In the late 1980s, a series of unsolved murders known as the Colonial Parkway murders shocked southeastern Virginia. At least four different couples were found dead near the Colonial Parkway, with the cases remaining unresolved for decades. However, in January 2024, a breakthrough occurred when DNA evidence linked Alan Wade Wilmer Sr. to three of the suspected Colonial Parkway murders.
Rebecca Dowski and Cathy Thomas, a couple in their 20s, were the first victims of the suspected serial killer. Subsequent cases involved couples who were either shot or had their throats cut, and several crime scenes were in “lover’s lane” settings. Sexual assault was also a factor in some instances.
Virginia State Police and the Virginia Department of Forensic Science announced the DNA match, connecting Wilmer Sr. to the murders of David L. Knobling, Robin M. Edwards, and Teresa Lynn Spaw. Wilmer Sr., a fisherman with no criminal record, had died in 2017 at the age of 63. The forensic evidence was reexamined using modern DNA testing technology, and Wilmer Sr. became a suspect based on historical witness testimony.
Although Wilmer Sr. was deceased by the time the DNA evidence was linked to him, authorities stated that, had he been alive, there was sufficient evidence to charge him with the murders. The investigation into other Colonial Parkway murders is ongoing, and FBI agent Brian Dugan emphasized the commitment to pursuing justice for all victims. While it’s too early to determine if Wilmer Sr. was responsible for all the Colonial Parkway murders, law enforcement continues to explore all options.
The families of the victims expressed relief and a sense of justice upon learning of the DNA match. The victims Wilmer Sr. is suspected of killing, Knobling, Edwards, and Spaw, ranged in age from 14 to 29 at the time of their deaths in 1987 and 1989. Virginia police have encouraged anyone with additional information about Wilmer Sr. to come forward.
