Every Town - Colonial Parkway, VA - Four Couples Victimized By The Colonial Parkway Murders

Episode Date: December 10, 2021

For more than three decades now, the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia has been beset by the unsolved Colonial Parkway murders. It’s considered the state’s most notorious case of who-done-it -- a string of brutal killings of four young couples, romantically linked or not, between October 1986 and September 1989. No obvious motives were established; there were no signs of robbery or sexual assault. But one thing was common: all 8 victims were brutally murdered either by strangulation, stabbing or shooting. And the string of killings untwined like scary stories told in the dark, without clue who or when the killer would strike again.💥 Watch the The Video of This Episodehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiE86yS_VM7qjiICqRPmwLQ💥 Videos way too Creepy for Youtubehttps://www.patreon.com/scarymysteries  Support the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Every town has a dark side. Today we head to Colonial Parkway in Virginia, where we check out the four couples victimized by the Colonial Parkway murderer. For more than three decades now, the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia has been beset by the unsolved colonial parkway murders. It's considered the state's most notorious case of whodunit, a string of brutal killings of four young couples, romantically linked or not between October, 1986, and September of 89.

No obvious motives were established. There were no signs of robbery or sexual assault. But one thing was common. All eight victims were brutally murdered, either by strangulation, stabbing, or shooting. And the string of killings, untwined like scary stories told in the dark, without a clue as to who or when the killer would strike again. Hi, I'm Andrew Fitzgerald, bringing you another episode of Everytown, and this week our featured story is a four-and-one tale of murder

in Virginia's Colonial Parkway that still remains a mystery. Spanning three years, the ruthless crimes left three couples instantly lifeless, while one pair has never been found but presumed dead. Was a serial killer behind the series of murders, or were they four separate homicides perpetrated by different criminals? 34 years later, the answers aren't known yet, and no one has been arrested. For all we know, the killer could still be out there lurking in one of the lanes of the scenic parkway. Described as beautiful, scenic, and tranquil, the colonial parkway is a 23-mile landscaped thoroughbush. Fair that connects Virginia's three historic communities of Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown,

collectively known as the Historic Triangle, as part of the National Park Services, Colonial National History Park. It took more than 25 years to create the Colonial Parkway, spanning from 1930 to 1957, which was intended primarily for sightseeing. expectedly there are many scenic pull-offs and historical markers that describe the views one of the more popular among these are near the parkways james and york river ends where there are panoramic views across each river the colonial parkway is an all-year-round attraction for tourists and visitors as it's mostly shrouded by tall trees making the parkway very shady and cool in the summer and spring, more breathtakingly beautiful in the fall and winter. People who visit here are treated

to visual extravaganzas brimming with historical points, picturesque spots, markers, and memorials access through tunnels and bridges that are incredibly charming and visually stunning. Thus, it seems unfathomable that the colonial parkway would be cloaked in fear, terror, and mystery 30 years after its completion when four cases of double homicides were committed in or near the parkway from the mid to late 1980s. The murders of lesbian couple, 27-year-old Kathleen Thomas, and 21-year-old Rebecca Andowski on October 12, 1986, gave rise to the so-called called Colonial Parkway Murders. They were found strangled with their throats cut and a parkway pull-off.

Kathleen and Rebecca Ann, they've been dating for six months when they went out for dinner on October 9, 1986, which turned out to be the last moment they were seen alive in the end to their bright futures. Kathleen had graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1981 as part of its second class to admit women and was one of several family members to have pursued a life in the Navy. In the 1980s, resistance for women joining the Naval Academy was tremendous. They were subjected to hatred and harassment. But according to Kathleen's brother, William,

Kathy was unafraid to try things that no one else had done before. We told her up front, and we expressed concern that going to the Naval Academy was going to be very tough, But she was undaunted. She was determined. Kathleen, in fact, did well as a Russian scholar, who was the most improved Russian speaker at the Academy. William added,

during the 80s, speaking Russian was very important because they were, at the time, probably our top adversary in the world. It was also during that period when the Navy banned gays and lesbians and Kathleen had reportedly been investigated by nine agents regarding her sexuality. This triggered her to leave the Navy after five years.

William explained that Kathleen discovered she was a lesbian after graduating from the Naval Academy, which she felt wasn't welcoming to a gay woman like herself. She laughed with great regret because she had always wanted to follow the career path of their father. Kathleen then worked as a stockbroker in Norfolk where she met Rebecca, six years her junior and a senior business administration major at the college of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.

The trendy and fashion-savvy co-ed was a hardworking student, juggling, caring for toddlers at a daycare center, and doing clerical work at the college's English department in between attending her classes. Kathleen was eager to introduce Rebecca to her family during Thanksgiving in 1986, and she was very upbeat and excited about it. Thinking about her future, Kathleen also eagerly planned of possibly studying international relations and graduate school. But all these were for naught when their lives were viciously ended by a still unknown killer, while the two spent some time on a night over the Columbus Day weekend at the Lovers Lane of Colonial Parkway. Kathleen and Rebecca

were regular visitors of the area, but they were doomed that chilly October night. Their bodies were then discovered inside Kathleen's 1980 Honda Civic, which had been pushed down the Cheatham Annex Overlook, an embankment off the Colonial Parkway. Rebecca was found in the back seat of the car, while Kathy was squeezed into the hatchback. The odd-tops reports determined rope burns on their necks and wrists, with signs of strangulation.

Their throats had been slashed in a left-to-right motion, but Kathleen's slit was so deep that she was nearly decapitated. The car and the women's bodies were doused in diesel fuel, perhaps to destroy any incriminating evidence. However, the car failed to catch fire, so it was pushed down an embankment towards the York River, where it got caught up in the brush, and was discovered three days later on October 12.

found inside the vehicle with a pair's purses and money. Thus, police ruled out robbery as the motive for the murders. It appeared that Kathleen may have struggled with her attacker, as a clump of hair was later found between her fingers. Both of the women showed no sign of sexual assault, thus their case was considered just a murder. It was speculated that in gaining the trust of the women, their perpetrator disguised themselves as a park ranger or police officer to lure the unsuspecting couple from their car. William, Kathleen's brother, believed the killer was knowledgeable of the colonial parkway, with its twists and turns, lack of entrances and exit, and was someone who knew that the row would be fairly empty in the middle of the night. Kathleen and Rebecca's case

was investigated by the FBI because it took place on federal land. Their case raised fear of the killer striking again, which was unfortunately realized just 11 months later. The next double homicide incident that brought more notoriety to the colonial parkway was to another pair, although the romantic involvement between David Knobling and Robin Edwards was never truly established. 20-year-old David lived in Hampton and worked at his father's landscaping business. The year, 1987, was supposed to be a turning point in his life, as David would have become a young father.

His longtime girlfriend was due to give birth, but David never saw the day that his offspring would come into this world. On September 20, 1987, he was shot to death along with a female companion, not his girlfriend, but a younger teenage girl named Robin Edwards. At 14 years old, Robin had struggled with mental health issues. Her reckless behavior had led her to run away from home twice in the past. It's not a surprise that her sister, Jeanette, described Robin as full of energy and not afraid of anything. Weeks before her death, Robin had been rewarded by her family with a kitten and a waterbed to the great progress that she exhibited in her therapy and counseling sessions.

Earlier in the day, on that September 20th, David and Robin were out spending time at an arcade together with David's little brother and cousin. Afterwards, he dropped the teenage girl at her home, but later that night Robin snuck out of her house to meet up with him. But their rendezvous turned into tragedy when they were shot at point-blank range in the ragged island wildlife refuge near the south shore of James River in Smithfield, Virginia. David's truck was found abandoned at the refuge parking area next to the James River Bridge.

By all accounts, his truck was his prize possession, so family members knew right away something was terribly wrong when it was found deserted. Interestingly, the car keys were still in the ignition, the door still open, and the windshield wipers and the radio were still on. Found inside the truck were two pairs of underwear and shoes, articles of clothes, and clothing in David's wallet, thereby robbery again wasn't the plausible reason for the crime. A few days later, David's father and a search party found the bodies of David and Robin, washed ashore on the James River at the Ragged Island Wildlife Refuge.

Each had been shot in the head, Robin once in the back, execution style, and David twice, one in the head and one in the shoulder, as if he had been running away from the killer. Although the murders of David and Robin didn't exactly happen on the Colonial Parkway, police linked their cases with the October 1986 murders of Kathleen and Rebecca. Both sets of victims were couples who had been killed at or around the Lover's Lane areas, and the two locations were only about a 30-minute drive apart. It's just unlucky that despite the best investigative efforts, The case of David and Robin likewise went cold.

Seven months later, on April 10, 1988, the police were besieged by another mysterious case upon the discovery of an unoccupied vehicle at the York River Overlook. It was just three miles away from where Kathleen and Rebecca, the maiden victims of the Colonial Parkway Killer, were murdered just two years earlier. The car, a red 1982, Toyota Celica, belonged to 20-year-old Richard Keith Kahl,

who was out on his first date the night before with 18-year-old Cassandra Haley. Both were students at Christopher Newport University in Virginia. Keith was a computer science major who loved going to the beach and was fond of his car. Cassandra, meanwhile, was a college freshman who dabbled in modeling and taught gymnastics on the side. Keith was known to be a shy type. While Cassandra was described by her mother as generous and gregarious, a person who wanted to be friends with everyone. April 9th was supposed to be a memorable night for the young college sweethearts

who had a blast attending a party at the University Square area in Newport News, an independent city in Virginia. Before partying, Keith and Cassandra kickstarted their first date watching a movie. When the party ended, they then headed home together, and approximately 1.30 a.m. on April 10th. Alas, it would be the last time that they were seen full of life. Because later that morning, while Keith's father was traversing along Colonial Parkway on his way to work, he spotted his son's empty red car parked on the highway.

Mr. Kahl noticed the open door on the driver's side, and the keys were still in the ignition. Thinking that Keith and Cassandra may have ventured to the river area, Mr. Call did not report the sighting to the police and proceeded to his office. Then, shortly after he left, a park ranger reported the vehicle as abandoned and the police were called. While inspecting the car, authorities found the couple's clothes on the car seat, which was unusual, because Mr. Call would later specify that he didn't see the clothes when he spotted his son's car that morning. They also found Keith's wallet and Cassandra's purse intact, so whoever the killer was didn't consider robbing them of their valuables.

A thorough search ensued, which included the nearby Frid York River, fearing Keith and Cassandra may have gone swimming and drowned. Canines traced their scents to the river, but soon lost it, and no trace of the couple would ever be found after that. from being considered missing, Keith and Cassandra were later presumed dead. The evil man, or men behind the Colonial Parkway murders, took a hiatus for 18 months after Keith Call and Cassandra Haley had gone missing. But the diabolical killer resurfaced on September 5, 1989, just after Labor Day weekend, when two young individuals vanished near the Colonial Parkway and were later found dead. The seventh and eighth casualties of the string of murders were 21-year-old Daniel Lauer,

an 18-year-old Anna Marie Phelps. They were not romantically linked, unlike the first three couples that felt prey to the killer's criminal urges. Anna Marie was actually in a relationship with Daniel's younger brother Clint, and the couple was actually living together in Virginia Beach. However, they were having financial struggles, so Daniel decided to move in with the lovers and help them out with the expenses. In early September 1989, Daniel needed to go home in Amelia County and get his belongings. Anna Marie decided to accompany Daniel for the drive,

but she also wanted to visit her family in their hometown. But they ran out of luck on their way back to Virginia Beach. On September 5th, a gold 1972 Chevy Nova, was found abandoned at a rest stop off Interstate 64 in New Kent County. Daniel's car was found on the westbound side of the highway, the opposite direction of Daniel and Anna Maria's destination, which confused police. It was unclear whether the pair pulled over and were perhaps killed at the rest stop

or if they were slayed elsewhere when the killer moved the Chevy to where it was found. Anna Maria's purse was found inside the car, once more ruling out robbery as a motive, and the keys were in the ignition once again. A common scenario in all cases of the Colonial Parkway homicides. Investigators thought Daniel and Anna Maria ran off together, but on October 19, 1989, or 44 days after they were reported missing, hunters found the skeletonized remains of the two murder. murder victims, a wooded area, along Interstate 64, between Williamsburg and Richmond.

The hunters discovered the bodies on a logging road about 25 miles from courthouse road, which was located about a mile from Interstate 64 in New Kent's restop where Daniel's car was found. The pair severely decomposed remains were covered in a blanket that was taken from Daniel's car. The decomposition of their bodies was so advanced that it made. made it difficult to determine the exact cause of their deaths, or if there was sexual assault involved. Despite this, investigators noted what appeared to be stabbed marks on Anna Maria's bones,

suggesting she had been stabbed to death based on an inconclusive MRI scan. The investigation didn't yield many results, and so Anna Maria and Daniel's case became part of the statistics of unsolved murders in Virginia. It was no different from the... the three previous Colonial Parkway murders that happened in 86, 87, and 88. And despite the efforts of law enforcement to solve the murders, luck has been elusive.

Over the years, police have questioned 150 suspects in connection to these four cases, but all of them have been cleared. The most they had come up with were theories. Police posited that a serial killer could be attributed for the eight murders because of the similar circumstances surrounding them, and the victims were all killed at or near their car, the first three couples being found at known lover's lane areas in the parkway. Robbery and sexual assault were ruled out as motives of the crimes

because no sign of such was evident. The first and third murders were mere miles apart, and the second and fourth were committed about a half hour away from the colonial parkway. However, there were those who thought these murders, were perpetrated by at least two or more separate killers. The differences in killing methods were often pointed out, as Kathy Thomas and Rebecca Dowski were strangled and then had their throat slits in 86.

David Knobling and Robin Edwards were shot in 87, and Anna Maria Phelps and Daniel Lauer were presumably stabbed in 89. Then the killings abruptly stopped after that, However, to everyone's horror and surprise, the killer resurfaced seven years later. On May 27, 1996, during a Memorial Day weekend, another openly lesbian couple, 24-year-old Julie Williams, and 26-year-old Lolly Winnens, disappeared mysteriously while camping out at the Shenandoah National Park located 80 miles west of the Colonial Parkway. Their bodies were found on June 1st,

They have been bound and gagged, and their throats have been slick. This prompted retired Milwaukee Police Department homicide detective, Steve Spengola, who came out of hibernation to assist the victim's families in 2010, to propose that the Colonial Parkway murders were the work of different killers, especially the 1986 slings of Kathleen and Rebecca. Spengola believed the Thomas Dowski crimes were directly linked to the 19, 96 deaths of Lolly and Julie. Despite theories that the crimes may not be connected, many still believe that the string of murders was the work of one particular serial killer. The Colonial Parkway

murders killed eight innocent individuals in four years, yet justice for these victims and their respective families has not been attained yet. 34 years of waiting could drain the patience and trounce the sanity of anyone hoping for unequivocal answers. But the victim's relatives, particularly Kathleen Thomas' brother William, and Richard Call's sister Joyce, are hopeful the cases will be resolved. Joyce administers a Facebook page called What Happened to Richard Call and Cassandra Haley. She said, I'm not an outgoing person, but I've had to learn to be.

These murders have become folklore. On the other hand, William runs the Facebook page, Colonial Parkway Murders. In 2018, a post revealed that DNA had been found at three of the four crime scenes, which could potentially and conclusively link the cases and lead to an arrest. The DNA sample included hair found in Kathleen's hand and a biological sample found on Robin. advances in DNA technology over the years have made the families of victims hopeful that they will finally get to the bottom of the murders. I'm very optimistic, William Thomas said. I've heard that my sister's case is a cold case many number of times, but experts have told me this as a solvable case,

and no one's been standing in line longer than our families. So that's it for this week's episode of Every Town. Tune in next week for another episode filled with scary, strange, and mysterious stories. Because you never know. Your town might be next.