While running a small business, a Virginia fisherman killed at least three people in the late '80s and took his secrets to the grave.
Alan W. Wilmer Sr. is responsible for the 1987 murders of David Knobling, 20, and Robin M. Edwards, 14, on the Isle of Wight and the 1989 murders in Hampton, Virginia. He was involved in the murder of Teresa Lynn Spaugh Howell, 29.
The case was dubbed the “Colonial Parkway Murders,” and the outcome was a sinister true-crime story that replaced decades of theory.
The situation suddenly changed earlier this week when Virginia State Police announced that DNA advances implicated Wilmer in all three murders. However, he passed away nearly seven years ago.
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Alan W. Wilmer Sr., the man responsible for the Colonial Parkway Murders, died in 2017, according to Virginia State Police. (contribution)
Wilmer passed away in December 2017 at the age of 63.
Police said the man lived a low profile and spent most of his time fishing for clams and oysters in a custom-built wooden boat that was often moored at marinas in Gloucester and Middlesex counties.
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He lived in Lancaster County, Virginia, about two and a half hours north of the crime scene, and had no criminal history. He also owned a business called Better Tree Service and was known as an avid hunter.
Although Wilmer took a deadly secret to his grave, attorneys for Isle of Wight County and the City of Hampton have said, “If it were not for Wilmer's death, charges would be brought against him in connection with three murders.'' “Confirmed,” Virginia State Police said in a statement. statement.
Information provided by the Virginia State Police about the Colonial Parkway Murder victims. (Virginia State Police)
The bodies of Knobling and Edwards were found on September 23, 1987, along the shoreline of the Ragged Island Wildlife Management and Refuge on the south bank of the James River, with bullet holes in them.
The two were last seen alive together on the night of September 19, 1987. Police said Edwards, who was still a teenager, was sexually assaulted.
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Two years later, on July 1, 1989, Howell left the Zodiac Club at approximately 2:30 a.m.
Construction workers discovered her clothes about eight hours later, and her body was discovered as “Jane Doe” in a nearby wooded area.
She was identified after a missing persons report was filed in York County on July 4, 1989.
According to Virginia State Police, Alan Wilmer Sr. would have been charged with three counts of the Colonial Parkway Murders had he lived. (Virginia State Police)
As of today, Wilmer Sr. has been implicated in these three murders, but investigators continue to look into other crimes he may have committed, said FBI Special Agent in Charge Norfolk. Brian Dugan said.
He asked the public to come forward with any tips or information that could lead to clues.
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“We recognize that relationships and loyalties change over time, and so do people and their perspectives,” Dugan said in a statement.
“We want people who may have had information about an incident who may have felt reluctant to come forward in the past to know that it is never too late to come forward.”
Law enforcement released photos of Alan W. Wilmer Sr.'s car as they continue to investigate other possible crimes he may have committed. (Virginia State Police)
Lt. Col. Tim Ryan, director of the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation, thanked the victim's family for their patience in a statement after announcing that DNA linked Wilmer to the murder.
“Only those who have lost a child in this way can truly understand the depth of their grief and the frustration of not knowing who was responsible for taking the life of a loved one in such a violent and cruel manner. That's understandable,” Lieutenant Ryan said. .
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“We hope that identifying the perpetrator brings them closure and peace. We will continue to work to ensure that other families have a day and a chance for closure and justice.” continue.”
Wilmer was 5 feet 5 inches tall, muscular, and weighed approximately 165 pounds. He had sandy brown hair, blue eyes, and a close-cropped beard.
He was driving a distinctive blue 1966 Dodge Fargo pickup with Virginia license plate EM-RAW. The Dodge was just one of several pickup trucks that Wilmer was known to drive during his 1980s and early 1990s.
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Work with Alan W. Wilmer Sr., hunt with him, farm oysters and clams with him, and join him at marinas in the Northern Neck, Hampton Roads, and Middle Peninsula areas. We encourage anyone who moored next to or hung out with us to get in touch. Contact her FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Anonymous tips can be submitted online. tips.fbi.gov. Anyone with information may also contact Virginia State Police by email at questions@vsp.virginia.gov or on the Peninsula Crime Line.
