the colonial parkway murders leaked the colonial parkway murders leaked

Or could it be that four separate criminals were executing young people in the area? "I think any time you have things out there in the public domain of somebody's loved one, and this is still an open case, that yeah, that's a serious matter.". The keys were still in the ignition, the door was open, and the windshield wipers were going. 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. Author Tiddy Smith Explores Owl Theory and North Carolinas Infamous Staircase Murder in DEATH BY TALONS: Did An Owl Murder Kathleen Peterson? If they are smart enough not to get caught, theres very little we can do.. We have heard that Fred Atwell, the whisteblower in the Colonial Parkway Murders FBI photo leak scandal, died December 16, 2018 in a prison hospital. Authorities discovered Cathleen and Rebecca on Columbus Day weekend, 1986, inside a white 1980 Honda Civic. "We're still trying to deal with it. From 1986 to 1989, four couples were either shot or slashed on the Parkway or and in other secluded spots. While many of us felt that Atwell knew more about the case than he let on-- all of Fred's stories with mixed in with a healthy serving of BS-- we wish he could have told us, and law enforcement, more. Hope there is resolution. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. I am almost finished with this book after watching the Oxygen documentary special recently I became very intrigued and wanted more information. Virginia authorities found themselves in the middle of a second double homicide when the bodies of David Lee Knobling, 20, from Hampton, and Robin M. Edwards, a 14-year-old girl from Newport News, turned up in the Ragged Island Wildlife Refuge the following fall. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. 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. On the floor of Davids truck you can see the shoes of the victim. Part of HuffPost Crime. She was young, and she had a curfew. Keith Call's brother Chris is upset. A small caveat before we spring forth into the latest horror room, the third couples link to the Parkway Murders is somewhat debatable. His targets, young girls who he kidnapped, raped, and left their remains along busy roadways in plain view. It was left with the door open, the keys turned to accessories, and the radio on. The Parkway is surrounded by woods and has far fewer entries and exits than a typical highway. Where most serial killers murder a single victim at a time, the Colonial Parkway murderer killed two for the price of one. The former was a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and the latter a senior of Willam & Mary College. "Incredibly intrusive. It was not enough to point to prior owl attacks on humans. The Colonial Parkway is a beautiful stretch of highway which cuts through the Colonial National Historical Park in South-East Virginia. Carmillo "Carmine" Galante was nicknamed "Lilo," Italian slang . They are both presumed dead, and evidence points to the same madman or madwoman responsible for the other killings. Steve Spingola, former Milwaukee homicide detective, investigated the murders on behalf of the families. From 1986 to 1989, four double homicides occurred on or near the Colonial Parkway. About The Book On January 7, 1994, residents of Berkshire [Read More], True crime author, Burl Barer, has always possessed that all-important knack for seeking out hidden truth and finding it. Their families were devastated and shocked. Over the years, many theories have surfaced regarding the person or persons responsible. ?, Ep The Colonial Parkway Murders: Part Two - Sep 5, 2019 According to NBC, their love was a new, budding thing that would never get the chance to flourish. ", "He wanted authority and probably did not have it," she said. Some aspects of the killings fly in the face of the patterns of other serial killers, and some of the facts don't quite add up. One of the many scenic overpasses on the Colonial Parkway as it appears now. Despite the continued efforts and media frenzy the murders seem to compel, there is little to no traction on the investigation. Cassandra Hailey and Richard Call Atwell's discovery of the 84 graphic photographs brought a lot of much-needed media attention back to the unsolved homicides. Bushwick July 12, 1979. The photographs were being used as a training tool for a security company, and a number of the images had been leaked to the media. "He called [a] suicide hotline and said that he is suicidal, a suspect in a serial murder [investigation] and wanted to commit suicide by cop," Thomas said. On April 10, 1988, two Christopher Newport University students, Cassandra Lee Hailey, 18, and Richard Keith Call, 20, went missing after attending a party together in Newport News. Atwell was arrested in connection with an alleged phony car raffle. The only evidence of any wrongdoing was the discovery of Calls red Toyota Celica, unoccupied at the York River Overlook. I have to wonder if they were all committed by the same person. Daniels plan was to move in with his brother Clinton and Clintons girlfriend, Annamaria Phelps. This section is going to be macabre, scatological, and disturbing. The view north on the Colonial Parkway as it appears today, looking north from the pull-off where Cathy Thomas and Becky Thomas were discovered. David Knobling at Christmas in 1986, a few month prior to his death. Imagine, if you will, sitting in your car, catching your breath after a candle-lit date with your favorite sweetie. And got away with it. Finally, one of the most bizarre theories about the murders states that the killers identity was, in fact, a rogue CIA operative. I live in Norfolk now but I still am scared to travel that stretch of road, especially where the couple's car was found at the rest stop going in the other direction in which they were headed. All of these factors are critical to understanding the mystique that the murders still hold over the national narrative. Join our newsletter for awesome content, free offers and launch notifications! One long night turned into four long years for [Read More], Famous Rock Stars, TV Celebrities, Stone Cold Conmen, A Daring Rescue of Kidnapped Kids, And More! The killer taunted authorities by hanging his feathered roach clip on the half-opened drivers side window. A typically tranquil area, no one expected the Parkway to be the setting for a gruesome string of murders. For two decades, the crime-scene pictures have. In 2018, 12 years after the Shenandoah murders, DNA studies including hair and biological samples potentially linked the two cases. All the victims were from different backgrounds and demographics, making a profile an incredibly difficult task. Why? Along the way, as he notes in his pamphlet Predators on the Parkway: A Former Homicide Detective Explores the Colonial Parkway Murders, he came to the conclusion that the murders weren't the work of a serial killer. Whatever the details, you're enjoying alone time, thinking this night is as delightful as any date can be, when a third, uninvited individual shows up and turns your romantic date into a horror show. The young woman had graduated from the U.S. At least eight people along the Colonial Parkway were killed in this three-year span. -from DEATH BY TALONS by Tiddy Smith On December 9, 2001, Kathleen [Read More], On Christmas Night 1996, six-year-old JonBenet Ramsey was murdered in her family's home in Boulder, Colorado. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. The murders of all four couples occurred within a 30-mile radius, at night, on weekends or holidays, in areas that resemble lover's lanes, in cars, and in all instances, there were two victims. The police attribute these eight murders to the same killer because of similarities in each case. Both victims were students at Christopher Newport University, not quite of legal age to drink, who were out on their first-ever date. There were two pairs of underwear, shoes, and Davids wallet found in the car, which ruled robbery out as a probable motive. Cassandra, aka Sandy and Missy was fun loving, vibrant, and energetic. These contemporary photographs show the parking area where Keiths car was discovered. From 1986 to 1989 at least 8 people were murdered along the Colonial Parkway in Virginia and their killer was never caught. It was the young couples very first date. How they got out is now the core of an FBI investigation, and source of disgust for the families who lost loved ones. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Thomas and Dowskis were a hate crime motivated by the couples lesbian relationship. I saw that over the weekend, too. Though this case has appeared in the media several times over the past 30+ years, it's still as mysterious as it is unique. Daniel Lauer and Annamaria Phelps If that was who was pertrating these crimes. The National Park Service Rangers thought the two women might be injured as a result of an accident. Tragic, but important story and one not heard of before ( west coast reader). I just don't think it's right.". 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. In the beginning, the support was appreciated but over time, Atwell began acting strange, according to Thomas. They show how the Colonial Parkway Killer stalked couples in cars, stabbed some and shot others, and then discarded their bodies. We really felt he was on our side and then found out he was not," Jennifer Phelps, sister-in-law of Annamaria Phelps, told The Huffington Post. Of course, these are Spingola's musings, and they have yet to be proven. "These were human beings. They didn't make it. Send that DNA to Parabon and get this case solved so the families can have some peace. Keith took her for a drive down the Colonial Parkway in his red Toyota Celica. Despite extensive searches, their bodies were never found, and the couple was presumed dead. Backtrack and take a look at the whole gruesome spectacle There were either multiple killers or the singular lone wolf was rather adept and elastic, forever changing and molding his M.O. The second pair of victims, David Knobling and Robin Edwards, had just met before heading out to a local makeout spot, where they were attacked, according to NBC. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. THE PARKWAY MURDERS Oct. 12, 1986: Cathleen M. Thomas, 28, left, and Rebecca A. Dowski, 21, were found strangled with their throats slit in the back seat of Thomas' car along the Colonial. None of these murders have been solved, and the photographs are out in the public. The differences in killing methods is something that is often pointed at, as Cathy and Rebecca were strangled and then had their throats slit, David and Robin were shot, and Annamaria and Daniel were presumably stabbed. The real question that lingerswere Keith and Cassandra ever on the Colonial Parkway that night, or was Keiths car simply staged and abandoned there? None had been robbed or sexually molested, stumping investigators as to what the possible motive that galvanized the murders might have been. They're no longer there.". Both women were found with rope burns on their neck and wrist with signs of strangulation. Larry needed a smoking gun. Fred Atwell, a former Gloucester sheriff's deputy, says he has learned in the past month that his name is on a list of 130 suspects. They called a highway patrolman who arrived on scene to make the gruesome discovery of the bodies of two young women in the car. However, some do not think these murders were the work of a serial killer, but rather by at least two or more separate killers. We select them regularly, so sign up NOW! Why would this killer switch things up? The Gloucester County whistleblower who last year revealed how the FBI leaked crime-scene photographs from the Colonial Parkway killings now says he's a suspect in the murder investigation. The Colonial Parkway is a beautiful stretch of highway which cuts through the Colonial National Historical Park in South-East Virginia. "We're a little less likely to accept outside help. 1. Their bodies were discovered on [Read More], On an unseasonably warm April evening in 2001, the headless body of a tiny girl was found discarded in a makeshift dump site in the woods on the southeast side of Kansas City, Missouri. The Colonial Parkway Murdersthe name given eight murders that took place in the Tidewater [Read More], True crime author, Burl Barer, has always possessed that all-important knack for seeking out hidden truth and finding it. David Knobling and Robin Edward Joyce Call's brother was one of the victims. The car . Several clothing items were found in the vehicle, as were the car keys. I feel like for my husband and my sister-in-laws sake well, really the whole family just wants to know what happened to their loved one, Jennifer Phelps, Annamaria Phelps sister-in-law, told Richmond.com. I had never heard it before. But Atwell died behind bars before his involvement in the killings could be confirmed. This crime scene photo shows Robin Edwards shoe that she had doodled on, laying on the floor of Davids truck. Gays and lesbians were banned from the Navy at that time, and she had been investigated by nine agents regarding her sexuality, her brother told producers. He was shy at first, but once you got to know him he opened up, he said. To the Call family, the FBI did not do enough to protect the families from this indignity, and protect the evidence of such terrible crimes. The vehicle should have been in the east bound rest area, but was found in the west bound area where the killer(s) had left it. Daniel Lauer was from Amelia County, Virginia. Robins pants were partially rolled down, but police were unsure if there had been sexual assault since it was presumed that Robin and David had had some sort of sexual relationship. Davids car had been discovered in a parking lot by the James River Bridge. The car had been pushed down an embankment off the Colonial Parkway. According to the Daily Press, Spingola was hired by Annamaria Phelps' family to look into the girl's murder. Crime scene photograph of David Knoblings coveted Ford pickup at Ragged Island. She enjoyed going to the Gap and dressing well, whatever the trend was. What were the Colonial Parkway Murders? And, as if that bit of info wasnt hair-raising enough, another independent study conducted by Dr. Mike Aamodt at Radford University actually confirmed Hargroves data and concluded that he might have lowballed the number. Nic is extremely knowledgable about the case and he has great insight into the possible scenarios.Guest: Nic @TrueCrimeGarage, www.truecrimegarage.comGuest: Bill Thomas, brother of victim Cathy . These two were the only victims whose bodies were never found but thought to be victims: Eight people crossed paths with a serial killer in the late 1980s. Less than a year later another young couple went missing. State police and local agencies are investigating the murders of Knobling, Edwards, Lauer, and Phelps. Atwell says a friend of his, a security-company owner, asked him last year to teach a class about the killings. I was pleased that the victims were truly brought to life and we were able to learn more about them very well done! On October 12, 1986, a pedestrian saw a car down an embankment on the Colonial Parkway where it was obscured from the view of the road. They had been stabbed to death. Then we'll pick up and move on.". It may not display this or other websites correctly. Hailey, 19, and Call, 20, were both students at Christopher Newport University. Someone has leaked graphic crime-scene photographs of the most notorious serial killings in Virginia history, the Colonial Parkway murders. There's less of a chance that a single victim will get away or fight back. The murderer in the Colonial Parkway killings was never captured, and Steve Spingola, a private detective, believes he knows why. A crime scene photograph of some of the investigator at the recovery site. The second Annamaria and Daniel were reported missing, the red-flags went up, and the district devolved into a panic. Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. The wooded isolation here is not dissimilar to that of the Colonial Parkway. Almost immediately, the FBI announced it was conducting a top-to-bottom review of the cases in its jurisdiction. FBI aerial photograph of the pull-over spot where Keith Calls car was found the day after their date. Maybe you're reminiscing about sparks that flew during a chemistry-laden conversation, maybe your cheeks are feeling flushed from the back-and-forth banter that lifted you to the clouds, or maybe you're prepping to fog up the windows a little bit. Edwards family members, meanwhile, grieved the lost opportunity to know the woman the teenager was becoming. In LOU AND JONBENT, Author John Wesley Anderson Reveals the Inside Story of the Failed Police Investigation Into the Kidnapping and Murder of JonBent Ramsey, HIDDEN DEMONS: Evil Visits A Small New England Town, Robert Dodge Combines Biographies of a Norwegian Family and Immigrant Experience from the Mid-19th Century through WWII in FIELDS OF FORTUNE, Janzen Robinson Tackles a New Kind of Threat in DAWN OF LEGACY: The Monsters and Men Trilogy, Book Three, Author Blog by Nic Edwards: The Porchlight Project Helps Identify Erie County Jane Doe after 43 Years, Introducing the highly-anticipated audiobook LOU AND JONBENT, narrated by the renowned Stephen Bowlby, Early Release! Hair that had been found in Cathys hand and a biological sample found on Robin have never been tested, but with advances in DNA technology and resources like GEDmatch, the families of the victims are hopeful they will finally get answers. FBI photograph of the smashed back window of Cathy Thomass Honda Civic. Robin Edwards, a spitfire youngster who was more mature than her physical years. The Colonial Parkway is a scenic, 23-mile stretch in Virginia that links the historic towns of Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown. Each pair was romantically involved in some way, a couple the killer likely saw as a lustful duo. It's possible they just hadn't found the right fit for acting out on their illness, or that the killer was growing, evolving, branching out their system to better sate dark desires and lessen the possibility of being caught. The murderer in the Colonial Parkway killings was never captured, and Steve Spingola, a private detective, believes he knows why. By all accounts, his truck was his prized possession, so family members knew right away something was terribly wrong when it was found abandoned, the Virginian Pilot reported. In 2009, Atwell was considered something of a hero when he discovered a number of crime scene photographs regarding the Colonial Parkway homicides had been inappropriately taken from the FBI's Norfolk office. It's been over 30 years, and they're still missing without much of a trace. He called the authorities, who discovered that it wasn't a drunk driver at all. Atwell agreed to take a look - and he made copies. The autopsy was inconclusive and could not determine whether a blade had slashed their throats or if they had been strangled to near decapitation. The two-decade-old puzzle of the Colonial Parkway murders had pretty much fizzled out at the time the photos were uncovered. For instance, Thomas and Dowski's murder was a hate crime, while the murder of Knobling and Edwards was a robbery that took an unfortunate turn. He snatched a couple from their truck, leaving their clothes inside. The crimes were thoroughly covered as much as is known and each victim became a flesh-and-blood person with much to live for. Thomas had also entered a relationship with Dowski, and the two were known to regularly visit the area where they were murdered. Theres no hint of the horror that took place herefrom the brutal murders to the attempts to burn then submerge her car. FYI, this happened in Virginia, not Pennsylvania. Thank you for writing this book. 2 years ago Lovers Lane Murders Covers Infamous Colonial Parkway Murders on Oxygen Network , Feb 12-13 At long last, the Lover's Lane Murders TV series covering the Colonial Parkway Murders is coming to the Oxygen Network February 12-13. He had a young pregnant girlfriend and was just starting a new career. The Colonial Parkway Murders were a series of homicides that occurred between October 1986 and September 1989. Logically, this is the most easily accessible place at Ragged Island for the two young victims to have reached the water. Since I used to travel I 64 between Norfolk and Richmond it would always bother me what would I do if I was pulled over by a cop. All of the victims were killed at or near their car, the first three being found at known lovers lane areas. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Seven years after the final fatalities, another case reignited the investigation. The bodies of Annamaria and Daniel were found six weeks after they disappeared, just over a mile from where his car had been located. I'm just throwing this out there without research, but the isolated areas, where was Hilton at this time? Noah against Alex for accusing him of leaking the nudes (defamation of character, would lose his MLB contract) or Alex because he actually leaked them. They had been bound and gagged, similarly to Cathy and Rebecca, and their throats had also been slit. And only then, according to Atwell, FBI agents suddenly came knocking. Their bodies were uncovered after an exhaustive three-day search party. There has to be a degree of self-sabotage from a serial killer for an investigation to pan out. However, the young couple was struggling financially, so Lauer had agreed to move in with them to help them out with money. The sightseeing is prime. The car was found on the westbound side of the highway, the opposite direction of their destination, which confused police. Other than that, it seems the victims didn't have much in common at all. A Virginia State Police photograph showing the isolated logging trail from the air when the bodies were discovered. If you like true crime, take a look at 10 of the most gruesome murders the state of New York has ever seen-some may date all the way back to the 1800s, but all of them are horrible. Fred was always vocal about the case to the point that he had strong opinions on who the killer was. One of the last photos of David Knobling. And with Stealing Manhattan, a book that details, as the author proclaims, a "mega-heist" that involved the taking of [More], On an unseasonably warm April evening in 2001, the headless body of a tiny girl was found discarded in a makeshift dump site in the woods on the southeast side of Kansas City, Missouri.