VA VA - The Colonial Parkway Murders, 1986-89

[jaejae]

I am watching the Forensic File, Season 3, episode 10 on Youtube you cite previously. So if the stocky white male who committed the crime on the Blue Ridge Parkway was indeed in his 30s in 1984, that would put him in his seventies or early eighties now. Does that match your suspect's age, Jaejae?

Thanks for the post. I always thought born 1953. So that makes him late sixties but I would bet on him being dead now although I am not a betting man. Cheers.

 

[jaejae]

I am watching the Forensic File, Season 3, episode 10 on Youtube you cite previously. So if the stocky white male who committed the crime on the Blue Ridge Parkway was indeed in his 30s in 1984, that would put him in his seventies or early eighties now. Does that match your suspect's age, Jaejae?

Thanks for the post. I have always thought 1953 and that would make him early thirties in 1984. His weight fluctuated at times and he was not in the best of shape this year with a double chin. He would be about 66 or 67 years old now because he was young when he started so not as old as you might think. I am not a betting man but if I had to I would say dead now. Cheers.

 

[jaejae]

I am hoping these are new and they are recently posted here are two Podcasts about the cases from You Tube:

 

[jaejae]

This is a short video but I think it gives a good outline of some of the theories and developments in the cases over the years:

 

[JnRyan]

This is a short video but I think it gives a good outline of some of the theories and developments in the cases over the years:

I could be wrong in my belief, but I've never really thought the Skyline Drive murders (Winans and Williams) were connected to the Colonial Parkway murders. The CIA connection (Camp Peary) has come up, but I've not heard much about a soldier (Ft. Eustis?) being involved, if at all.

I still wonder about the diesel fuel being used on Cathy Thomas/Rebecca Dowski. The waterman theory has come up several times, but I don't know about that being plausible. Most anyone who has a work vehicle - truckers, watermen - has some working knowledge of their vehicle and would likely know about trying to use it to start a fire. Such persons' livelihood depends on that engine and they possibly perform the simple maintenance procedures on their engines. MAYBE a loose connection - that is, someone related to such persons - neighbor, son, nephew, etc., - might pick up a can labeled 'gasoline' or 'fuel' and ASSUME it is gasoline. Or they know it is diesel, but know next to nothing about diesel fuel and its properties. In addition, there are passenger vehicles about that time made by Volvo, Volkswagon, Peugeot, General Motors and Mercedes that have diesel engines. I know people who own vehicles whose knowledge doesn't go beyond how to put the fuel in and turn the key. Such a person owning a diesel passenger vehicle could very well pour diesel fuel from their fuel can and be surprised when it doesn't ignite.

 

[jaejae]

Interesting stuff as usual. My feeling is the Julianne Williams and Laura Winans murders are related to the Cathy Thomas and Rebecca Dowski murders as the FBI thought at the time of the crimes and Steven Spingola did when he investigated them. I also think the crimes may be connected to the Route 29 Stalker case and the murders of David Metzler and Heidi Childs but I think I am fighting a losing battle there and no many agree. Thanks for your thoughts though about the diesel fuel etc.

 

[jaejae]

My particular view on the two same sex double murders is they were not 'hate' crimes as such but the killer just liked violence but when he saw the two girls in Shenandoah Park the memories of the two girls he murdered on the Colonial Parkway came back to him. These are my beliefs backed up by years of researching the cases and others in Virginia. Thanks

 

[JnRyan]

Interesting stuff as usual. My feeling is the Julianne Williams and Laura Winans murders are related to the Cathy Thomas and Rebecca Dowski murders as the FBI thought at the time of the crimes and Steven Spingola did when he investigated them. I also think the crimes may be connected to the Route 29 Stalker case and the murders of David Metzler and Heidi Childs but I think I am fighting a losing battle there and no many agree. Thanks for your thoughts though about the diesel fuel etc.

Yes, I still don't think the Colonial Parkway murders are connected to Metzler/Childs. But you are not the first to consider that connection. It has come up before. The Route 29 connection theory has come up either as related to the Parkway Murders or Williams/Winans separately or related to both. One private investigator has suggested a connection between the late Michael Nicholaou and the Route 29 Stalker or Williams/Winans or both. Jumping off the Williams-Winans/Rt 29 theory, his name has popped as a suspect in the Parkway murders, but never has gotten much traction from LE statements or the media.

Spingola, who appears in the 'Cold Justice' series, thought Williams and Winans murders had enough similarities to Thomas/Dowski that it had to be given at least serious consideration. Spingola also believed the last set of murders, Phelps and Lauer, was not related and was the result of a robbery. There are some that believe the 2nd set, Knobling and Edwards, is not related either. Edwards was sexually assaulted and that was not an aspect of Thomas/Dowski murders that I know of. We don't know if sexual assault is a factor in the other 2 sets of murders because the bodies either were not found or were too badly decomposed. The problem is compounded by the fact that Knobling/Edwards and Phelps/Lauer are being investigated by the VA State Police and the other two are investigated by the FBI.

 

[jaejae]

Thanks for the post. I will let you have the last say but my view is the Private Detective had the wrong suspect and the Blue Parkway Shooter is a much better one for the crimes. It is my opinion that all of the Colonial Parkway Murder cases are in reality FBI cases . Thanks.

 

[JnRyan]

Thanks for the post. I will let you have the last say but my view is the Private Detective had the wrong suspect and the Blue Parkway Shooter is a much better one for the crimes. It is my opinion that all of the Colonial Parkway Murder cases are in reality FBI cases . Thanks.

HA! There is no "last word" here. As for the private detective there are more persons doubting her theory than accepting it. I won't rule him out as he was a resident of the VA Peninsula region where he owned a sex shop called "The Pleasure Chest". But I have not found out if Nicholaou was in VA prior to 1987-88 time frame. Prior to coming to VA, he was a resident of CT and he was considered a stronger suspect in the Connecticut River Valley murders. And even then there may be some murders related to that series that may have occurred after he moved to VA. The one thing that makes him a favored suspect is his experience in Vietnam with the Army where he was decorated veteran including Silver Stars, Bronze Stars and Purple Hearts and the VSP lean toward this being an Army veteran. Nicholaou had to leave the Army after he was accused of strafing civilians from a helo. Where that falls apart for me is Nicholaou was a helo pilot and not an infantryman. Although there is at least one person who knew him that said he liked to leave camp and go out 'hunting' and wanted to kill with his knife.

 

[jaejae]

I am watching the Forensic File, Season 3, episode 10 on Youtube you cite previously. So if the stocky white male who committed the crime on the Blue Ridge Parkway was indeed in his 30s in 1984, that would put him in his seventies or early eighties now. Does that match your suspect's age, Jaejae?

Here is the episode about the Blue Parkway Rape mentioned in the above post. My feeling is this attack might be similar to how the Colonial Parkway Murders attacks happened and as of today this offender has not been identified because Edward Honicker was innocent and cleared through DNA evidence:

 

[JnRyan]

Here is the episode about the Blue Parkway Rape mentioned in the above post. My feeling is this attack might be similar to how the Colonial Parkway Murders attacks happened and as of today this offender has not been identified because Edward Honicker was innocent and cleared through DNA evidence:

I don't know about this one. Neither LE or the media has made this connection. In fact, I've never heard this rapist connected to the Rt 29 murders either and I wonder about that one. What is significant is that serial rapists sometimes become more violent and start killing their victims. That would make it a possible progression to later murders.

 

[jaejae]

I don't know about this one. Neither LE or the media has made this connection. In fact, I've never heard this rapist connected to the Rt 29 murders either and I wonder about that one. What is significant is that serial rapists sometimes become more violent and start killing their victims. That would make it a possible progression to later murders.

Thanks for the interesting post. What I find interesting is the offender posed as an authority figure dressed in a pseudo military uniform. My opinion is this offender had likely killed many times before this attack and altered between rape and murder throughout his vile criminal career. With the military aspect he also ranted about being in Vietnam and I tend to think this was truthful and not a red herring.

 

[jaejae]

Here is the episode about the Blue Parkway Rape mentioned in the above post. My feeling is this attack might be similar to how the Colonial Parkway Murders attacks happened and as of today this offender has not been identified because Edward Honicker was innocent and cleared through DNA evidence:

My apologies and I really should have checked the innocent mans name was actually Edward Honacker. In my view the actual offender in this crime is a very good suspect in the Colonial Parkway Murders cases and he has never been caught:

Exoneree Edward Honaker Dies - Innocence Project

 

[Mountain Mama]

Nicholaou is a good one to consider for the crimes along the Colonial Parkway . I could see him being very plausible as a faux police officer and would have had easy access to ordering lots of products to help look like the real McCoy.

My friend and I walked into the Pleasure Chest in Georgetown during the time period he owned it, 1988 I would guess. There were lots of bondage items for sale, including handcuffs. I think it all fell under the guise of kinky adult toys, but it was an easy place to purchase S&M equipment. We felt uncomfortable and left quickly.

Weird to think we were probably in the same room as him. I recall seeing his photo years later after he was caught and I thought he looked familiar but didn't tie it all together that he owned the Pleasure Chest and that is why he looked familiar. There was also a strange/mean person who operated another adult store, it was in the Tyson's Corner area, not the mall itself but a strip mall nearby. Perhaps it was him as well. Not sure what the store was called. Any other Northern Virginia residents out there feel free to chime in if you crossed paths with Nicholaou.

 

[jaejae]

Here is a recent page with some detailed information about the Colonial Parkway Murders victim Cathleen Thomas. Of course as many people will be aware Cathy's brother Bill has shown great dedication to his sister by seeking answers in her case and that of other victims. Of course as of today he is still searching for those answers:

Cathleen Thomas – Project: Cold Case

 

[jaejae]

This is a relatively short You Tube video about the cases but it appears to give quite a good summary of the cases. The only mistake is quite a big one I suppose by linking in the Shenandoah National Park double murders although I am not sure that is really a mistake when the truth comes out:

 

[jaejae]

Here is a recent page with some detailed information about the Colonial Parkway Murders victim Cathleen Thomas. Of course as many people will be aware Cathy's brother Bill has shown great dedication to his sister by seeking answers in her case and that of other victims. Of course as of today he is still searching for those answers:

Cathleen Thomas – Project: Cold Case

I do not know if this is a recent interview with Bill Thomas but it is a recent post on You Tube:

 

[jaejae]

Not sure how old this is but here is a Podcast about the cases that has been recently posted on You Tube:

 

[jaejae]

Not sure is this is a repost but I will give the cases another bump. Here is an interview with a gentleman and his daughter who wrote a book about the Colonial Parkway Murders: