and the folks who answer say they don't know anyone by that name and police said people were gone. I suppose the lady could have given her the wrong number in her panic, but my mother swears something was off about this entire situation. I'm not necessarily saying what happened to my mom is connected to these murders, but how many women do you know would stop to help a woman trying to get away from a man? My mom also says not long after that she was in an old local convenience store and there was a man in front of her in line that she says had the deadest eyes she has ever seen and his looking at her gave her chills. She STILL talks about that night and this man in the convenience store.

I hope they find the people responsible for all of these beautiful lives lost. Many prayers for all of the families and I will definitely read "A Special Kind of Evil" when it comes out.

 

[MaryG12]

I've been on WS for awhile and randomly decided to see if there's a thread here for these horrible murders. I grew up right off (and when I say right off I mean near the rest area) 64 in Virginia, near Williamsburg, not far from the logging road where a couple of the bodies were found. My mother told a story of driving home on Route 60 (which runs parallel to Interstate 64) late at night. She says there was a woman on the side of the road, waving down cars and maybe 30 feet behind this woman was a man walking behind her in front of his parked car with the lights on. Mom says she felt weird about the situation, so she pulled over and just cracked her window. The woman is pounding on the window and pulling on the door handle saying "Please let me in, he's going to get me, he's my boyfriend" etc. etc. All this time the guy is continuing to walk towards the car. Mom tells the woman she will go to the next house and call 911 and asks the woman for her parents' phone number to call them (happened in 80s before cell phones). Mom drives off, turns onto the next road off of 60 and stops at the first house. She calls the police and calls the number the woman gave her and the folks who answer say they don't know anyone by that name and police said people were gone. I suppose the lady could have given her the wrong number in her panic, but my mother swears something was off about this entire situation. I'm not necessarily saying what happened to my mom is connected to these murders, but how many women do you know would stop to help a woman trying to get away from a man? My mom also says not long after that she was in an old local convenience store and there was a man in front of her in line that she says had the deadest eyes she has ever seen and his looking at her gave her chills. She STILL talks about that night and this man in the convenience store.

I hope they find the people responsible for all of these beautiful lives lost. Many prayers for all of the families and I will definitely read "A Special Kind of Evil" when it comes out.

Wow - that story sent chills right down my back. That must have been so frightening for your Mom. She did the right thing though, even if that woman and man she saw left the scene before the police could find them. You never know if something could be planned to trap unsuspecting drivers especially at night. Personal safety is so important, even when it comes to helping others.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Police: Skeletal remains found in York County

Investigators do not believe the remains are connected to the Colonial Parkway missing persons

http://www.vagazette.com/news/local/va-vg-skeletal-remains-found-0519-story.html

 

[No it's not]

Police: Skeletal remains found in York County

Investigators do not believe the remains are connected to the Colonial Parkway missing persons

http://www.vagazette.com/news/local/va-vg-skeletal-remains-found-0519-story.html

http://www.newsplex.com/content/new...l-remains-found-in-York-County-427513363.html

-Nin

 

[billthom56]

We have talked with the investigators in the Colonial Parkway Murders. They do not believe this body is is related to our case. There was an ID found with the body, and they are conducting familial DNA tests to confirm their tentative identification of the remains.

Thanks.


Bill Thomas
Brother of Cathleen Thomas
Los Angeles, CA

Police: Skeletal remains found in York County

Investigators do not believe the remains are connected to the Colonial Parkway missing persons

http://www.vagazette.com/news/local/va-vg-skeletal-remains-found-0519-story.html

 

[Henry2326]

We just got word that from true crime authors Blaine Pardoe and Victoria Hester that their new book on the Colonial Parkway Murders, "A Special Kind of Evil," has been pushed back to a July 2017 release date by their publishers, Wild Blue Press. I have had a chance to read some of the drafts of the book, and think it is very well done.

Please look for it in July.

Bill Thomas
Brother of Cathleen Thomas
Colonial Parkway Murders

Hi Bill- thanks for heads up on the book. I will definitely look for it. Is there any opportunity for DNA advancements to help in your case? I remain hopeful....

Sent from my VK815 using Tapatalk

 

[margarita25]

We just got word that from true crime authors Blaine Pardoe and Victoria Hester that their new book on the Colonial Parkway Murders, "A Special Kind of Evil," has been pushed back to a July 2017 release date by their publishers, Wild Blue Press. I have had a chance to read some of the drafts of the book, and think it is very well done.

Please look for it in July.

Bill Thomas
Brother of Cathleen Thomas
Colonial Parkway Murders

(Marking)

 

[billthom56]

We are waiting for the latest test results from the FBI lab in Quantico. Of course, cold cases and violent crime are the lowest priorities of all at the FBI.

Bill Thomas
Brother of Cathleen Thomas
Los Angeles, CA

 

[billthom56]

There is a new book on the Colonial Parkway Murders, 'A Special Kind of Evil: The Colonial Parkway Serial Killings' by true crime authors Blaine Pardoe and Victoria Hester out now. Well worth reading.

https://www.amazon.com/Special-Kind.../ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Bill Thomas
Brother of Cathy Thomas
Los Angeles, CA

 

[Mountain Mama]

There is a new book on the Colonial Parkway Murders, 'A Special Kind of Evil: The Colonial Parkway Serial Killings' by true crime authors Blaine Pardoe and Victoria Hester out now. Well worth reading.

https://www.amazon.com/Special-Kind.../ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Bill Thomas
Brother of Cathy Thomas
Los Angeles, CA

Thanks for letting us know the book has been published. I will be reading it soon. Question: Wondering if you know if CY and/or WN was stationed at both the parks when the murders occurred.

 

[billthom56]

CY was definitely stationed at both National Parks-- he was at the Colonial National Park during the Colonial Parkway Murders in 1986-1989 and the Shenandoah National Park in 1996 in time for the murder of Julie Williams and Lollie Winans. He was a person of interest in the Colonial Parkway Murders, and yet was somehow allowed to be an active investigator in what the FBI said was the "substantially similiar"murder of Williams and Winans, particularly to the murder of my sister Cathy Thomas and her girlfriend, Rebecca Dowski.

Not sure who you mean by WN. Would you like to send me a message with more detail?

Thanks.



Bill Thomas
Brother of Cathy Thomas
Colonial Parkway Murders

 

[Mountain Mama]

Thank you Bill. No need to message about it any further. I had wondered who the person of interest was and you confirmed. Sounds like some people are "untouchable".

 

[Pettibon Junction]

CY was definitely stationed at both National Parks-- he was at the Colonial National Park during the Colonial Parkway Murders in 1986-1989 and the Shenandoah National Park in 1996 in time for the murder of Julie Williams and Lollie Winans. He was a person of interest in the Colonial Parkway Murders, and yet was somehow allowed to be an active investigator in what the FBI said was the "substantially similiar"murder of Williams and Winans, particularly to the murder of my sister Cathy Thomas and her girlfriend, Rebecca Dowski.

Not sure who you mean by WN. Would you like to send me a message with more detail?

Thanks.



Bill Thomas
Brother of Cathy Thomas
Colonial Parkway Murders

That's a super eerie coincidence. I've always wondered whether Gary Michael Hilton was ruled out as the killer of Williams and Winans but CY intrigues me.

 

[courtreporterdawn]

I'm new here so I'm sorry if I'm bringing up something that's already been discussed. Tried to look for it but didn't come across anything.

I would assume this occurred but thought I would ask. Does anyone know if the serial killer Alfredo Prieto was looked into in connection with any of these? He was convicted in Fairfax County and sentenced to death for murdering a couple. He also was accused of raping and murdering a woman in Arlington, which was never taken to trial since he got the death penalty in Fairfax, another murder in Prince William, and then other murders in California.

I'll be honest that there are some very stark differences in the crimes, but if you look at the dates of the murders there versus in Northern Virginia, the timeline is interesting.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/loca...42b5a459b1e_story.html?utm_term=.0fed74beb6a6

 

[billthom56]

Apologies for the slow response. I have never heard Alfredo Prieto's name before in connection with the Colonial Parkway Murders.

Reading the Washington Post timeline you linked, his MO is very, very different.

The Colonial Parkway Murders seem to linked by Williamsburg, Virginia area, couples, no rape, no robbery, wallets and purses out, limited sign of struggle, isolated locations, lover's lanes, cars moved after the murders, cars seem staged, 3 of 4 double homicides in the fall, 2 of 4 committed on long weekends. Knives were used in 2 cases, gun in one case, bodies missing in one.

Thanks.



Bill Thomas,
Brother of Cathy Thomas,
Colonial Parkway Murders