RICHMOND, Va. – A breakthrough in DNA evidence has led to a suspect in three killings in the Hampton Roads region in the late 1980s, bringing possible closure to a series of crimes known as the “Colonial Parkway murders.”
State and federal investigators announced this week that Alan W. Wilmer Sr., a waterman with no prior felony record who passed away in 2017, has been linked to evidence found at the shooting deaths of David L. Knobling, 20, and Robin M. Edwards, 14, whose bodies were discovered at the Ragged Island wildlife refuge in Isle of Wight County in 1987. Additionally, similar evidence connected Wilmer to the killing of Teresa Lynn Spaw Howell, 29, in Hampton in 1989.
The “Colonial Parkway murders” have long haunted southeastern Virginia, with the case involving young couples being killed or going missing from remote parking areas between 1986 and 1989, leaving no explanation for the families left behind.
Families of the victims expressed gratitude to law enforcement officials for their commitment and asked for privacy as they grieve. “For 36 years, our families have lived in a vacuum of the unknown,” the Knobling and Edwards families said in a statement. Howell’s family expressed their own sorrow, stating, “While we are grateful for the closure that has been provided, nothing will bring Teri back. The void left by her absence over the years is inexpressible.”
Investigators, with the help of DNA evidence, have identified Wilmer as a suspect posthumously, confirming a connection to the Hampton and Isle of Wight cases. He has not been linked to other cases involving the parkway series, which the FBI has been investigating for decades as potential work of a serial killer.
The search for more information on Wilmer’s potential involvement in other crimes is ongoing, as authorities continue to appeal to the public for any encounters or information related to Wilmer.
The case of events has shed light on the immense impact these crimes have had on the region, as investigators continue to work diligently to uncover the truth.
The once unsolved “Colonial Parkway murders” may finally see some resolution as authorities work to bring justice to those who lost their lives in these tragic events.