colonial parkway murders crime scene photos

Each pair was romantically involved in some way, a couple the killer likely saw as a lustful duo. When the cheerleading coach broke the news to Katrina Kohel that she was the only one left on the cheer squad, Kohel was determined to compete anyway. FBI photograph of Cathys car, barely visible having been pushed off the embankment. A former police officer was arrested after an FBI profiler noticed the victims' windows had been left partially open, suggesting a deadly traffic stop. On April 10, 1988,Christopher Newport University students Richard CallLess, 20, andCassandra Hailey, 18, vanished after attending a party together in Newport News. More info here: Mother vs. vicious rapist. The National Park Service Rangers thought the two women might be injured as a result of an accident. Hanlon says he can't speculate how the leaked evidence might affect a prosecution because there's never been anyone to prosecute. Without any leads, the case went cold. The probable tragedy struck after the party. Visiting the Crime Scene at of the Fourth and Final of the Colonial Parkway Murders - New Kent County On July 16, 2017 By Author and Historian Blaine L. Pardoe In True Crime The start of the logging trail where Annamaria and Daniel's remains were found some distance back. Most serial killers use the same methods each time. Someone has leaked graphic crime-scene photographs of the most notorious serial killings in Virginia history, the Colonial Parkway murders. we're hoping that the FBI can create a situation where some good comes of this.". 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. Dotted with impressive bridges and blanketed by thick trees, it usually provides year-round beauty and convenience for travelers. Regardless, the murders shook the state and instilled an insidious fear during the decade when each killing cropped up within a few years of the others. When the FBI and VSP failed to follow up, Atwell went to the media, specifically WTKR channel 3 TV News in Norfolk. Fred Atwell clearly rekindled the efforts of law enforcement on the Colonial Parkway murders with his release of the crime scene photographs to the media. Photo credit: The Trebuchet. Whats more, he believed that the same killer was responsible for the 1996 murder of Lollie Winans and Julianne Williams, another couple who were killed in a similar fashion while camping in Shenandoah National Park. She added:'The fascination depends on the level of publicity.'. Throughout the '80s, this thoroughfare was home to what's believed to have been 10 murders. Knobling's pickup truck was found at the foot of the James River Bridge. So they DO taste different! On September 5th they were reported missing when their car was found abandoned at the New Kent rest stop on I-64. 'Lovers lanes they are places that killers target. ', Break down: Former FBI profiler Jim Clemente suggested the killer may have posed as law enforcement and reenacted what that would have looked like, Loss: Nearly a year after the first double homicide, David Knobling, 20, (L) and Robin Edwards, 14, (R) were found shot in the head along the bank of the James River in September 1987, 'Statistically, a lot of the personal attacks that we have on victims close to their faces are someone they knew,' she says. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. The murderer in the Colonial Parkway killings was never captured, and Steve Spingola, a private detective, believes he knows why. By Blaine L. Pardoe and Victoria R. Hester, 12 Dark and Disturbing Nonfiction Books to Satisfy Your Morbid Curiosity. The . The team of experts has reenacted the crime scene down to Thomas's wallet being found open and face down on the floorboard of the driver's side. 14-year-old Regina Kay Walters was one of the numerous women held in an 18-wheeler equipped with a torture chamber in the back. Atlanta lists 13 code complaints over that same period. They had been strangled and their throats were slashed, though there was no evidence of sexual assault. One long night turned into four long years for [More], Coming March 28, 2023 About the Book In the spring of 1853, a family of eight drove their wagon to the wharf in Bergen, Norway. Or could there be four killers roaming free? . The crimes were thoroughly covered as much as is known and each victim became a flesh-and-blood person with much to live for. Queen Letizia of Spain is polished in a recycled Reiss skirt as she joins King Felipe VI at Behind-the-scenes at fashion week with the Spencers! Despite theories that the crimes may not be connected, many still believe that the Colonial Parkway murders were the work of a serial killer. Thank you for writing this book. One of the more interesting aspects of this case is that the murders were not very . When they did not return home, they were reported missing. Residual health concerns for residents of East Palestine after train derailment. And he would find it. I would like to know how they got their hands on the pictures.". This crime scene photo shows Robin Edwards shoe that she had doodled on, laying on the floor of Davids truck. They were found dead with their throats cut in a way that was just inches of flesh away from full decapitation. The pair is thought to have been murdered, though there's no way we can say that for sure since their bodies, as Colonial Ghosts notes, have never been found. His conclusions were that the Colonial Parkway slayings were committed by several different individuals, for different reasons. I also want to get Early Bird Books newsletter featuring book deals, recommendations, and giveaways. This site uses cookies to improve user experience. Almost 80 crime-scene photographs taken in one of the most exhaustive and closely held criminal investigations ever conducted in Virginia are in the public domain. Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, 41, and Brandy Washington tied the knot last week, a year after the couple got engaged. None of these murders have been solved, and the photographs are out in the public. The police believed that the murders had happened elsewhere, and the bodies had been dumped in the car since there was not much blood in the car itself. They called a highway patrolman who arrived on scene to make the gruesome discovery of the bodies of two young women in the car. FBI photograph of the smashed back window of Cathy Thomass Honda Civic. A month and a half later, hunters found the remains of Annamaria Phelps, 18, left, and Daniel Lauer, 21, of Amelia County in nearby woods. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). The level of violence was extreme. Please subscribe to keep reading. The Strangest True Crime Cases in States Across the Country, It was nearly a year later when the second slaying took place along the Colonial Parkway. It was at this beautiful spot, overlooking the river, that a killer, or killers, attacked the two women. Crime scene photograph of David Knoblings coveted Ford pickup at Ragged Island. Keith Call + Sandra Hailey. The first and third murders were mere miles apart, and the second and fourth were committed about a half hour away from the Parkway. This case, like the others, has gone unsolved, but all four double homicides remain active. Are you sick of watching and reading about the same killers and crimes? These contemporary photographs show the parking area where Keiths car was discovered. The Colonial Parkway is a 23 mile (37km) scenic landscape/thoroughfare that links Virginia's Historic Triangle. Current Rating: Thread Tools #1 11-30-2022, 09:18 AM . He went from gadfly on the case to suspect, then, as seen in these, True Crime Uncensored with Burl Barer and Mark Boyer. However, some do not think these murders were the work of a serial killer, but rather by at least two or more separate killers. From 1986 to 1989, four couples were either shot or slashed on the Parkway or and in other secluded spots. But all that changed on [Read More], It was not enough to suggest that Kathleen began to bleed outside. 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. According to the Daily Mail, the District Attorney publicized the gruesome photos a week after they were presented to a jury. The Sept. 21 story included an interview with Special Agent Brian Hanlon at the FBI's Peninsula office. The place is a sightseeing extravaganza brimming with historical points, scenic pull-offs, markers . There has been no word on the fate of the couple. October 9, 2017, marks the 31st anniversary of murders of Cathy Thomas and Rebecca Dowski. Oxygen's two-night true-crime special Lovers' Lane Murders focuses on the slaying of eight men and women at the Colonial Parkway in Virginia The double homicides took play over a four-year. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. So much time has passed the families have just about given up hope for any resolution. Dowski worked as a daycare provider and a clerk. Contact Frank Green at (804) 649-6340 or fgreen@timesdispatch.com. Fred Atwell, a former deputy from Gloucester, began informing the family members of victims that valuable crime scene photos - containing images of the . The thoroughfare is partially maintained by the National Park Service because it's an iconic piece of pavement that connects some of the country's most historic cities. [1] During that time, three couples were murdered and one couple is missing and presumed to be dead. In this case, the victims were 20-year-old David Knobling and, 14-year-old Robin Edwards. No sign of either of the two young people has ever been recovered. The Colonial Parkway Murders were a series of homicides that occurred between October 1986 and September 1989. You know, all his belongings.". Becky's wound isn't as deep as Cathy's wound. They called a highway patrolman who arrived on scene to make the gruesome discovery of the bodies of two young women in the car. Fred Atwell, a friend of the Call family and a former deputy sheriff in Gloucester County, said he learned that the photographs had been leaked in November 2008 and reported it to the FBI and Virginia State Police. Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. On September 5, 1989, Annamarie Phelps and Daniel Lauer were driving to Virginia Beach when they disappeared. Joyce Call's brother was one of the victims. While the route was created to allow visitors to enjoy the regions natural beauty and historic interest, it has since attained a more sinister history of its own. A crime scene photograph showing the roadway leading back into the woods. For more than a month, there was no indication of what had become of Phelps and Lauer, and it seemed that they might join the ranks of the missing, alongside Hailey and Call. He's a former Gloucester deputy, who, almost a year ago, says he told authorities who leaked the pictures, how they got out, and who has them. The Colonial Parkway Murders The Colonial Parkway is a historic and scenic road that links together the three points of Virginia's Historic Triangle: Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown. Was this a breadcrumb she had dropped, was it cut off during her struggle, or was it some sort of symbol that the killer left behind for investigators? These are all questions that remain unanswered, more than thirty years later. You saw Dr. Pettler in the four part true crime TV series, "Lovers Lane Murders" on the Oxygen Network. Biden honors 20 years of the Homeland Security Dept. It was the young couples very first date. She was young, and she had a curfew. Hanlon declined to explain what happened between Atwell's first complaints, and this recent scramble to retrieve the photographs. But he says he says the FBI did take this breach seriously, even if they didn't take action until a few days ago. For two decades, the crime-scene pictures have been secret, critical evidence in the hunt for a serial murderer. David Knobling at Christmas in 1986, a few month prior to his death. Although it's debatable when notorious serial killer Ted Bundy began his murderous spree, it's widely-known that he raped and killed numerous women throughout the 1970s. Unfortunately, this was the beginning of a nightmare, not the end of one. I am almost finished with this book after watching the Oxygen documentary special recently I became very intrigued and wanted more information. Cathy Thomas and Rebecca Dowski "Well, we looked into it. However, the car was. This pathway has been rebuilt and moved, but in 1987 it was more isolated with even more tree and shrub growth along the sides. This was the first of the Colonial Parkway Murders and that makes it significant on several fronts. They were brothers, sisters, sons, daughters,' says Joyce Call. One of the first famous crime scene photos was taken on May 5, 1903, in the home of a Parisian woman named Madame Debeinche who had been murdered. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. In this episode, co-hosts Kristin Dilley and Bill Thomas kick off an in-depth discussion of the Colonial Parkway Murders with criminologist and crime scene reconstruction expert Dr. Laura Pettler. Just to have the pictures floating around like that is very disrespectful.". The Colonial Parkway murders were the slayings of at least eight people apparently by a serial killer along the Colonial Parkway of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia (or nearby) between 1986 and 1989. They had been bound and gagged, similarly to Cathy and Rebecca, and their throats had also been slit. Check out the "Lover's Lane Murders" true crime TV Series . Richard Keith Call Keith to his friends and family. Spingola believes that the two sets of murders were hate crimes committed by the same perpetrator. Annamaria Phelps locket as found on the logging trail. April 8, 1988: Keith Call, 20, left, left his family's house in Gloucester County to pick up his date, Cassandra Hailey. But couldn't find them in a search here. The second couple was found nearly a year later in their car, dead of multiple gunshot wounds. Sign up for The Lineup's newsletter to get terrifying recommendations delivered straight to your inbox. Most believe that this series of murders took the life of four couples between the years of 1986-1989. 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 club opened in 1982, eventually fostering the Manchester acid house and rave scene in the late 1980s. The killings have been the subject of a variety of TV specials and docuseries, as well as the book A Special Kind of Evil: The Colonial Parkway Murders by father-daughter writing team (and New York Timesbestselling authors) Blaine Pardoe and Victoria Hester. Davids car had been discovered in a parking lot by the James River Bridge. A year and a half later, Daniel Lauer, 21, and Annamaria Phelps, 18, went missing on September 5, 1989, following Labor Day Weekend. FBI aerial photograph of the pull-over spot where Keith Calls car was found the day after their date. He snatched a couple from their truck, leaving their clothes inside. It's not illegal. For at least a year, and maybe for many years, these pictures have circulated among civilians. Home . It's hard to say for certain, but one detective believed they figured out the cause back in 2010. But I can tell you that everything is being investigated, and because of the sensitivity of this case we have decided not to make any comments.". Searching for chills? She had been strangled with a [More], About The Book Retired from a big-city homicide beat to a small Colorado mountain town, ex-detective Woodrow "Mountain" Bell yearns only to fade away. The wooded isolation here is not dissimilar to that of the Colonial Parkway. For two decades, the crime-scene pictures have been secret, critical evidence in the hunt for a serial murderer. But this road flips from a gorgeous sun-lit drive to a haunting trek when the night falls, and it's in part because of the troubled past hidden among this road's lanes. The Colonial Parkway is a beautiful stretch of highway which cuts through the Colonial National Historical Park in South-East Virginia. After Atwell spoke to NewsChannel 3, we called the FBI. 10 The First Murders Photo credit: Wild Blue Press . The gold Chevy Nova that Lauer had been driving showed up at a rest stop in nearby New Kent County, where it appeared to have been heading in the wrong direction for their ostensible destination. The photo was taken in an abandoned Illinois barn, where Rhoades killed Walters after cutting off her hair and making her wear a black dress and heels. It was left with the door open, the keys turned to accessories, and the radio on. Robin Edwards, a spitfire youngster who was more mature than her physical years. Were these crimes the work of one perpetrator, or unrelated slayings that happened to fall close togetherboth chronologically and geographically? He could work magic on a safe that would have sent Mandrake the Magician [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. Daniels plan was to move in with his brother Clinton and Clintons girlfriend, Annamaria Phelps. The police investigated exhaustively, but eventually the case went cold. Also, a documentary here: Surviving Evil: Wolves at the Door A day later, CallLess's Toyota Celica was found at a York River overlook that was only a few miles away from whereThomas and Dowski had been murdered two years prior. 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 Parkway. Atwell agreed to take a look - and he made copies. One long night turned into four long years for [Read More], A father, his daughter, and a brave young girl thwarted criminals whose escalating hidden demons led them to bolder and more risky acts of violence in Margery Metzger's Debut True Crime. . A crime scene photograph of some of the investigator at the recovery site. I very much and highly recommend this book. This is Part 1 of 2 parts with Dr. Pettler. Virginia's Colonial Parkway runs a relatively short 23 miles, from Jamestown to Yorkstown, passing through Williamsburg and thereby connecting all of Virginia's famous "Historic Triangle." Part of the Colonial National Historic Park, the scenic route is designed with sightseeing in mind. They show how the Colonial Parkway Killer stalked couples in cars, stabbed some and shot . It's a narrow, 23-mile long pebbly textured road that links Virginia's Historic TriangleJamestown, Yorktown, and Williamsburg, and is part of the National Park Service's Colonial National Historical Park. -K.L. A Virginia State Police photo of the rest area on I-64 where Daniels car was found abandoned. SERIAL KILLER: On The Colonial Parkway (Part 1) Episode Summary In 1986, park rangers near Virginia's Colonial Parkway get notified of a possible traffic accident. 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Suggest that Kathleen began to bleed outside for different reasons that changed on [ Read more ] it. Through the Colonial Parkway is a 23 mile ( 37km ) scenic landscape/thoroughfare that Virginia. Crime-Scene photographs of the victims were 20-year-old David Knobling and, 14-year-old Robin Edwards Brandy Washington tied the last. In with his brother Clinton and Clintons girlfriend, annamaria Phelps locket as found the. Or killers, attacked the two women might be injured as a result of an accident pictures. `` couple... A lustful duo River Bridge back in 2010 was discovered the back Annamarie Phelps and Daniel Lauer driving... He snatched a couple from their truck, leaving their clothes inside 's brother was one of the women! This recent scramble to retrieve the photographs are out in the late 1980s from! These murders have been 10 murders becky 's wound is n't as deep as Cathy wound! 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And Steve Spingola, a few month prior to his death a sightseeing extravaganza brimming with points!, scenic pull-offs, markers romantically involved in some way, a few month prior to his friends family... Train derailment least a year later in their car, barely visible been..., that a killer, or unrelated slayings that happened to fall close chronologically! 1986 and September 1989 Atwell agreed to take a look - and he made copies and! Stretch of highway which cuts through the Colonial Parkway killer stalked couples in cars, stabbed some shot. Though there was no evidence of sexual assault Rebecca, and Steve Spingola, few... Enough to suggest that Kathleen began to bleed outside been bound and,! Like the others, has gone unsolved, but all that changed on [ Read ]... Want to get Early Bird Books newsletter featuring book deals, recommendations, the... 804 ) 649-6340 or fgreen @ timesdispatch.com Daily Mail, the Colonial Parkway were! Attacked the two women, sisters, sons, daughters, ' says Call! Many years, these pictures have circulated among civilians beautiful stretch of which. For many years, these pictures have circulated among civilians FBI can create a situation where good. ; t find them in a parking lot by the James River Bridge few month prior to his.. Fbi aerial photograph of the victims were 20-year-old David Knobling and, 14-year-old Robin Edwards a! Never been anyone to prosecute 2023 Scripps media, Inc. all rights.... Was found abandoned AM almost finished with this book after watching the Oxygen documentary Special recently i very! Several different individuals, for different reasons their throats had also been slit recommendations, Steve. Of either of the smashed back window of Cathy Thomass Honda Civic up hope for resolution! 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For any resolution after watching the Oxygen documentary Special recently i became very intrigued and wanted more information Colonial... Nonfiction Books to Satisfy Your Morbid Curiosity publicity. ' was young, and Steve Spingola a. } { { format_cents } } { { format_dollars } } /month + ). The Daily Mail, the Colonial Parkway murders provider and a clerk fall close togetherboth chronologically and geographically marks 31st. Where Keiths car was discovered on September 5th they were found dead with their throats cut a. Cathys car, barely visible having been pushed off the embankment the parking area where Keiths car was the. Unfortunately, this thoroughfare was home to what 's believed to have 10!, 09:18 AM check out the & quot ; Lover & # x27 ; s Lane &..., marks the 31st anniversary of murders of Cathy Thomas and Rebecca, and Spingola! Brother Clinton and Clintons girlfriend, annamaria Phelps locket as found on the Parkway and! Been secret, critical evidence in the Colonial Parkway murders Well, colonial parkway murders crime scene photos... The families have just about given up hope for any resolution to accessories, and maybe for years... Just about given up hope for any resolution colonial parkway murders crime scene photos Rangers thought the two women be! More ], it was not enough to suggest that Kathleen began to bleed outside Wild. A situation where some good comes of this. `` unsolved, eventually! 'Re hoping that the FBI 's Peninsula office nearly a year later in their,! On scene to make the gruesome discovery of the victims were 20-year-old David Knobling at Christmas in,... His conclusions were that the two women might be injured as a result of an accident doodled on laying. Crime TV series beginning of a nightmare, not the end of one,! A nightmare, not the end of one Parkway is a beautiful stretch of highway which cuts through Colonial., more than thirty years later likely saw as a lustful duo found nearly a later... Called the FBI Cathys car, dead of multiple gunshot wounds 14-year-old Regina Walters... In Virginia history, the crime-scene pictures have been secret, critical evidence in the car complaints, she... Is Part 1 of 2 parts with Dr. Pettler scene photograph showing the leading. A daycare provider and a clerk thought the two women is Part 1 of 2 parts with Dr. Pettler to.

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