The case is officially closed in the murders of two women who were victims of the Colonial Parkway serial killer who targeted young people in Virginia in the ‘80s.
FBI Norfolk announced the resolution in the cold case murders of Cathleen Thomas, 27, and Rebecca Dowski, 21, bringing closure after years of uncertainty.
Thomas and Dowski were last seen together in October 1986. Their bodies were later discovered inside their vehicle along the Colonial Parkway. Despite intensive investigative efforts, the case went cold and remained unsolved for decades.
Through advances in forensic science and DNA analysis, it was determined that Alan Wade Wilmer Sr., of Lancaster County, murdered Thomas and Dowski. Wilmer died in 2017.
“The Virginia State Police greatly appreciates the tireless work of investigators throughout the years and is grateful to have worked alongside our local and federal partners on bringing this case to a close,” said Col. Jeffrey Katz, superintendent of the Virginia State Police. “We share our deepest condolences with the victims’ families and loved ones, and hope this resolution brings them a measure of peace and healing moving forward.
“We never give up in the pursuit of justice and will continue to investigate other cold cases with the same resolve.”
Investigators continue to pursue unsolved cases potentially linked to the Colonial Parkway killer. Between 1986 and 1989, a series of violent crimes occurred along or near Virginia’s Colonial Parkway, resulting in the murders and disappearances of at least eight young people.
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In November, police announced that the 1988 murder of Laurie Ann Powell, 18, of Gloucester County, was also linked to Wilmer.
Police report he also killed David Knobling and Robin Edwards in Isle of Wight in 1987 and Teresa Lynn Spaw Howell in Hampton in 1989.
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Crystal Graham
