Who was identified as the Colonial Parkway killer?

Alan Wade Wilmer Sr. was identified by the FBI as the suspect in the Colonial Parkway murders.

When did the Colonial Parkway murders occur?

The Colonial Parkway murders occurred between 1986 and 1989.

What led to the identification of Alan Wade Wilmer Sr.?

Advances in forensic science and DNA analysis were instrumental in identifying Alan Wade Wilmer Sr. as the suspect.

Home / Crime and Justice / Colonial Parkway Killer Identified After Decades

Colonial Parkway Killer Identified After Decades

22 Jan

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Summary

Suspect Alan Wade Wilmer Sr. identified in 1986 murders.
Wilmer Sr. linked to at least six murders and disappearances.
Forensic advances provided the crucial DNA evidence.

Colonial Parkway Killer Identified After Decades

Federal investigators have identified Alan Wade Wilmer Sr. as the suspect in the 1986 Colonial Parkway murders of Cathleen Thomas and Rebecca Dowski. The FBI announced Tuesday that advances in forensic science and DNA analysis led to this identification. Wilmer Sr., a local fisherman, died in 2017 at the age of 63. He is believed to be responsible for at least six murders and disappearances of young people in Virginia between 1986 and 1989. The Colonial Parkway murders remain one of Virginia's longest cold case investigations.

The bodies of Thomas and Dowski were discovered along the Colonial Parkway in October 1986, days after they were last seen at The College of William and Mary. Wilmer Sr. was also linked to the 1987 murders of David Knobling and Robin M. Edwards in Isle of Wight, and the 1989 homicide of Teresa Lynn Spaw Howell. Authorities confirmed that had Wilmer Sr. been alive, evidence would have supported federal prosecution.