His investigation came to the startling conclusion that the murders were committed by multiple assailants and arent tied together. All the investigation had to go by is circumstantial DNA evidence, a few forensic strands from a period where that whole branch was getting its wings, and a few similarities that dont help out; the proverbial needle in the haystack. [Thomas] could hold their own from day one. It was considered a double murder. Knobling had taken Edwards out with his little brother and cousin that day. Lovers Lane Murders, a new four-part Oxygen series, uses fresh interviews with criminologists and victims family members as well as crime-scene reconstructions and analysis to puzzle out the still-unsolved Colonial Parkway murders. A double homicide is a rare occurrence in and of itself, so four happening so close together has naturally caused many to wonder if a serial killer is behind this series or murders. Murders all occurred, she said, within a 30-mile radius and all on a weekend or holiday.. My theory is that David saw something he wasnt supposed to see, Karl Knobling told Lovers Lane Murders. OConnells response: Wrong place, wrong time. Knoblings theory points to why innocent people become victims all too often. The hunters discovered the bodies on a logging road about a quarter-of-a-mile from Courthouse Road, a location about a mile from the I-64 New Kent rest stop where Lauer's car was found. They were both in top physical condition. Robin Edwards, top row and second to the left, and David Knobling, bottom row and second to the left, were murdered Sept. 23, 1987. (File photos). Explore! They are both presumed dead, and evidence points to the same madman or madwoman responsible for the other killings. On October 19, 1989, the skeletonized bodies of Phelps and Lauer were found in a wooded area by hunters along Interstate 64 between Williamsburg and Richmond. A typically tranquil area, no one expected the Parkway to be the setting for a gruesome string of murders. From 1986 to 1989, four double homicides occurred on or near the Colonial Parkway. Virginia State Police, who are handling the Knobling and Edwards and Phelps and Lauer cases, declined to comment if they had DNA in either of the cases. Dogs traced their scents to the river, but soon lost it. I think the offender was targeting Cathy, Dr. Laura Pettler, a forensic criminologist, told Lovers Lane Murders. He dealt with the body with a lot more contempt.. [26], In June 2010, the victims' families requested the assistance of a retired Milwaukee Police Department homicide detective Steve Spingola. Mainly because no bodies have ever been uncovered. It also happens to be ground zero for one of the nation's most brutal crime sprees, which remains clouded in doubt and tragedy more than three decades later Dowski was younger and still a student at the College of William and Mary. And remember, this was the 1980s. . "I hope people will understand that the loss that weve suffered has not prevented us as families from continuing to focus on seeing some degree of justice done," Thomas, who serves as one of the shows producers, told Fox News. PETER NYGARD ACCUSER EXPLAINS WHY SHE'S SPEAKING OUT IN NEW SHOCKING DOC: 'I HAVE NEVER BEEN QUIET ABOUT THIS', Bill Thomas, a producer on Oxygen's 'Lovers' Lane Murders' is seen here with a portrait of his sister Cathy Thomas. Their bodies were uncovered after an exhaustive three-day search party. Thomas was nearly decapitated. Im the older brother of Cathy Thomas who together with her girlfriend Rebecca Dowski were the first two victims in the so-called Colonial Parkway Murders, he wrote. She enjoyed going to the Gap and dressing well, whatever the trend was. Just after Labor Day weekend 1989, Annamaria Phelps, 18, and Daniel Later, 21, vanished while en route to Virginia Beach. Now he has three children of his own. The outlet noted that there were no clear signs of robbery or rape for any of these cases. The odds of four double homicides in as many years are extremely rare, which is why the slayings are. Cathy Thomas, 27, and Rebecca Dowski, 21, were strangled and had their throats cut in 1986; David Knobling, 20, and Robin Edwards, 14, were shot in 1987; Keith Call, 20, and Cassandra Hailey, 19, disappeared after a college party in 1988 and are still missing; and the remains of Annamaria Phelps, 18, and Daniel Lauer, 21, were found by hunters in 1989. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Theory: A Serial Killer Stalked The Parkway, From a macro view of the murders, the fact that they all took place in close proximity bolsters the popular belief that a serial killer stalked the Colonial Parkway. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. (Photo by Scott Neville/ For The Washington Post via Getty Images), Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines for February 11, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry suffered Hollywood 'miscalculation' with explosive tell-alls: experts, Jussie Smollett files appeal argument in hate crime hoax conviction, Michael B. Jordan apologized to his mom before steamy Calvin Klein underwear ad was released, Kristin Cavallari jokes shes 'heartless' for breaking up with guys over text: 'I know thats horrible', Gisele Bndchen shares tips for when 'life gets challenging': 'Remember that the sun rises everyday', Amy Grant says she leaned on her faith after horrific bike accident: Its helped me not be afraid. They were never seen again after that night. Edwards had struggled with her mental health and was prone to running away and some reckless behavior. In 2007, the disappearance and presumed murder of Cassandra Hailey and Keith Call was featured in the Investigation Discovery program Sensing Murder, whereby investigators brought in psychics Pam Coronado and Laurie Campbell to gain new insights into the crimes. Tying them all together helps in a way because, if they put a title to it and people want to put together a show, Paula Hailey said. And it pains me to think that 34 years have gone by now. Knobling's black Ford Ranger pickup truck was found at the refuge parking area next to the James River Bridge with the wipers and radio on and some articles of clothing inside. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! The killer could have been lying in wait specifically for them. There was nobody she wasnt going to be a friend too [] She was very generous with everything, Joanne Hailey, her mother, told Lovers Lane Murders.. Nonetheless, inconclusive MRI scans appear to show that at least one of the bodies might have suffered knife wounds. Now, it is up to the victims siblings to carry the torch. Their bodies uncovered in Virginias Shenandoah National Park. He was shy at first, but once you got to know him he opened up, he said. He explained it might be easier to wrap ones mind around one killer, not four or even more different ones. Thomas said he had been notified by the FBI a year ago that DNA in his sisters case was being sent for testing at Quantico. He said extremely graphic crime scene photos were leaked to the public, fueling the familys anguish. For the families linked by the Colonial Parkway Murders, it means that DNA discovered at the crime scenes could, one day, solve the cases. It's difficult to imagine something as gruesome and shocking as a string of murders occurring on this seemingly safe road but that's exactly what happened decades ago. ", "Was The Colonial Parkway Killer Pretending To Be Law Enforcement? "But she was undaunted. Check out what's clicking today in entertainment. If they are smart enough not to get caught, theres very little we can do.. He believes itcame down to chance, he said. The Colonial Parkway Murders families have been told by law enforcement (FBI and Virginia State Police) that they may have perpetrator DNA in 3 of the 4 crime scenes in the unsolved Colonial Parkway Murders. Were reverse engineering the family tree of this unknown person, and eventually their identity through the family tree with who they share DNA with one or two genealogy databases that we have access to, said Moore. Soon, other victims family members followed with Thomas leading the charge, providing interviews to the media and speaking out about their frustration with the lack of progress on the case. At first, Thomas said his family suspected Cathy and Dowski were victims of a hate crime. The FBI, working in unison with the regions law enforcement, had a victim criteria in their arsenal. Hailey, meanwhile, was a college freshman who modeled and taught gymnastics, according to the outlet. Stoking this belief is the fact that victims car windows were found rolled down at crime scenes, according to Irvin Wells, retired FBI special agent. Located roughly halfway between Richmond and Virginia Beach, the Colonial Parkway spans approximately 22 miles in southeastern Virginia and is an incredibly beautiful drive during . Map to show the parkway (B) Is where I believe two bodies were found, . Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. He became a well-known whistleblower, and thanks to his action, the FBI was put under the proverbial microscope. William F. Thomas stands under an old oak tree at the Cheatham Annex pull off along the Colonial Parkway near Yorktown Tuesday afternoon, August 16,2016, holding a photo of his sister, Cathleen Thomas, a Naval Academy graduate who with Rebecca Dowski were the first of the murders along the Parkway that became known as the Colonial Parkway Murders. A year later in September 1989, the outlet reported Annamarie Phelps, 18, and Daniel Lauer, 21, vanishedfrom a rest stop in New Kent County. Most crime scenes were near the water. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. Their throats had been viciously slashed and they had been strangled to death. Or could it be that four separate criminals were executing young people in the area? 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